Author: Chatinian Lara

Armenian authorities resume electronic auction of Bjni plant property
and brand

2009-01-10 17:03:00

ArmInfo. Armenian authorities have resumed the electronic auction of
Bjni Plant of Mineral Waters CJSC property and brand. The auction is
scheduled for January 23 2009. Armenian Compulsory Execution Service
(CES) Spokesman Ruben Grzelyan told ArmInfo.

He said the assets and the right of property of Bjni Company were put
up for electronic auction at 5:19 December 19. However, it was broken
since proceedings on bankruptcy were launched against Bjni by the claim
of ‘Saturn Tire Fitting’ LLC at the Northern Civil Court of Armenia.
However, on 30 December the Court rejected the claim for recognition of
the plant’s bankruptcy, which allowed the CES to start the pending
auction.

The initial price of the company’s assets is 4 934 billion drams ($16
million). The property of the plant was put up for auction since tax
inspections at the plant resulted in a total of 4.1 billion drams
fines.

Bjni belongs to one of Armenia’s largest companies, the SIL group owned
by the Soukiassian family. The fact of the unprecedented pressure on
the concern is connected with the political activity of Khachatour
Soukiassian, one of the shareholders, parliamentarian, who openly
supported the candidature of the first president of Armenia Levon
Ter-Petrosyan during the previous presidential election. After the
auction was announced, Gagik Tsarukyan, businessman, Leader of
Prosperous Armenia Party called on businessmen not to participate in
the auction.

GEORGIA BLOCKED GAS FLOW TO ARMENIA….TEMPORARILY

Panorama.am
16:05 09/01/2009

Today the company of gas-transport of Georgia official announced
that the flow of natural gas to Armenia has been blocked because of
reconstruction on Ghazakh-Saguramo gas pipeline after it was damaged.

The press service of "ArmRusgasard" reports that an expert group
is sent to Georgia to check the situation and to provide assistance
if needed. According to Georgian colleagues the damage will be soon
solved out.

The representatives of "ArmRusgasard" said that natural gas will be
provided to our citizens from the company’s reserves.

Prison term of Sargis Hatspanian extended for another two months

YEREVAN , DECEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The closed-door sitting of the court
of first instance of Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork-Marash community
(judge: Gayane Karakhanian) on December 30 granted the prosecution’s
petition to extend the arrest as a precautionary measure with the
respect to Sargis Hatspanian, a French Armenian, former azatamartik
(freedom fighter) for another two months.

To recap, S. Hatspanian was arrested after he had said in an interview
with Armenian Time daily in October that an attempt upon Armenian
president Serzh Sargsyan’s life was being prepared. After a talk at the
National Security Service, the former azatamartik was charged under
Article 333 Part 2 of the RA Criminal Code (false crime reporting),
which envisages an imprisonment for up to 5 years.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY DISPROVES INFORMATION ABOUT MEETING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA, TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN AT THE BEGINNING OF 2009

ArmInfo
2008-12-26 15:29:00

ArmInfo. Armenian Foreign Ministry has disproved the information
about the trilateral meeting of foreign ministers of Armenia, Turkey
and Azerbaijan at the beginning of 2009, the head of press-service
of Armenian Foreign Ministry Tigran Balayan told ArmInfo correspondent.

To recall, Turkey’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilich said in
Baku that the three ministers will meet in January-February of the
next year.

HRANUSH HAKOBIAN: FAVORABLE CONDITIONS SHOULD BE CREATED FOR DIASPORAN ARMENIANS TO PROMOTE REPATRIATION

Noyan Tapan

Dec 26, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. "We cannot but speak of repatriation
under the circumstance of having such a large Diaspora," RA Minister
of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian stated at the December 26 press
conference. In her words, the most of Diasporan Armenians living in
Armenia at present returned to the homeland in the difficult years,
in 1991-92. According to H. Hakobian, for the purpose of promoting
repatriation today favorable conditions should be created for Diasporan
Armenians in the country.

In response to the observation that many Diasporan Armenian businessmen
come across some obstacles connected with the legislation when
founding their own business in Armenia, the Minister said: "Soon we
will publish a collection of laws that will help Diasporan Armenians
to found business in Armenia." As she affirmed, that collection with
keep the Diasporan Armenians away from their Armenian partners, who
"not resisting the temptation try to deceive those arriving from the
Diaspora by all means."

U.S. PRESIDENT-ELECT WON’T RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE, ANDRANIK TEVANYAN SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.12.2008 17:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Both Turkey and Armenia are interested in opening
of the border but Turkey’s economy will benefit more in this case,
an Armenian expert said.

"At that, the process of international recognition of the Armenian
genocide will wane with the thaw in Armenian-Turkish relations,"
Andranik Tevanyan, head of political economy research institute,
said when responding to a PanARMENIANAN.Net reporter’s question.

"I am apt to think that under the circumstances U.S. President-elect
Barack Obama won’t recognize the Armenian Genocide in annual April
24 statement in an effort to support Turkey-Armenia reconciliation,"
he said.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES SHOULD IMMEDIATELY FULFILL ALL PACE REQUIREMENTS, ANC REPRESENTATIVE CONSIDERS

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 25, 2008
YEREVAN

The slaughter organized by the authorities on March 1 had undesirable
consequences for Armenia’s international reputation, as well as for
its relations with abroad. Vladimir Karapetian, Armenian National
Congress Responsible Person for Foreign Relations, stated at the
December 25 press conference.

According to him, the authorities have failed fulfillment of the
requirements of PACE Resolutions N 1609 and 1620. "It is a pity that
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian stated that Armenia had fulfilled
more than 50% Resolutions’ requirements, while the draft resolution
adopted by PACE Monitoring Committee in fact refutes Minister’s
statement," V. Karapetian said. He reminded that both PACE Resolutions
first of all demand releasing all political prisoners.

As to the possibility of Council of Europe’s using sanctions to
Armenia, the ANC representative said that in spite of the fact
that PACE extended the term of Resolutions’ fulfillment by six
months, nevertheless no progress has been recorded in the issue of
Resolutions’ fulfillment so far. According to V. Karapetian, if the
Armenian authorities are indeed interested in protection of Nagorno
Karabakh’s interests and are concerned with Armenia’s and NKR’s fate,
they should immediately fulfill all PACE requirements.

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN, KAZAKH, KYRGYZ, TAJIK LEADERS TO ESTABLISH JOINT FOUNDATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2008 15:30 GMT+04:00

The Presidents of Kazakhstan, Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and
Tajikistan discussed a wide scope of issues during the informal summit
in Astana on December 19 and 21.

The leaders decided to form CSTO collective force of fast response
and to establish a joint foundation, with 10 billion USD as financial
capital, which will function to help world crisis relief efforts. They
also agreed to establish a high technology center to deal with
implementation of innovation projects, says the report on Kazakh
President’s website.

ACCORDING TO LEVON TER-PETROSIAN’S AFFIRMATION, OPPOSITION HAS ESTABLISHED IDENTITY OF POLICEMEN FIRING AT PEACEFUL DEMONSTRANTS

NOYAN TAPAN

Dec 22, 2008
YEREVAN

According to opposition’s own investigation of the March 1 events,
the opposition has established the identity of policemen firing at
peaceful demonstrants. First RA President Levon Ter-Petrosian stated
at the December 21 conference of the Armenian National Congress (ANC).

In his words, as a result of the investigation it was also found
out that five high-ranking officials and four oligarches are indeed
responsible for those events, who coordinated the actions of a group
consisting of 950 people. The latters set cars on fire and robbed
shops. The ex-President said that the ANC central office conveyed all
these data to Council of Europe High Commissioner for Human Rights
Thomas Hammarberg and to some of the Ambassadors accredited in Armenia.

L. Ter-Petrosian said that the greatest achievement was that the
national movement managed to prove the groundlessness of the version
put forward by the authorities that clashes between policemen and
demonstrants were provoked by the opposition. And for the Armenian
public primordially not believing that version the March 1 crime was a
terrible slaughter organized by country’s leaders. The international
community also started getting convinced of it under the pressure of
the existing facts.

L. Ter-Petrosian drew attention to the fact that so far no opposition
representative has been accused of carrying arms, using grenades,
setting cars on fire or robbing shops. In his words, those killing
the ten persons have not been disclosed yet. While, the very issue
should have been primary for law enforcement bodies.

L. Ter-Petrosian assured that the March 1 investigation will be
continued, and in case the situation changes everybody really
responsible for these crimes will be brought to the court. He also
stated that opposition’s mass actions of protest can be resumed at
any time.

VOSKANYAN TO BE TRANSFERRED TO BANANTS

A1+
[02:39 pm] 22 December, 2008

The experienced half-back of the Armenian football team Arthur
Voskanyan will be transferred to Yerevan’s Banants next year. On
January 10 he will sign a contract with the club.

Arthur played in Belorussia’s Vitebsk in 2008. He was back to Armenia
in November.

"The choice of Banants was not accidental. "The team’s substructures
are the best in Armenia. In 2009 we shall do our utmost to win a cup
and become a champion. I think Bananats is capable of demonstrating
a worthy game," said Voskanyan.

Note that during the last ten years Voskanyan has played either in
foreign or in leading Armenian teams.