Author: Kalantarian Kevo

news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Armenian to represent Glendale at Miss California 2012

September 17, 2011 | 18:36

Violet Kanian, Armenian by origin, will represent Glendale at the Miss
California USA 2012 pageant.

A 24-year-old girl is a reporter for red carpet events and celebrity
interviews for Hollyscoop, Examiner.com, and Yerevan Magazine. She is
also involved in charity work coordinating a toy drive for
underprivileged and hospitalized children, Examiner.com reports.

If crowned, Violet would be the first ever Armenian to represent
California in the Miss USA pageant.

Tehran Times, Iran
Sept 17 2011

Armenia hails Iran’s stance on Nagorno-Karabakh issue

The Armenian foreign minister also said that his country is keen to
increase cooperation with Iran in all areas and expressed satisfaction
with the process of the implementation of the joint transportation
projects.

Nalbandian also thanked Iran for its stance on the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue, which has dragged on since ethnic Armenian forces took control
of the region during a war in the early 1990s.

Panorama, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Armenia and Argentina to hold agricultural cooperate

Armenian Minister of Agriculture Sergo Karapetyan received
Argentinean delegation headed by Deputy Agriculture Minister Lorenso
Basso, press service of AM reported.

Welcoming the quests, Sergo Karapetyan underlined Argentina’s
successes in agriculture and pointed out those aspects where the two
states could have cooperation.

`Armenia and Argentina have common climatic congenialities, thus can
cooperate almost in all the aspects,’ Minister Karapetyan said.

National Assembly, Armenia

Sept 17 2011

RA NA Speaker Receives Charges d’Affaires of Lebanon to RA Ziad Atallah

On September 16 the RA National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan
received the newly appointed Charges d’Affaires of Lebanon to the
Republic of Armenia Ziad Atallah.

Congratulating the diplomat on the occasion of the appointment the NA
Speaker expressed hope that the period of his tenure would promote the
development of bilateral relations. Hovik Abrahamyan highly
appreciated the Armenian-Lebanese inner-state relations and the ties
of the two peoples, and the evidence of which was also the warm
reception shown during the official visit paid to Lebanon in 2010.
Hovik Abrahamyan expressed conviction that the official visit of Nabih
Berri, the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, to Armenia planned in
October would promote the strengthening of relations and ties between
the countries and once again would promote that the Armenian-Lebanese
political relations were at a high level, there was full understanding
between the countries and peoples.

Mr Atallah thanked for the reception excellently appreciating the
Armenian-Lebanese relations and expressed confidence that after the
visit of the Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament the cooperation would
more develop and strengthen.

The interlocutors also discussed other issues of bilateral interest.

Edward Nalbandyan: Armenia highly appraises Iran’s balanced policy
toward NK conflict

19:55, 17 September, 2011

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: Armenia highly appraises Iran’s
balanced policy toward Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandyan said today after the meeting with Foreign
Minister of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi, expressing hope that Iran will
maintain its position, Armenpress reports, citing the Iranian “IRNA”.

In his turn the Iranian Foreign Minister stressed that during the
whole history of Armenian-Iranian relations the peaceful coexistence
and cooperation have been laid in the basis of relations of the two
countries. “Iran perceives its neighbor Armenia as a friend country,
and Iran’s people treat Armenians with respect,” Akbar Salehi added.

Foreign ministers of the two countries referred to economic relations.
Edward Nalbandyan noted that serious programs are implemented between
Iran and Armenia in the sphere of energy and transport.

The parties discussed a number of issues concerning regional
developments as well.

Events dedicated to 20th anniversary of Armenia in a number of
European countries

20:45, 17 September, 2011

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: In the upcoming months events
dedicated to 20th anniversary of Armenia will be held in a number of
European countries. An official from the Armenian National Committee
of Europe told Armenpress that celebrations will be organized in
France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Greece and other countries.

In the Netherlands the celebrations will be conducted under the
patronage of the Armenian Embassy in that country. First Armenia’s
youth orchestra, headed by conductor Sergey Smbatyan, will perform.
And on September 24 the Armenian community will gather at the Armenian
House of Holland, where holiday and ethnographic songs will sound, and
the guests will have an opportunity to taste a traditional barbeque.
The same orchestra will give a concert in Brussels, capital of
Belgium, where the celebrations are sponsored by Armenian Embassy in
Belgium, RA missions at EU and NATO.

As Armenpress reported earlier, on September 25 singer Nune Yesayan
will give a concert in Paris dedicated to 20th anniversary of
Armenia’s independence.

In German Stuttgart city the events dedicated to independence of RA
and NKR will be conducted on September 22.

A soiree will be held in Greece on September 25, during which singer
Arsen Grigoryan will perform. “Nairi” and “Nanor” dance ensembles will
take part in it, and Ambassador to Greece Gagik Ghalachyan will
deliver a welcoming speech.

U.S. increase financing to Armenia’s economy, social sectors

September 17, 2011 – 14:13 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On September 17, Armenian Economy Minister Tigran
Davtyan and USAID Armenia Mission Director Jatinder Cheema singed
agreements on `Assistance for More Competitive and Diversified Private
Sector’ and `Assistance for Improving Healthcare and Social Services
Effectiveness’.

USD 8,3 and 8,8 mln respectively will be allocated to implement the
agreements above.

The agreements aim at increase of financing volumes in the framework
of existing programs on assistance to private sector, addressing macro
economy, social and healthcare issues.

Armenia’s consumer confidence index in 2011 third quarter rises by 6.3%

YEREVAN, September 17. / ARKA /. Consumer confidence index (CFI) in
Armenia in the third quarter of this year was 6.3% up from a year
before, the Central Bank of Armenia said today. In the second quarter
the year-on-year rise was 1.3% and compared to the second quarter 2011
the third quarter rise was 2%.

Current conditions index in the third quarter of 2011 rose by 11.8%
from a year before, mainly due to a 15.4% growth in sub-index, that is
used to assess current conditions, that was 13 percentage points
higher from the previous quarter. The sub-index used to assess large
purchases grew by 11.6%, and the sub-index assessing current economic
conditions rose by 9.6%.

According to the report, future conditions index increased by 2.5% in
the third quarter compared to 0.6% drop in the previous quarter.
Household employment expectations index for the fourth quarter rose by
4% compared with a 3% decline in the second quarter. A sub-index
assessing household large purchase expectations in the third quarter
saw a slight decline.

The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is an indicator designed to
measure consumer confidence, which is defined as the degree of
optimism on the state of the economy that consumers are expressing
through their activities of savings and spending. Since early 2005 the
Central Bank of Armenia has been conducting quarterly surveys of
non-financial, financial institutions and households to assess changes
in current economic conditions compared to the previous period, to
assess the economic expectations of the subjects under study and based
on survey data to calculate and publish composite economic indexes.
The surveys are conducted over the Internet, telephone, letter and
fax. Based on the survey results indices of business environment,
economic activity and consumer confidence are calculated on a
100-point scale. The score above 50 shows high activity and below 50 a
low activity, and 50 a steady-state condition. -0-

IMF official commends Armenian authorities for successful
implementation of agricultural reforms

YEREVAN, September 17. / ARKA /. Head of the IMF Armenia Mission, Mark
Horton, praised today Armenian authorities for successful
implementation of agricultural reforms during a meeting with
agriculture minister Sergo Karapetian, the press service of the
Armenian agricultural ministry said in a press release.

In a reference to last year’s dramatic decline of Armenia’s
agriculture, Horton said this year’s positive results in this sector
will help Armenia’s economy to achieve the projected growth of more
than 4.5%.

Minister Karapetian said in turn that this year the agriculture has
been declared a priority with the president ordering to make reforms
in this area more targeted and addressed. Karapetian noted also that
the Armenian government approved a series of reforms designed to boost
cattle breeding, seed production, horticulture, as well as facilitate
affordable agricultural loans for farmers.

The Armenian minister was said to have stressed the importance of
direct communication with the villagers. He said he has visited this
year most of Armenian villages, trying to find solutions to many
problems on the ground. -0-

Armenia and Argentine plan to sign two inter-governmental agreements
in the sphere of water supply and agriculture

YEREVAN. September 17. /ARKA/. Armenia and Argentine plant to sign two
inter-governmental agreements on cooperation in the sphere of water
supply and agriculture, Argentinean billionaire of Armenian origin
Eduardo Eurnekian said yesterday in the opening ceremony of the new
terminal of `Zvartnots’ airport.

He said that President of Argentine Cristina Fernandes de Kirshner
approved that both documents are ready for signing.

In the frames of the first agreement Argentine will support Armenia in
the development of new systems of water supply and irrigation which
will allow the country to use its agricultural potential.

In particular, we are speaking about the assistance by the experts of
State Water Agency of Argentine who control the processes of delivery
of drinking water and processing of irrigation water in Buenos Ayres.

The second agreement refers to cooperation in agriculture and
cattle-breeding which will be a significant support in the development
of innovation technologies in agriculture and bilateral cooperation in
this sphere’, said Eurnekian.

It is also planned to sign a memorandum of understanding between the
unions of manufacturers of both countries.

Speaking about his activity in Armenia, Eurnekian said that he wants
to create a sample of making significant investments by the Armenian
entrepreneurs of Diaspora.

`I call the Diaspora for making investments in Armenia, accept new
challenges and use historical mission. I believe that investments in
the zone of confrontation will promote peace. It is very important to
remember the past, but it is also important to create future’, said
Eurnekian.

Companies belonging to Eurnekian implement activities in various
spheres of economy, particularly in concession management of airport,
banking sector and agriculture.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, representatives of highest clergy
were present in the opening ceremony of the new passenger terminal of
international airport `Zvartnots’.

New complex with the territory of 34 thousand square meters is opened
in the airport. It includes new hall of arrival and departure of
passengers, VIP-halls and a new parking area of 20 thousand square
meters.

With the introduction of the new terminal, airport `Zvartnots’ can
serve up to 3.5 million passengers annually versus 1.6 million
earlier. About 50 passenger registration desks are equipped with
modern technologies CUTE.

JSC “Armenia-International Airports” exploits `Zvartnots’ airport in
accordance with 30-year concession management granted by the Armenian
government in 2001. The owner of the company is New-York holding
company, which 100% of shares belong to Argentinean billionaire of
Armenian origin Eduardo Eurnekian.-0-