Author: Hambardsumian Paul

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: ARMENIAN-SYRIAN POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC COOPERATION SHOULD BE EQUALIZED

ArmInfo
2009-06-18 11:45:00

ArmInfo.’Armenia and Syria are building warm and dynamically
developing relations of new quality in the current political and
economic conditions.

Due to this, the political and economic cooperation should be
equalized. It is not just a desire but a goal given the fact that
Armenian businessmen have rather serious positions in the Syrian
business circles’, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said at the
opening of the Armenian-Syrian Business Forum in Yerevan on Thursday.

Welcoming the participants in the Business Forum and wishing them
fruitful work, President Sargsyan said friendship of the Armenian and
Syrian peoples has strong basis. Serzh Sargsyan said that his meeting
with Syrian President Bashar Al- Assad was focused on development of
the trade and economic relations of the two states. ‘I have to say
that, unfortunately, the current level and trade and economic relations
fully contradicts the level of political relations established in
conditions of friendship of our peoples’, the president said. By
combined efforts of the two countries’ governments, rather favorable
contractual field has been created for development of the trade and
economic cooperation. Serzh Sargsyan said that during the current visit
of Syrian President to Yerevan an agreement was signed to promote
and protect investments, which is another step to enhance the trade
and economic relations. President Sargsyan called the Business Forum
a good opportunity for the two states to get first hand view of the
achievements of Armenia and Syria in the trade and economic sphere
and to establish business ties. ‘I am sure we have big potential in
the scientific and technical, agricultural, power, town planning,
tourist, trade, financial and banking sectors and our task is to
consolidate it’, the president said. In this context, the president
highlighted the role of our compatriots in Syria. ‘I’d like to ask
our compatriots in Syria to use their possibilities and business ties
to help us revealing the trade and economic potential and presenting
the production of the two states’, Serzh Sargsyan said. He assured
those present that any initiative, any project aimed to enhance the
Armenian-Syrian economic ties will enjoy government support.

Nearly 200 businessmen are participating in the Business Forum
including 65 Syrian businessmen, mainly Armenians by origin
representing various sectors of economy. The remaining participants
are local businessmen.

The Armenian community in Syria is nearly 120,000 people. The commodity
turnover of Armenia and Syria for 2008 totaled $5.99 million, the
unfavorable balance of trade made up $5.81 million. The share of
import of Syrian goods to Armenia was $5.9 million, whereas export
from Armenia to Syrian totaled $90,000. Armenia exports honey,
carbide, paint materials and other products to Syrian and imports
shoes, medicine, citrus fruits, vegetables, nuts, washing substances,
jewelry and other products from that country.

ARMENIAN EDUCATION MINISTRY TO FIGHT PRIVATE TUTORS, VOWS TO ENHANCE SECONDARY EDUCATION QUALITY

ARKA
June 16, 2009

YEREVAN, June 16. /ARKA/. Armenia’s Education Ministry will fight
private tutors by upgrading the secondary education quality, RA
Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan was quoted as saying.

"High-quality secondary education enables students to enter
universities without having to pay huge sums of money to private
tutors," the minister added.

He stressed that Armenia had made progress by implementing the high
school system.

Around 10 high schools are currently operating in Armenia. Another 42
high schools will open in the country this year, with their number
increasing by 50 from 2010. The first ten high schools are part of
a pilot project.

Ashotyan emphasized low-quality higher education in Armenia. "The
local higher education system contradicts market rules, with annual
tuition fee exceeding $1,000," the minister added.

He believes "no educational reforms will ever help upgrade higher
education" if the society does not change its attitude towards
education quality.

CSTO FOREIGN MINISTERS APPROVE THE RESULTS ACHIEVED DURING ARMENIA’S PRESIDENCY

armradio.am
15.06.2009 10:53

On June 14 the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian,
participated in the sitting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The participants
discussed issues related to different spheres of the organization’s
activity, a number of decisions were made on the steps to be taken
towards the reinforcement and improvement of the organization.

During the sitting the Armenian Foreign Minister made a report on the
coordination of the foreign policy of CSTO member states throughout
Armenian presidency. Edward Nalbandian referred to the work done ever
since September 2008: the meetings of the CSTO Foreign Ministers held
in New York and Helsinki upon the initiative of Armenia, consultations
of Ambassadors of CSTO member states in a third country, etc.

The CSTO Foreign Ministers appreciated the results achieved during
Armenian presidency, emphasizing the effectiveness of implementation
of mechanisms in the field of coordination of the foreign policy.

The Foreign Ministers discussed the package of documents to
be presented at the sitting of the Collective Security Council,
including the documents on the process of implementation of the
decision on creation of "CSTO rapid reaction forces." Reference was
made to issue of further expansion of cooperation between=2 0the CSTO
and international organizations.

Digital Media Asia
June 12, 2009 Friday

‘Orange Armenia to invest USD 200 mln in 2 years’

DMASIA-12 June 2009-‘Orange Armenia to invest USD 200 mln in 2 years’

Ltd. All rights reserved.

Orange Armenia plans to invest USD 80 million this year as part of its
USD 200 million investment over two years, new agency Arka reports
citing deputy president for Orange Europe Olaf Swantee. Orange Armenia
received a 15-year licence late last year.

())

WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 10, 2009 Wednesday

MOSCOW DENIED FANTASIES OF AZERBAIJAN ABOUT SUPPLY OF RUSSIAN ARMAMENT
TO ARMENIA AGAIN

Source: Kavkazsky Uzel, June 08, 2009

Translated by InterContact

Ambassador of Russia in Azerbaijan, Vladimir Dorokhin, called a
document about the supply of a big batch of Russian military hardware
to Armenia published by Azerbaijani mass media a falsification. He
said, "I wish to state once again that Russia has not supplied
armament to Armenia." According to the ambassador, the Russian party
seriously studied the document published by mass media about alleged
supply of Russian weapons to Armenia. Dorokhin said, "We drew the
conclusion that this was an obvious falsification. There were many
grammatical mistakes in the document and it used terminology that was
not used in the Russian army. Thus, in our army grenades are
transferred not in sacks but in units, etc." The Azerbaijani party is
going to continue the investigation.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER UNDERLINES IMPORTANCE OF WASHINGTON’S SUPPORT IN SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

Today’s Zaman

June 12 2009
Turkey

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov received U.S. Assistant
Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon, the
ministry’s press service told APA.

Gordon noted that it was his first visit to Azerbaijan. He
expressed his satisfaction with the level of the relations between
the two countries and said there was broad potential in various
spheres. Gordon said the United States was interested in establishing
peace and stability in the region and underlined that the US was
ready to contribute to achieving improvement in the settlement of
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Philip Gordon said he had visited Armenia
and Georgia before coming to Azerbaijan and briefed about the meetings
he had held there.

Elmar Mammadyarov said the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the
United States was improving, the discussions held during his recent
visit to Washington were effective, expressed his confidence that
the relations would extend during the ruling of Obama administration.

The Minister said the priority of Azerbaijan’s foreign policy was
to solve Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict basing on the international
norms and principles and within the framework of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. He said Washington’s support was of great
importance. Mammadyarov said the settlement of the conflict basing
on the above-mentioned principles played an important role in
establishing long-term peace and stability in the region. Elmar
Mammadyarov underlined the importance of achieving it soon.

The sides exchanged views on energy cooperation between the two
countries and expressed their satisfaction with the level of the
cooperation.

They also exchanged views on bilateral, regional, global issues of
mutual interest.

LOW QUALITY ELECTION AND "SILLY POLICY"

LRAGIR.AM
15:26:34 – 12/06/2009

The Armenian former Prime Minister, the member of the Armenian National
Congress Hrant Bagratyan, on June 12, stated that he assesses the
present policy of the government as "silly". Hrant Bagratyan explained
that professional thinking lacks within the government, he stated
that the government makes incomplete steps, which are usually taken
from Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s programs. Hrant Bagratyan also dwelt on the
presence of a tax inspector in the major enterprises, stating that it
is absurd, adding that tax inspectors should be inserted in the mining
companies. Hrant Bagratyan commended the decision of the government
to make the profit tax and the income tax equal. Hrant Bagratyan
said that these steps were in Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s program. But the
government, according to Bagratyan, does not take these ideas fully,
which may cause more damage.

Hrant Bagratyan dwelt on the decision of the board of directors of
the Millennium Challenge Corporation, which stopped financing the
Armenian program on the reconstruction of rural roads, which cost 70
million. The Corporation made this decision laying the responsibility
on the Armenian government and saying that the actions of the
government did not correspond to democratic measurements. Hrant
Bagratyan stated that the decision of the Americans is completely
determined by quality of the Yerevan Mayor election.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I PRESIDES OVER THE MEETING
OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE CATHOLICOSATE

3-5 June 2009, the Central Committee of the National Council of the Armenian
Orthodox Church Catholicosate of Cilicia met in Antelias (Lebanon). The
Central Committee meets in the absence of the National Council and it
consists of the Prelates and lay Representatives of all Dioceses. The
Central Committee works under the Leadership of His Holiness Aram I. Its
function is to receive activity reports from dioceses all over the world,
oversee and endorse new programme plans and budget.

His Holiness Aram I opened the meeting and welcomed the members of the
Central Committee. In his opening speech he said that the Central Committee,
consisting of clergy and laity, had the important task of identifying issues
specific to each diocese based on its geographic, cultural and religious
context, and proposing a comprehensive response that would renew and
invigorate Christian life in all dioceses of the Catholicosate.

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View the photo here:
tos/Photos386.htm#4
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The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

US AMBASSADOR IN BAKU: PARTIES SHOULD MAINTAIN BALANCE BETWEEN PRINCIPLES OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY AND SELF-DETERMINATION.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.06.2009 22:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ US stance on NKR conflict settlement remains
unchanged. The conflict should be settled through peaceful methods,
based on principles of territorial integrity and self-determination,
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Dorsey said. Commenting upon the
statement made by Philip Gordon, Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs, she noted that conflicting parties
should maintain balance between both principles, Azeri Press reports.

NAIRA ZOHRABIAN ELECTED CHAIRWOMAN OF RA NA STANDING COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

NOYAN TAPAN
JUNE 8, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 8, the RA National Assembly by
secret ballot elected Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) faction
member Naira Zohrabian as Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee on
European Integration.

According to Calculation Commission Chairman Gagik Melikian, 95 of
131 NA deputies took part in voting. 91 deputies voted for the only
candidate, 3 against. One ballot paper was invalidated.