Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN DRAM APPRECIATES BY 10.6% AGAINST US DOLLAR IN AUGUST 2006 ON DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.7% growth in consumer prices
was registered in August 2006 on December 2005, with the Armenian
dram appreciating by 10.6% against the US dollar. According to the RA
National Statistical Service, a similar tendency was registered in the
same period of last year: a 4.5% growth in consumer prices was followed
by a 5.2% appreciation of the Armenian dram against the US dollar. A
0.9% price fall was registered in the Armenian consumer market in
August on July 2006, while the Armenian dram appreciated by 3.7%
against the US dollar in the currency market. The average settlement
exchange rate of the US dollar made 401.9 drams in August 2006,
which is lower by 12.8% (460.99 drams) than the index of August 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYRIAN MUFTI LAYS WREATH TO MONUMENT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
ECHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On September 3,
Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic
of Syria, and his delegation visited the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial
Complex dedicated to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from the Information Services of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin, Sheikh Hassoun visited the Genocide Museum
where he made notes at the museum memory book.
Then the Syrian Mufti laid a wreath to the memorial to the Armenian
Genocide victims and paid the tribute of his respect to the memory
of Genocide victims.
“…If the peoples had really followed their religions… these
massacres would not have taken place. The Armenian people should
recover from this pain and build Armenia in peace,” Sheikh Ahmed
Badr-Eddine Hassoun, in particular, said expressing confidence that
the Armenian people, wherever it be in the Diaspora, should extend
a helping hand to help to restore the Mother Armenia.
“Our pains did not teach us hatred but guided our people to follow
the divine way,” the Syrian Mufti emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONLY EDGAR YENOKIAN OUT OF 8 ARMENIAN WRESTLERS MANAGES TO STAND ON PEDESTAL OF HONOR AT WORLD YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIP
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
GUATEMALA, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The participants of the free-style
wrestling world youth championship completed their competition on
September 4 in Guatemala. Edgar Yenokian (84 kg, Yerevan) peformed
successfully among 4 representatives of Armenia. He gained 3 victories,
was defeated once and took 3rd place winning a bronze medal. So,
only 1 among 8 Armenian representatives of Greco-Roman and free-style
wrestling managed to stand on the pedestal of honor at the world
championship.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OVER 50 PARTIES AND NGOs EXPRESS SUPPORT FOR ORINATS YERKIR’S INITIATIVE
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Heads and representtaives of 14
parties, including ARF Dashnaktsutyun, People’s Party of Armenia,
United Labor Party, National Self-Determination Union, National
Democratic Union, and the Republic Party, as well as of various NGOs
took part in a discussion organized by the RA National Assembly Orinats
Yerkir faction on September 4 within the framework of the initiative
“Political Process in the Name of Legal Elections”.
The main directions of the initiative are amendments to the Electoral
Code to bring it in line with international standards, and a wide
consensus amond parties in support of reforms in the parliament
and ouside it; an efficiently functioning system of training of
election commissions’ members to ensure fair treatment of all parties;
transparency of the election process, efficient mechanisms of public
control; free activities of the mass media, civil society and other
institutions in the election process, which presupposes a number of
legislative amendments. According to the press service of the Orinats
Yerkir Party, over 50 parties, including the Constitutional Law Union,
the Democratic Path Party, the Dashink (Alliance) Party, and several
NGOs, have expressed their support for the initiative. However, not
all those intending to participate in the discussion succeeded in
doing so because the National Assembly did not allocate a hall for the
discussion to be held. According to the same source, presenting their
positions, the discussion participants attached special importance to
measures to ensure the legality of elections, approved the Initiative
in the Name of Legal Elections and discussed the mechanisms of their
possible cooperation in the future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

220 THOUSAND TONS OF GRAIN HARVESTED IN ARMENIA AS OF SEPTEMBER 4
Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. As of September 4, 220 thousand
tons of grain was harvested in Armenia, which is less by 100 thousand
