Author: Emil Lazarian

SERGE SARGSIAN TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO BULGARIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 11 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The delegation
headed by RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian will pay an official
visit to the Republic of Bulgaria on September 11-13. As Colonel Seyran
Shahsuvarian, the RA Defence Minister’s Press Secretary informed the
Noyan Tapan correspondent, meetings with RB President Georgi Parvanov,
RB Defence Minister Vesselin Bliznakov as well as Petar Beron, the
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, and heads of the National
Assembly Defence Committee are envisaged within the framework of the
official visit.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION GROWS BY 42.8% IN JANUARY-JULY 2006 ON SAME MONTHS OF 2005
Noyan Tapan
Sept 11 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-July 2006, construction
work of 240 bln 302.1 mln drams (over 546 mln USD) was done in
Armenia, including production facility construction of 86 bln 190.7
mln drams. In the indicated volume of work, building and assembly work
amounted to 207 bln 154.5 mln drams, including building and assembly
work of production facilities making 56 bln 151.2 mln drams. According
to the RA National Statistical Service, the volume of construction in
January-July 2006 exceeded the index of January-July 2005 by 42.8%,
and the volume of building and assembly work exceeded the respective
index of last year by 36.6%. In the period of January-July 2006, 308
new residential buildings of the total area of more than 188 thousand
square meters was delivered for use at the expense of humanitarian aid,
and financial resources of organizations and citizens. Particularly,
one residential building of the total area of 37 sq.m. was constructed
in Yerevan at the expense of humanitarian aid, and 8 residential
buildings of the total area of 36 thousand 120 sq.m. were constructed
with organizations’ funds. 299 residential buildings of the total area
of 151 thousand 913 sq.m. were constructed with citizens’ resources
in Armenia, including 173 residential buildings of 124 thousand 250
sq.m. in Yerevan. In the period under review, 2 new comprehensive
schools for 250 pupils (one school for 200 pupils in Chambarak region,
and another for 50 pupils in Tashir region) were put into operation
in Armenia with credit resources of the World Bank. 21 comprehensive
schools were repaired in Armenia in January-July 2006. Particularly,
15 comprehensive schools were repaired with state budget resources,
including 7 schools in Ararat marz, 5 in Armavir marz, one in Syunik
marz, one in Tavush marz and one school in Yerevan. 6 comprehensive
schools were repaired with the WB credit resources, including 2 schools
in Shirak marz, 2 in Armavir marz and 2 – in Yerevan. In the indicated
period, construction of 8 bln 256.8 mln drams or 3.4% of the total
construction in the country was done in the earthquake zone at the
expense of all sources of finance for construction, restoration and
repair of residential buildings, social and production facilities,
including production facility construction of 4 bln 182.5 mln drams
(4.9%). In the period under review, 45 new residential buildings of
the total area of 8,990 sq.m. or 4.8% of the area put into operation
in Armenia were delivered for use with the population’s resources in
the earthquake zone.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSKANIAN TO MEET WITH THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS
A1+
[07:52 pm] 11 September, 2006
Today RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian left for Paris. He will
meet with the OSCE Minsk group Co-chairs in the evening.
On September 12 Vartan Oskanian will meet with his French counterpart
Philippe Douste-Blazy. Hasmik Poghosyan, RA Minister of Culture and
Youth will meet with Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, the French Minister of
Culture and Communication and they will render joint press conference
on the year of Armenia in France.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INVESTMENTS GROW BY 27.9%
Noyan Tapan
Sept 11 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. In the period of January-June
2006, the amount of foreign investments (without those receiced
through the state governance and banking systems) in the real sector
of the Armenian economy made 178 mln 506.6 thousand USD, increasing
by 27.9% on the same period of 2005. In the indicated amount, direct
investments made 86 mln 272.7 thousand USD and grew by 9.2%. According
to the RA National Statistical Service, 48.7% of foreign invsetments
made in the real sector during the indicated period (33.1% of direct
investments) were allocated for the communication sector. 14.3% of
direct investments was made in mining industry, and 9.4% – in air
transport. In the indicated period, Greek investments made 37 mln 913
thousand or by 35% less than in January-July 2005. Lebanese investments
made 49 mln 616.9 thousand USD (a 2.1fold growth), Russian investments
– 19 mln 220.9 thosand (41.9%), Argentinian investments – 17 mln
225.1 thousand USD (3.7fold), US investments – 14 mln 866.8 thousand
USD and German investments – 12 mln 111.6 thousand USD (63.1fold).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COOPERATION WITH IRAN FAVORABLE TO ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.09.2006 14:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Iranian people are very warm towards the Armenian
community and this is one of the causes of friendly relations between
Armenia and Iran, Iranian Mejlis Chair Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel stated
at a news conference in Yerevan. In his words, Iran is a very large
and rich country and close cooperation on a mutually beneficial basis
will be favorable to both countries.
At the same time the Mejlis chair noted that visits at the level of
parliament leaders will promote solution of issues, which sometimes
are not solved in inter-state relations. “I hope my first visit to
Armenia will stimulate development of more productive and friendly
relations between our countries,” underscored Gholam-Ali Haddad-Adel.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DASHNAKTSUTIUN STANDS READY TO USE ITS ENTIRE POTENTIAL
Editorial
Yerkir.am
September 08, 2006
It is not a secret that only elections based on international standards
can ensure the foundation of election traditions.
But there also is another truth: elections only unearth the
situation that exists before the elections. So, the stronger the
democratic traditions, the better chances for the people to form its
government. Therefore, holding elections without providing people
with proper democratic tools and mechanisms would not yield desirable
outcome. Unfortunately, during all the previous elections, the tools
and mechanisms were not sufficient, and those elections were harshly
criticized both inside the country and abroad.
The Dashnaktsutiun, concerned with these realities, has offered
initiatives that include reduction of influence of non-political forces
on political processes, improvement of the Election Code, cooperation
in election commissions, ensuring the normal election process, and
most importantly, setting up a joint mechanism of registering election
fraud. We continue to believe that forces interested in the future of
the country, regardless of the camp they are, should put aside their
partisan and factional interests and doubts and unite for this goal.
Even now, we are sure that those initiatives are crucial and can
be applied.
We again are making this specific suggestion to all political parties
preparing for the elections, and this time hope to get wider support.
The upcoming elections are unprecedented. The National Assembly
will acquire a serious role in the government under the amended
constitution, and the parliamentary and presidential elections have
never been so interrelated and have never borne such significance
for the country’s future. Therefore, holding free and fair elections
is the only safe means for overcoming this period without losses
and turmoil. Undoubtedly, the picture of the newly elected National
Assembly is to determine future developments.
The outcome of the presidential election, in turn, depends on the
results of the parliamentary election and whether it is held in
accordance with international standards.
This way or another, the government formed in the upcoming election
will have to carry out fundamental reforms aimed at furthering
democracy, settling the Karabakh conflict in Armenia’s favor,
neutralizing internal and external security threats.
The Dashnaktsutiun stands ready to add its entire potential to that
of the healthy forces of this country in order to overcome this
twenty-year period successfully and without losses.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDIA FORUM TO COVER HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN
International Journalist’s Network
Sept 12 2006
Region :Eastern Europe-Central Eurasia
Topic :Children, Human Rights
Journalists interested in children’s rights are eligible to attend
a pan-European forum in Yerevan, Armenia on October 5 and 6.
The application deadline for the event, “Human Rights in the
Information Society: Empowering children and young people.” is
September 13.
The Council of Europe, the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
the Information Technologies Foundation of Armenia are organizing the
forum, which will include panel discussions and lectures on a range
of topics related to children’s rights, online trends and education.
For more information, or to apply visit or
/Events/Forum2006YEREVAN_en.asp
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NK STATE BUDGET’S OWN INCOME TOTALS AMD 6BLN IN JAN-AUG 2006
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Sept 12 2006
YEREVAN, September 12. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh state budget’s own
income totaled AMD 6bln 97.9mln in Jan-Aug 2006 after growing 33% from
the same period a year earlier, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Financial
Ministry’s press office reports.
The report says the income was mainly ensured by tax receipts, which
made 80.3% of budget income.
The budget expenditures for the mentioned period in 2006 were AMD
15bln 141.5mln.
Own income received by Nagorno-Karabakh State Fund for Social Insurance
between January and August 2006 totaled AMD 1bln 532.8mln.
This result is 11% better than that of the same period in 2005. ($1 –
AMD 391.48).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDIATORS ‘STILL TRYING TO GET KARABAKH DEAL IN 2006′
By Harry Tamrazian in Prague and Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 12 2006
International mediators believe that they may still succeed in
brokering a framework peace agreement on Nagorno-Karabakh in the
coming months, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said after meeting
them in Paris on Tuesday.
“They believe that it is still possible to make some additional
progress before the end of this year or before our parliamentary
elections [due early next year] at the latest,” he told RFE/RL by
phone after two days of negotiations with the American, French and
Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Oskanian described the talks as “very good and effective” but gave
few details, saying only that they focused on ways of reinvigorating
the Karabakh peace process, which ran into trouble this summer after
substantial progress reportedly made by the conflicting parties. The
mediators are trying to arrange a meeting of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers for that purpose, he said, adding that
it might take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in
New York later this month.
The co-chairs, among them U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Matthew Bryza, are scheduled to hold similar talks with Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov in London on Wednesday. “The results
[of their efforts] can be assessed only after their meeting with the
Azerbaijani foreign minister and, if there is agreement, after the
two ministers’ meeting,” said Oskanian.
The latest round of Minsk Group diplomacy began amid talk of yet
another Armenian-Azerbaijani summit on Karabakh that could be held
on the sidelines of a CIS summit in Belarus slated for October 16. A
spokesman for President Robert Kocharian did not rule the possibility
of such an encounter on Tuesday. “But before it can happen, there must
be a meeting of the foreign ministers,” Victor Soghomonian told RFE/RL.
“Only after the ministers meet and clarify whether there is a chance
to continue negotiations and make further progress will it be possible
to talk about a meeting of the presidents,” agreed Oskanian.
Kocharian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliev have already
met twice this year in unsuccessful attempts to agree on a framework
peace accord put forward by the mediators. The proposed deal calls
for a gradual settlement of the Karabakh conflict that would culminate
in a referendum on the disputed region’s status.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEAR OF ARMENIA IN FRANCE EVIDENCE OF EXCLUSIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2006 14:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 12 Armenian and French FMs Vartan Oskanian
and Philippe Douste-Blazy, Minister of Cultures of the two countries
Hasmik Poghosyan and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres held a news conference
at the French MFA, devoted to the Year of Armenia in France. During
the news conference the Armenian FM thanked French authorities
for organizing the Year of Armenia. He said the event evidences
exclusive relations between the two countries. For the first time
Armenia is presenting its history, culture and contribution to the
world civilization in a large scale,” Vartan Oskanian remarked.
During a private meeting the FMs discussed matters of development of
cooperation, regional issues, situation in the Middle East, relations
of Armenia with neighboring countries and talks over settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress