Author: Hovhannisian John

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN MET WITH PARTICIPANTS OF "ARI TUN" PROJECT IN THE TEMPLE OF GARNI

Monday , 31 August 2009

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with participants of "Ari Tun"
project in the temple of Garni. The project seeks to introduce Armenia
to young Armenians from all over the world, promote a sense of homeland
and a system of national identity and ethnic values in Diaspora youth
by getting them acquainted with the traditions and customs of our
people and building up moral and educational-cultural bonds between
Armenia and Diaspora.

The head of the Armenian government looked at countrywide
development-related problems and discussed an array of issues relating
to Homeland-Diaspora cooperation with project participants.

Tigran Sargsyan said Armenia-Diaspora relationship is on the upgrade
now. As a result, the Ministry of Diaspora was set up to implement
programs of nationwide importance. Collaboration between Homeland
and Diaspora was said to be a government priority, with those in
attendance being doomed to become the new envoys of the Motherland.

The Prime Minister especially thanked those families having hosted
young visitors, and urged the latter to return to their Homeland.

In conclusion, the head of the executive handed in presents to
the winners of "Ari Tun" project, responded to a broad spectrum of
questions asked by those in attendance, danced with them and attended
a gala concert.

TURKEY CLARIFIES POSITION ON ARMENIAN TIES TO ALIYEV

Asbarez
turkey-clarifies-position-on-armenian-ties-to-aliy ev/
Aug 31, 2009

BAKU (Combined Sources)-Azeri President Ilham Aliyev and visiting top
Turkish diplomats held talks over the weekend on recent developments
in the Caucasus, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The meeting between Aliyev, Foreign Ministry Undersecretary
Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioglu and Ambassador Unal Cevikoz, the deputy
undersecretary for the Caucasus and Central Asia, was held on Saturday
following a Friday telephone conversation between Aliyev and Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

During Friday’s conversation Erdogan briefed Aliyev on normalization
efforts between Turkey and Armenia, while Aliyev informed Erdogan
about developments regarding the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Erdogan’s
office said in a written statement.

Ahead of their departure from Baku later on Saturday, Sinirlioglu told
reporters that they explained Turkey’s views to Aliyev concerning both
the normalization efforts between Turkey and Armenia and the resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, without elaborating further.

GAREGIN II CONGRATULATES THE YOUTH ON KNOWLEDGE DAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.09.2009 15:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II congratulated
the youth on Knowledge Day and sent his blessings to educators,
school children and students in connection with the beginning of
academic year.

ARMENIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC IN SOCHI

Panorama.am
12:18 28/08/2009

Perfect Armenian music collections by Komitas, A. Tigranyan,
A. Spendiaryan, E. Mirzoyan, A. Babajanyan will be performed on 4
September in Sochi, "Yerkraas" reports.

The source says Sochi Symphonic Orchestra will perform "Gayane"
ballet, parts from "Masquerade" by Aram Khachatryan and "Nocturne"
by Arno Babajanyan.

TURKISH, CANADIAN, SWEDISH MINISTERS DISCUSS RELATIONS, EU TALKS

Anadolu Agency
Aug 25 2009
Turkey

Ankara, 25 August: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held
Tuesday bilateral meetings with his Canadian and Swedish counterparts
on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the Friends of
Democratic Pakistan (FoDP).

In the meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, ways to
revive the relations between the two countries – which was strained
after the tension over the Armenian allegations regarding the events
of 1915 – was discussed. The two ministers drafted a two-month plan
of action for enhancing relations.

In the meeting with Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, chapter
headings in EU negotiations likely to be opened under the Swedish EU
Presidency, and possible obstacles like the Cyprus issue which Turkey
could face, were discussed.

The two ministers also discussed the proposal for assessment of
the Swedish and Spanish terms of EU presidency as a single term and
creation of a plan of action accordingly, which came up during the
trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers of Turkey, Sweden
and Spain at the recent Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) meeting.

KAREN BEKARYAN: ARMENIA HAS ALL GROUNDS TO SUSPEND ARMENIA-TURKEY PROCESS

armradio.am
26.08.2009 16:05

Should Turkey attempt to advance Karabakh settlement issue once again,
proposing it as a precondition for Armenian-Turkish rapprochement,
Armenia may suspend the current process between Yerevan and Ankara,
Eurointegration NGO’s chair Karen Bekaryan told a news conference
in Yerevan.

"Armenian side has all grounds to suspend Armenian-Turkish process,
as international community and superpowers have many a time
denied possibility of linking Karabakh issue with Armenian-Turkish
rapprochement," Armenian expert noted. "Now Ankara tries to show
European Union it has made progress in many issues.

If presently there is no progress registered in Cypriot or Kurdish
conflicts, it will be in Armenian-Turkish relations by all means,"
said Karen Bekaryan.

ARMENIA TO PREPARE HUMAN RESOURCE IN THE FRAMES OF CSTO ANTI-DRUG TRAFFICKING PROGRAM

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
24.08.2009 18:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA anti-drug agencies’ specialists will take part
in CSTO program aimed at preparation of human resources in the sphere
combating drug trafficking. Discussions will take place in Minsk,
Svetlana Borovskaya, Head of Belarusian Interior Ministry’s Information
and Public Relations Department, reported to "Interfax-West" this
Monday.

"On August 25, Minsk will host the meeting of working group dealing
with preparation of human resources for the CSTO member states’
Coordinating Council on the Prevention of Illicit Drug Trafficking,"
Borovskaya said.

As mentioned by Belarusian official, session will be attended by
national anti-drug agency representatives from Tajikistan, Russia
and Belarus.

"During the discussion it is planned to approve the finalized training
program for Coordinating Council specialists," she said.

Besides, Minsk discussion will focus on reviewing the results of
Coordinative Council’s activities and elaborating a plan of actions
for 2010.

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 MEETS WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE SPEAKER OF THE
PARLIAMENT

On Saturday 22 August 2009, His Holiness Aram I received in his summer
residence a delegation on behalf of H.E. Nabih Berri the Speaker of the
Parliament of Lebanon, who had come to invite him to the commemoration of
the 31st anniversary of the disappearance of Imam Musa Sadr. Seizing the
opportunity the members of the delegation expressed their appreciation of
the contribution of the Armenian Community to the prosperity of the country.
Catholicos Aram I thanked them for the invitation and said that Armenians in
Lebanon will always pursue the best interests of the country.

On the same day Sheikh Abdel Amir Kabalan the Vice Head of the Islamic
Supreme Shiite Council, had also called His Holiness and invited him to
another event of the same commemoration.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities 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.

ARMENIAN CENTRAL BANK NOT GOING TO APPROVE LAW ON ISSUE OF CORPORATE BONDS IN FREE CURRENCY TO BOOST TURNOVER OF ARMENIAN DRAM

ArmInfo
2009-08-24 19:40:00

ArmInfo. Armenian Central Bank is not going to approve a law on issue
of corporate bonds in free currency to boost turnover of the Armenian
dram, HSBC Bank Armenia CEO Tim Slater told ArmInfo. He says the
Armenian CB policy is aimed to boost dram turnover whereas issue of
bonds in dollars would increase dollarization of the Armenian economy.

As regards the situation in the corporate bonds market in Armenia,
T. Slater is sure that passivity in the market will continue in
the short-term outlook. Investors have hold hand because of the
significant decline of the Armenian economy and prefer postponing their
investments. The banks are not able to evaluate the creditability of
emitters, Slater explains.

Despite expectations of professional participants of the debenture
market predicting its sooner activation, market behavior resulted in
reduction of stock exchange transactions on corporate bonds for over
9 times to 161.9 mln drams in July 2009. A total of 54 transactions
were made in July at NASDAQ OMX Armenia versus 66 transactions in June.

Bonds of 11 emitters are quoted at NASDAQ OMX Armenia including 5
commercial banks of Armenia. Nominal coupon inconvertible bonds of
HSBC Bank Armenia for 1 billion drams, 9% annual yield and 365-days
maturity were issued on December 16 2008. The bonds have been listed
in Bbond category since Feb 2 2009. A total of 89 transactions for
1.2 billion drams have been made on these bonds by present.

Armenian mortgage market intensified

2009-08-21 20:32:00

ArmInfo. Mortgage market in Armenia has been intensified recently due
to stabilization of housing prices, David Atanesyan, Director General
of First Mortgage Company UCO told ArmInfo. He said one square meter of
housing in the center of Yerevan is available for $1100-1300 thousand.
Minimal housing prices are expected in early 2010 as demand for housing
by banks and credit organizations is expected to increase in the market.

He said that positive trends are prevailing in the mortgage market due
to the slackening rates of house price crash. Government of Armenia is
taking specific steps, particularly, finances the real sector of
economy, including construction sector, he said. Due to the
governmental anti-crisis measures the 16.3% economic decline for
Jan-Jul may be reduced to 12%.

All the banks in Armenia are engaged in the mortgage market as well as
some universal credit organizations. Out of 3 mortgage programs
implemented in Armenia (EBRD, KfW and IFC), First Mortgage Company is
actively involved in KfW Development of Sustainable Housing Finance
Market in Armenia.