Author: Dabaghian Diana

RA GOVERNMENT TO APPROVE ARMENTEL’S PURCHASE BY VYMPELCOM
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2006 13:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian government will approve the bargain
sealed by Greek OTE and Russian VympelCom on the sale of 90%
stocks of ArmenTel telecommunication company, Secretary of the
Security Council at the RA President, Defense Minister, Co-chair
of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Economic Committee Serge
Sargsyan said November 6. “We should get acquainted with the terms
of the bargain and the price,” he remarked. When commenting on the
opinion that the number of companies conveyed to Russia is increasing
Minister Sargsyan emphasized that the growth of Russian capital in
the Armenian strategic strictures is not dangerous because Russia
has never abused the economic instruments, reports IA Regnum.

PRESS RELEASE
National Association for Armenian Studies and Research
395 Concord Avenue
Belmont, MA 02478
Tel.: 617-489-1610
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Contact: Marc A. Mamigonian
LECTURE AT NAASR ON ARMENIAN DIASPORAN COMMUNITIES OF NORTH AMERICA
Dr. Isabel Kaprielian-Churchill will give a lecture entitled “The
Armenians in Canada and the U.S.: A Borderless Diaspora” on Thursday,
November 9, at 8:00 p.m., at the National Association for Armenian
Studies and Research (NAASR) Center , 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA.
Dr. Kaprielian-Churchill is the author of Like Our Mountains: A
History of Armenians in Canada, published last year by McGill-Queen’s
University Press. This is the first comprehensive history of the
Armenian diaspora in Canada spanning a period of 100 years from the
founding settlements in the late 19th century to the devastating
earthquake in Armenia in 1988. Like Our Mountains examines the
economic, social, religious, political, and cultural life of Armenian
settlers focusing on different cities during different waves of
immigration.
Two Communities Share Deep Ties
She will discuss the history of both the American and the Canadian
Armenian communities that she has examined in such remarkable detail in
this major work of scholarship, which was awarded the Clio prize by the
Canadian Historical Association for the best book on Ontario history
in 2005. The two diasporic communities historically have had close
ties in all aspects of community development and Kaprielian-Churchill
will deal with them each in her lecture.
Having received a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 1984,
Kaprielian-Churchill taught at the University of Toronto and at
Ryerson and York Universities before moving to Fresno. In 2001 she
was promoted to full professor. She has published extensively on
immigration and ethnic history, emphasizing issues related to refugee
survival and settlement as well as to family and social networks
of immigrants in Canada. Her writings are rooted in vivid personal
accounts and the quest for retaining identities in times of upheaval
and change.
Admission to the event is free. The NAASR Bookstore will open at
7:30 p.m. The NAASR Center and Headquarters is located opposite the
First Armenian Church and next to the U.S. Post Office. Ample parking
is available around the building and in adjacent areas. The lecture
will begin promptly at 8:00 p.m.
More information about the lecture is available by calling
617-489-1610, faxing 617-484-1759, e-mailing [email protected], or writing
to NAASR, 395 Concord Ave., Belmont, MA 02478.

Referendum on Nagorno-Karabakh constitution to be held on December 10
Interfax. Russia
Nov 3 2006
STEPANAKERT. Nov 3 (Interfax) – President of the breakaway republic
of Nagorno-Karabakh Arkady Gukasian has signed a decree on holding
a referendum on the Nagorno-Karabakh draft constitution, which is
scheduled to take place on December 10, the administration of the
Nagorno-Karabakh president told Interfax.
In an earlier referendum on December 10, 1991, 99.9% of voters cast
their ballots in favor of independence.

NKR FM MET WITH INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT CATHERINE BARNS
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
November 2 the NKR FM Georgy Petrossian met with an independent
consultant, Consortium Initiative’s consultant on strategic issues
Catherine Barns on the latter’s initiative. The meeting was held at
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Permanent Representation in the RA.
In the course of the meeting Catherine Barns took an interest in
the NKR FM’s estimation of the Consortium Initiative activity being
implemented in Karabakh and the organization’s further programs.
The NKR FM took a favorable view of the organization’s activity in
the Nagorno Karabakh and underscored such program’s success depended
on the Azeri party’s stand.
The NKR Permanent Representative in the RA Karlen Avetissian and
Consortium Initiative Eurasian programs manager Dessislava Rusanova
also participated in the meeting.

DRAFT LAW OF ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT ON WAGES OF HIGH-RANKING PUBLIC
SERVANTS OF ARMENIA
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
Armenian government presented a draft law for parliamentary discussion
on wages of high-ranking public servants of the country, Pavel
Safaryan, First Deputy Finance and Economy Minister of Armenia,
said at the parliamentary hearings of the budget 2007 today.
He said that the executive body proposed to re-consider wages of
high public servants from 1 July, 2007. It should be done by a new
parliament that will prevent unnecessary speculations on the subject.
Wages of this category will be decided upon depending on the minimal
wages. The minimal salaries will be increased as well as salaries of
high public servants.
The Minister reminded that in 2007 the minimal wages will grow by
5 ths AMD and will make up 20 ths AMD. Previously, in 2006, the
government slightly touched upon this question and as a result,
salaries of public servants significantly grew up whereas salaries
of heads of ministries and departments remained unchanged.
If the question is not reconsidered, the wages of ministerial workers
will be higher than salaries of ministers. Salary of the head of
ministerial machinery will make up 204 ths AMD, salary of deputy
minister – 180 ths AMD. The executive body is concerned that public
servants will have higher salaries rather than ministers, and so,
amendments will be made.

12 NGOs WIN GOVERNMENT GRANTS TO ADVOCATE DANGERS OF SMOKING
Armenpress
Nov 02 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The Public Dialogue and Developments
Center has revealed today the names of 12 non-governmental
organizations, which were recognized winners of a competition for
government grants to advocate dangers of smoking.
This was the second tender for government grants to this end held
by the Public Dialogue and Developments Center, picked up by the
government to organize and steer these competitions. The first tender
held earlier this year was won by 10 non-governmental organizations.
One of these organizations, the Association of Pediatricians and
Psychologists, will hold a 90-minute march on November in downtown
Yerevan 4 titled ‘No to Smoking.’ The World Health Organization
(WHO) estimates that 63.7 percent of Armenian men are smokers – the
highest rate in Europe. By comparison, an estimated 60 percent of men
in neighboring Georgia and 31.2 percent in Azerbaijan are smokers. The
number of smoking women also increases, the bulk of them in Yerevan.

GENOCIDE ARMENIEN: LONDRES CRITIQUE LA PROPOSITION DE LOI FRANCAISE
Agence France Presse
2 novembre 2006 jeudi 5:38 PM GMT
Un ministre britannique a juge jeudi que la proposition de loi
francaise penalisant la negation du genocide armenien n’etait “pas
la meilleure facon de progresser” sur ce thème.
“En creant des lois sur ces evenements historiques, aussi epouvantables
soient-ils, il y a un risque de les transformer en questions politiques
d’actualite, et franchement, c’est ce qui se passe en France”,
a estime le ministre aux Affaires europeennes Geoff Hoon.
Les deputes francais ont adopte le 12 octobre un texte rendant passible
de prison la negation du genocide armenien de 1915-1917.
Cette proposition de loi doit maintenant etre debattue par le Senat
(la chambre haute du parlement francais).
“Personnellement, je ne crois pas que cette proposition soit
necessairement utile”, a insiste M. Hoon.
–Boundary_(ID_+J07W48iVoZ6DLiL3Rj82Q)–

CONSTRUCTION GROWS BY 39.6% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Nov 02 2006
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-September 2006,
construction work of 393 bln 803 mln drams (over 915.7 mln USD) was
done in Armenia, including construction of production facilities
of a total of 145 bln 478.7 mln drams. In this construction, the
amount of building and assembly work made 355 bln 109.5 mln drams,
including that of production facilities of a total of 110 bln 556.4
mln drams. According to the RA National Statistical Service, the
construction work done in January-September 2006 exceeded by 39.6%
that in January-September 2005, while the building and assembly work
– by 37%. In January-September 2006, 464 new apartment buildings
of the total area of 264 thousand 493 sq.m. were delivered for use
at the expense of humanitarian aid, funds of the population and
organizations, which exceeds by 124.8% the total area delivered for
use in the same months of last year. In the period under review, 4 new
comprehensive schools for 700 pupils were delivered for operation in
Armenia. Particularly, a school for 200 pupils was put into operation
in Artashat region with state budget resources, and 3 schools were
put into operation with a World Bank loan. 31 comprehensive schools
were repaired in Armenia in the indicated period. Particularly, 22
schools were repaired with state budget resources, and 9 ones – with
a WB loan. In January-September 2006, fixed assets of 260 bln 21.9
mln drams were put into operation, including production facilities
of 61 bln 63.6 mln drams.

ARMENIA IS READY TO OPEN ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER BUT OFFICIAL ANKARA’S POSITION WILL NOT YET ADMIT THIS:
ARMENIAN MINISTER OF TRADE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 31 2006
Armenia is ready to open the Armenian-Turkish border without any
preliminary conditions, however, official Ankara’s position will not
yet admit this, said Karen Chshmarityan, the Armenian co-chairman
of the Committee for Armenia-EU Cooperation, the Minister of Trade
and Economic Development, at today’s press-conference devoted to the
results of the seventh session of the Committee held in Brussels on
October 25.
According to him, during the session, the Armenian side presented
its approaches to this problem which were taken by the Europeans into
consideration. Particularly, the Armenian delegation appealed to the
EU to pay special attention to this issue, as Chshmarityan considers
that the regional cooperation under conditions of the closed border
acquires virtual importance.
To note, the Armenian-Turkish border has been closed since 1992.
Official Ankara links its unblocking to the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and to the renunciation of the territorial
claims on Turkey. Nevertheless, the annual commodity turnover between
the two states, with due regard for reexport and reimport, makes up
about $100 mln, according to non-official data.

GEORGIAN ARMENIAN ACTIVIST RELEASED
Regnum, Russia
Oct 30 2006
30 October: On 30 October, Armenia’s Court of Appeal made a decision
to change the measure of restraint regarding Vaagn Chakhalyan,
member of the [Georgian-based] United Javakhk democratic alliance,
and release him, our Regnum correspondent reports.
Earlier, the court of first instance sentenced Chakhalyan to two
months of preliminary confinement.