tons than the index as of the same day of 2005. NT correspondent
was informed from Garnik Petrosian, Head of the Plant Cultivation
Development and Plant Protection Department of the RA Ministry of
Agriculture, that it is envisaged to harvest another 100-105 thousand
tons of grain. According to him, the average crop yield of grain
made 14 centners this year. The highest index of average crop yield
was registered in Ararat marz (32 tons), while the lowest index was
in Tavush marz (7 centners). It was noted that as of September 4,
396 thousand tons of vegetables was harvested, which exceeds by 96
thousand tons the respective index of last year. Particularly, 135
thousand tons of potato was already harvested this year against 128
thousand tons as of the same day last year. G. Petrosian said that it
is planned to harvest 800 thousand tons of vegetables until the end
of the season against 600 thousand tons last year. As of September 4,
the Armenian fruit and vegetable processing companies purchased 30
thousand tons of vegetables against 17 thousand tons last year. The
Ararat and Artashat canning plants are the main purchasers. According
to G. Petrosian, 180 thousand tons of fruit was already harvested
against 220 thousand tons as of September 4, 2005. 20 thousand tons
of grapes was already harvested against 8 thousand tons as of the
same day last year.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYRIAN MUFTI VISITS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL
Yerevan, September 4. ArmInfo. Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badr Al Din
Hassoun visited the Amenian Genocide Complex in Yerevan today.
The press service of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin reports Mufti
to lay flowers to the memorial and to visit the Armenian Genocide
Museum. He said that if nations actually followed their religions
there would be no such massacres. He noted that the Armenian nation
should overcome this pain and continue to live and to built its
country. Mufti said that Armenians – wherever there are – should help
to restore their native Armenia.

ARMENIA RANKS 104TH IN THE FIFA LIST
ArmRadio.am
05.09.2006 10:46
Before the Armenian-Belgium match to be held September 6 in the
framework of the Euro-2008 Armenian footballers rank 104th in the
FIFA rating list of national teams. Brazilians open the list with
1 649 points. World Champion Italians are the second with 1 550
points. Argentineans rank the 3rd with 1 479 points.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARSON CHARGES AGAINST ARMENIAN SIDE – TYPICAL AZERI STYLE
Yerevan, September 4. ArmInfo. Azerbaijan’s recent arson charges
against the Armenian side are typical Azeri style, Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan said during a press-conference today.
He said that the Armenian side inquires into each report of fire on
the contact line.
To remind, in the last few months the Azeri side has been alleging
at various instances that the Armenian side deliberately sets on fire
the territories controlled by the Karabakh armed forces.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FESTIVAL OF ARMENIAN CULTURE HELD IN BARNAUL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
BARNAUL, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenians’
Union of the region of Altai held in Barnaul a festival of the Armenian
culture entitled “Pomegranate Flower,” within the framework of the Year
of Armenia in Russia. According to the “Yerkramas” (country) newspaper
of Armenians of Russia, in the festival, one could see well-known
Armenian masters’ and gifted beginners’ paintings and sculptures,
listen to Armenian music performed by folk groups. For Armenians of the
Altai region, the festival became one of ways of keeping traditions
of the native land, telling about them to representatives of other
peoples. The festival had many guests: interest towards the Armenian
people’s history, traditions, culture is rather big. In the opinion of
Vladimir Farashian, the Armenians’ Union Board Chairman of the Altai
region, similar holidays assist strengthening mutual understanding
among peoples living in the Altai region.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MINISTER SPEAKS ABOUT “OBSTACLES” FOR MEETING AZERI COUNTERPART
Arminfo
4 Sep 06
Yerevan, 4 September: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has
shied away from naming specific dates of his next meeting with the
Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov.
At a today’s meeting with journalists, he noted that he was aware of
statements by the Azerbaijani side, according to which the meeting will
allegedly be held on 13 September in Paris or on 15-17 September in
London. However, the minister said, the Azerbaijani side had recently
tried to transform the settlement process to the UN format. However
“some other processes” are under way in the UN at the moment.
It is difficult to make predictions on the meeting, if there are
obstacles for holding it, the Armenian foreign minister said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress