Author: Hambardsumian Paul

GPM GOLD PLANS INCREASE OF PRODUCTION VOLUMES

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 14:42:00

"GeoProMining Gold" LLC is the biggest gold producing company
in Armenia. The Company is a part of Group GeoProMining Group
International Company, and owns country’s gold production main assets-
Sotk gold mine and Ararat gold recovery plant. The GeoProMining Gold
LLC announced his ambitious plans on development and modernization
of production processes. ArmInfo reporter interviewed the General
Director of the Company about the Company’s achievements in past year
and plans of the near future.

Mr. Vetik, your Company resumed production processes in 2008, what
is the dynamics of growth, how much gold was produced last year and
what is the prognosis of production volumes for the current year.

During two months of 2008 the Company produced 135 893 gram of gold
(4369 ounces). In the first month after the plant was restarted
(December of 2008) the Company mined 21 473 ton ore, in December – 30
410 ton, in January of 2009 mining volumes increased up to 31 285 ton,
and in February – 38 000 ton. During the whole 2009 GPM Gold mined
476 200 ton ore and processed 4486 067 ton (difference is because of
remainder ore). As a result, the Company produced 944 369 gram of gold
in 2009, which form 30 362 troy ounces. Presently the Company mines
and processes on average 35 000-40 000 ton of ore monthly. In 2009 the
dynamics of growth is obvious – average monthly growth has formed 10%.

This result is achieved both, through installment of new machinery,
which contributed to mine operation efficiency growth, as well as
through regular increase of production capacities.

Could you tell about gold production plans in 2010.

2010 budget plan suggests mining and processing of 575 850 ton of
ore and gold production of 1 ton 190 kg (38 234 ounces). It is also
planned to carry out stripping works of 14 million 940 thousand ton
of ore. Mining and transportation volumes will be held the same as
in 2009 (500 000 ton ore), the main increase shall be reached at the
expense of stripping works.

During the current year, the Company will change its strategic plans
at Sotk mine. The mine will be reconstructed, which will include
underground mining. Regardless of the fact that Sotk mine comprises
high-grade ore, it is a complex ore – stripping coefficient is high,
the ore is hard and a multi-step processing system is required,
which entails considerable investments, technological and structural
changes. In the first place, we are interested in increasing of the
volumes of the received metals. If antimony content is high in the ore,
it negatively influences gold extraction.

What steps are you going to takе for plant modernization?

We have commissioned specialized companies research of Sotk mine,
in order to finally understand what type of technology must be used
for gold extraction. Sotk mine ore types are different, and in that
relation metal extraction technologies must be complex. Eg.

Australians have a patented process â~@~^Albion". Possibly, with its
help we will be able to reach effective extraction. In the near future
the researches on technological options will be finalized. The next
step will be project design preparation, for which it will be necessary
to attract funds. In 2010 Sotk mine will be technically re-equipped,
which will provide a possibility to considerably increase mining
volumes. Capital investments will be made also at Ararat plant.

In the medium-term perspective we expect, that realization of our
investment programs will provide a possibility to raise mining and
processing volumes of ore, in the coming several years, from 45 000
ton to more than 100 000 ton monthly.

Growth, most likely, is connected with modernization plans of Ararat
plant?

Undoubtedly, we plan not only reconstruction, but also partial
construction of a new processing plant in 2012. Presently GeoProMining
is conducting negotiations with planning organizations on construction
and reconstruction of the existing plant. New concentration
technologies will be installed at the plant – the best gold ore
concentration technologies, which nowadays exist in the world. What
about exact terms of realization of the project, it will take about
two years. It consists of several phases. Project design involves also
the issue of land allottment for construction of a new plant, which,
I think will take some time. State institutions are also interested in
realization of the project, which will increase production efficiency
and will raise social-economic conditions of the region.

What countries is the valuable metal exported to?

Final product of the Company – Dore, alloy of gold and silver is
exported to a Canadian refinement plant for receiving of a final
product.

Artur Yerinjakyan, ArmInfo, 16.02.2010

EX DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER OF ARMENIA: IN THIS COUNTRY ONLY I WAS CRAZY TO DEFY THE ORDER

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 17:52:00

ArmInfo. Chairman of the Board of the Yerkrapah Volunteers’ Union,
Former Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia, Lieut. Gen. Manvel
Grigoryan says that he refused to fulfill the order of the second
President Robert Kocharyan during the events of Mar 2008.

"Kocharyan was summoning me for three days but I was refusing to go.

Those who fulfilled the order were servicemen who were obliged to
fulfill it. In this country only I was crazy to defy the order,"
Grigoryan said during a press-conference.

When asked why he did not interfere in the events, Grigoryan said:
"Yerevan is not Fizuli for me. If I appeared, it would be bad for all."

To remind, during the Mar 2008 events Deputy DM Manvel Grigoryan
signed in his resignation. During one of the opposition rallies Ex
President Levon Ter-Petrossyan said that two deputy DMs had joined
the opposition. One of them was Grigoryan. However, his organization
stayed aloof during the events.

OSCE CHAIRMAN DEBATES NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WITH POLITICAL PARTIES IN BAKU

Today
2.html
Feb 15 2010
Azerbaijan

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and
Foreign Minister, Kanat Saudabayev met with representatives of the
Azerbaijani political parties today.

Saudabayev, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, noted the
high level of development of the country which is, according to him,
involves a successful continuation of Heydar Aliyev’s policy by
President Ilham Aliyev.

The country loses hope of assistance from the international
organizations in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Leader
of the Democratic Reforms Party of Azerbaijan Asim Mollazade at the
meeting with Saudabayev.

"We are dissatisfied with the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group,
which now creates the conditions to simulate the negotiation process,
and inconclusive," he said," As a result, Azerbaijan lost the hope
that the international organizations can help us resolve the conflict
peacefully."

He also pointed out Kazakhstan’s activity in this direction, referring
to the personal initiative of the peaceful settlement of the conflict,
which was made by Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"We look to Kazakhstan’s legal nihilism," he added.

According to him, the presidency of Kazakhstan in OSCE brings hope
to Azerbaijan for resolving the conflict.

Yerevan Report, Armenia
Feb 10 2010

Pres. Sarkisian Received By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Feb 11th, 2010 |

YEREVAN (Newsarmenia.ru), February 11 ‘The president of Armenia Serge
Sarkisian and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of State of the
United Kingdom, discussed the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations.

President Sarkisian was received by Her Majesty on Thursday during his
working visit to the UK.

At the meeting, apart from normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations, the
prospects of the development of Armenian-British bilateral relations
and issues concerning European integration of Armenia were also
discussed.

Translated from Russian by Yerevan Report
kisian-received-queen-elizabeth/

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL GREETS A SURPRISED TURKISH DELEGATION IN SWEDEN

Tert.am
11:35 ~U 12.02.10

A Turkish parliamentary delegation, while on a working visit to Sweden,
was taken aback upon learning that a bill on recognizing the Armenian
Genocide will soon be placed on the Swedish parliament agenda.

According to Turkish daily Milliyet, Turkish journalists in Stockholm
have directed their questions on the matter to Murad Merjan, head of
the Turkish delegation and head of Turkey’s parliamentary foreign
affairs committee. Surprised by the news, Merjan told them that it
wasn’t true.

But later, Merjan was corrected by his Swedish counterpart who said
that the "resolution would be discussed in the [Swedish] parliament
within a month’s time, at the latest."

Sweden’s ruling Social-Democratic Party had three months ago made
a decision at a convention condemning the Genocide of Armenians and
Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey.

AZERBAIJAN USES INSTITUTE OF OMBUDSMAN FOR ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.02.2010 12:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan uses its institute of Ombudsman for
anti-Armenian propaganda in international structures and as information
war tool against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

"Azerbaijani Ombudsman’s attempts to expel NKR human rights defender
from the European Ombudsman Institute have failed. The EOI ignored
Baku’s statements as inconsistent with human rights," Armenian
Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan told a news conference on Wednesday.

"We need to consolidate our society to resist challenges," he said.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT URGES RAPPROCHEMENT WITH TURKEY

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 10 2010

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said Tuesday that it was time for
progress in the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement and the establishment
of a stable region for future generations, in a plea to his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul.

As his plane made its way through the Turkish air space en route to
England, Sarkisian told Russian news agency Itar-Tass that foreign
mediation in efforts to normalize relations between the two countries
was useful, noting however that it should not be overplayed.

"The leaders of the two countries are playing a very significant role
in promoting the atmosphere of mutual understanding among peoples of
Turkey and Armenia, and overcoming the cliches in the relations of
the two countries," said Sarkisian.

Sarkisian said his and his counterpart Gul’s faith and principled
stance would lead to success in the rapprochement process.

"Otherwise, hostile rhetoric and actions along with opposition to
the process may emerge. We need to realize that passing of time will
not make the process easier but on the contrary will make it more
difficult. As of now, we have carried the bilateral talks to a level
where normalized relations between the two countries, and a normalized
common future looks more vivid," said Sarkisian.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties or economic relations
since Turkey closed its border with Armenia due to a border dispute
in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in 1992. After lengthy
Swiss-mediated talks Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in
October 2009, in order to normalize relations,

Under the protocol, Turkey and Armenia reconfirmed their commitment,
in their bilateral and international relations, to respect and ensure
respect for the principles of "equality, sovereignty, non-intervention
in internal affairs of other states, territorial integrity and
inviolability of frontiers."

The protocol on development of bilateral relations aims to facilitate
the development of relations between Turkey and Armenia in all fields
and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border two months after the
protocol goes into effect.

Both Turkey and Armenian governments initiated the internal
ratification process.

The Turkish government sent the protocols to Parliament, as approval
is required in order for them to take effect. The Turkish government
says it will not open the border unless Armenia ends its occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Recently the Armenian Constitutional Court approved the protocols,
however, the tone of the court’s reasoned verdict drew criticism from
Turkey and Turkish officials voiced their uneasiness at various levels.

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVED THE NEWLY APPOINTED RESIDENT COORDINATOR

president.am
Feb 8 2010
Armenia

Today, President Serzh Sargsyan received the newly appointed Resident
Coordinator, Permanent Representative of the UNDP in Armenia Dafina
Gercheva. She conveyed to the President of Armenia a letter from the
Secretary General of the United Nations on her appointment as Resident
Coordinator, Permanent Representative of the UNDP in Armenia.

The President of Armenia extended his congratulations to Dafina
Gercheva on her nomination. He hailed efficient cooperation of the
Government of Armenia with different UN agencies and programs that are
being implemented for a number of years. Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope
that the newly appointed Resident Coordinator will further promote
UN activities in Armenia.

In her turn, Dafina Gercheva expressed satisfaction with excellent
cooperation which is witnessed by the UN program of assistance for
Armenia in years 2010-2015. Noting, that the first phase of the program
was successfully concluded last year and the second has just started,
the UN Resident Coordinator said that the main goal of the UN is to
promote sustainable development, and added that the projects envisaged
by the program are tailored to reflect Armenia’s priorities, which
include reduction of poverty, accessibility of social programs in the
areas of education and health care, decentralization, and disaster
damage control.

According to President Sargsyan, Armenia shares the values, which the
UN adheres to as an organization, and it means that we share common
goals. Serzh Sargsyan prioritized the improvement of the living
standards and enforcement of the rule of law.

Dafina Gercheva assured the President of Armenia that during her tenure
she would promote UN’s involvement in Armenia. She also said that
she has new ideas and will do her best to ensure that the programs
implemented in Armenia are productive and efficient, aimed at the
improvement of the living standards of the Armenian people.

MOSCOW TO HOST "ASCENSION. YOUNG ARMENIAN TALENTS" FESTIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.02.2010 12:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Ascension. Young Armenian Talents" festival will
take place in Meridian concert hall on April 3. Participants will
compete for 5 nominations: best performance of Armenian folk song,
best performance of Armenian pop song, best performance of foreign
song, best jazz performance, best dance staging.

The winners will be selected by a professional jury.

PARLIAMENTARIAN FROM ARFD: CITIZENS SHOULD ACTIVELY PROTEST AGAINST RISE OF GAS PRICE

ArmInfo
2010-02-08 15:44:00

ArmInfo. Citizens should actively protest against rise of gas price,
says Artsvik Minasyan, parliamentarian from ARFD Party.

Commenting on the rise of gas price expected in Armenia starting April
1 2010, he said that budget has not envisaged any funds for indexation
of pensions and benefits that would soften the rise of gas price and
the prices of all the products and services "depending" on the gas
tariff. "Rise of prices will become a new inflation pressure. In such
case, the Central Bank will probably find nothing better to do than
just reduce supply of the national currency," A. Minasyan said. He
thinks that the citizens must protest against rise of the gas price
even through rallies.

In compliance with the application of ArmRusgasprom CJSC to the Public
Services Regulatory Commission of Armenia, gas tariffs for consumers of
up to 10,000cu m of gas monthly will be increased from 96 to 136,000
drams per 1000 cu m. For the consumers of over 10,000 cu m of gas
monthly, the tariffs is calculated on the formula 256 x E (E = the
Central Bank’s exchange rate of the US dollar after 25 of every month
preceding the calculated month). The present formulate is E x 215.