Author: Kalantarian Kevo

STEPAN SAFARYAN. “RESUMPTION OF TALKS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION SHOWS THAT ARMENIAN HAS NOT LOST ITS IMPORTANCE FOR EUROPE.”

December 24 2014

“Preservation of and deepening of relations with the centers having
strategic importance has a vital importance for Armenia, one of
which is the European Union”, said analyst Stepan Safaryan in the
conversation with Aravot.am. He considers the resumption of EU-Armenia
relations important. According to him, the fact that Armenia resumes
the talks with the European Union around signing of a new agreement
shows that Armenia as a country has not lost its importance for
Europe. “It’s not for the merit of government authorities or the
European views, but simply Europe itself gives such an importance.

Although for the same of justice, Armenia’s any government should
understand that it is extremely essential for our security, therefore,
the preservation at some level is a necessity.” Stepan Safaryan noted
that a document will be discussed, whose name is not yet chosen.

“Sometimes they call it an Association Agreement , in other
words, a softer version; in some cases, it is voiced to be an option
of partnership and cooperation agreement plus. No matter what it is,
it implies a little more deepening of relations acquired already
in the past between Armenia and the EU.” Note First Deputy Economy
Minister of Armenia Garegin Melkonyan told the “Armenpress” agency,
“Armenia resumes the talks with the European Union around signing
of a new agreement, which at the maximum will preserve all norms
negotiated in the Association Agreement, which are possible and are
not contrary to Armenia’s membership to the EaEU.” According to him,
the main directions already defined, with which Armenia will deepen
its ties with the European Union member states.

Ami CHICHAKYAN

Read more at:

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
E-mail: Alla Asatryan, Marketing and Office Manager
96 Sarmen St., 0019 Yerevan, RA
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
Tel: +374 10 52 47 12
Mob: +374 77 555 002

8 Families will Meet the Christmas in their New Homes.

The Metal Containers are in the Past.

On December 24, 2014 in the Taron 3 District of Vanadzor city, Lori Region
took place the opening and dedication ceremony of the multi-apartment
building for 8 families who had been living in metal containers for almost
30 years. After so many years of hardships today’s reality seemed
unbelievable for these families. Today they received the greatest gift for
Christmas and the New Year.

“Words can’t describe the life we lived there, in that metal container for
23 years. Sometimes it seemed we lived outside; during heavy rains
everything in the metal container was covered with water as the roof was
thoroughly deteriorated, in summers it was very hot and in winters – like
in the refrigerator. Today is the happiest day in our life; after long
years we will meet the New Year in a decent home” said Gayane Ulibekyan in
tears.

In 2008 the President of the Armenian Relief and Development Association
(ARDA), an American-Armenian philanthropist, Steve Lazarian, initiated the
program to assist the families living in metal containers in Vanadzor city,
Lori region. The trilateral partnership between ARDA Charitable Foundation,
Vanadzor Municipality and Fuller Center for Housing Armenia plans to build
96 houses. Already 48 families have shifted from metal containers into
ecologically healthy homes. This is already the 4th phase of the project
and 8 more families will replenish the list of those happy families.

“The forth and probably the most successful phase of our joint program is
finished. The 74% has been donated by ARDA Charitable Foundation, the 11%
– by Vanadzor Municipality. The Fuller Center for Housing Armenia has done
the 15% investment in the form of long-term, interest-free mortgage loan.
In total 72 million AMD was spent. As a supplementary gift by ARDA
Charitable Foundation, each apartment has been furnished with kitchen
furniture, a gas heater, a cooker and a water heater,” said ARDA
Charitable Foundation Director, Hrahat Stepanyan.

”Housewarming is a beginning of a new life, of new opportunities; it is
the reliable basis of future. Every family is the part of our society. The
more stable and successful is the family, the healthier is the society.
Still there are many families waiting for their dream home. We work for
them not to wait too long,” said Fuller Center for Housing Armenia
President Ashot Yeghiazaryan.

These homes are built using a new technology of polystyrene foam block and
local construction materials. The construction started in the spring of
2014. The eight families, as well as local and international volunteers
participated in the home construction process.

PUTIN: KYRGYZSTAN SIGNS DEAL TO JOIN EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION

(c) Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
BUSINESS
16:54 23.12.2014(updated 17:13 23.12.2014)

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that that Kyrgyzstan signed
a deal to join the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic Union.

(c) SPUTNIK/ ALEKSEI DRUZHININ Eurasian Economic Union to Continue
Work With US Despite Tensions: Official MOSCOW, December 23 (Sputnik)
-Kyrgyzstan signed a deal to join the Moscow-led Eurasian Economic
Union Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said.

“The treaty on Kyrgyzstan’s accession has just been signed. We
are convinced that the membership of Armenia and Kyrgyzstan in the
Eurasian Economic Union corresponds with core national interests of
these countries,” the Russian leader said.

ARMENIAN ART EXHIBIT TO FEATURE AT FRESNO ART MUSEUM

Monday, December 22nd, 2014
John Altoon, Seaview Series, 1964, pastel on paper, courtesy of the
collection of Joan and Jack Quinn, Beverly Hills, Calif.

FRESNO, Calif.–The Fresno Art Museum will present “Tradition,
Legacy, Culture,” an exhibit featuring works by Armenian artists to
commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. The show
will open Jan. 23 with a reception at 5:30 p.m. and continues through
April 26. Admission to the opening reception is $10 for non-museum
members and free for members; admission during normal museum hours
is $5 for non-members and free for members.

With pieces on loan from various art galleries and personal
collections throughout the country, the exhibition includes the works
of John Altoon, Varujan Boghasian, Ara Dolarian, Charles Garabedian,
Arshile Gorky, Khachik Khachatouryan, Ed Marouk, Rueben Nakian,
Varaz Samuelian, William Saroyan, and Arminee Shishmanian.

“Each of these artists has achieved international and regional renown,”
remarked museum coordinator Carol Tikijian. “Each experienced the
Armenian Genocide on some level and each remained unstoppable in
their drive to create, leaving the world richer in its understanding
of the complexities of life through their art.”

While many will immediately recognize color and forms of Gorky as
well as the works of those artists with a local connection–including
Dolarian, Marouk, Samuelian, Shishmanian and, of course, Saroyan–it
is the discovery of newer and less familiar personalities that promises
to be equally compelling for visitors to this historic exhibit.

Additionally, the 11 artists encompass a wide range of media and
style–from the surrealism of Boghosian’s assemblages to the classic
imagery of Garabedian’s bold paintings to the contemporary expressions
of Khachatouryan’s bronze and stainless steel sculptures.

The art exhibit is part of a series of activities promoted by the
Armenian Genocide Centennial–Fresno Committee, which includes
representatives from the religious, educational, social, and
political organizations of the Central Valley. The group’s goals are
to commemorate the 1.5 million martyrs who perished at the hands of
the Ottoman Turkish government; to educate others about the Armenian
Genocide and historical injustice; and to inspire people to overcome
adversity through the story of the survivors’ of the Armenian
Genocide. For more information, visit the AGC–Fresno Committee’s
website or Facebook page.

COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION’S FIRST HUMANITARIAN CENTER TO OPEN IN ARMENIA IN 2015

YEREVAN, December 23. /ARKA/. The Collective Security Treaty
Organization’s first humanitarian center will be opened in Armenia
in 2015, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday at a session
of the organization’s Collective Security Council, as a correspondent
of Novosti-Armenia reported from Moscow.

“A network of humanitarian centers of the CSTO is being built with
active support of Russia, and the first will open in Armenia,” Putin
said. “A similar center will open later in Kyrgyzstan’s territory.”

—–0—–

ARMENIA’S NOC SEES NO REASON FOR BOYCOTTING FIRST EUROPEAN SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN AZERBAIJAN

YEREVAN, December 23. / ARKA /. The National Olympic Committee (NOC)
of Armenia sees no reason for boycotting the first European Summer
Olympic Games to be held in Azerbaijan, secretary general of Armenian
NOC Hrachya Rostomyan said today.

“As for the games in Baku, at this moment the NOC sees no reason
for refusing to participate. All the problems, both professional and
safety-related are resolved at this stage,

ARMENIA MUST SETTLE ACCOUNTS IN AMD-RUB TERMS – ARTVIK MINASYAN

15:21 * 23.12.14

In an interview with Tert.am, Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) parliamentary group member Artsvik Minasyan
commented on the latest developments on Armenia’s financial market
last week.

According to him, the government should draw a number of lessons. He
proposed certain solutions.

One of the solutions is that, with 70% dollarization of Armenia’s
economy, should use AMD-RUB principle in effecting payments for a
number of products, including gas, which could prevent a rise in the
gas price on the border.

“Solution one: we all have made sure that it is the Russian ruble
that caused the greatest shock. It means that we should use AMD-RUB
principle in the case of substantial part of our trade with Russia.

Specifically, with respect to gas import, it is obvious that our
intergovernmental agreement must envisage deals in RUB and AMD terms,
not in USD terms.

“Secondly, Armenian-Russian trade turnover. In the case of essential
products for Armenia, we must achieve the aim of settling accounts
in RUB terms,” Mr Minasyan said.

“Gas imports are anchored to the USD formula, which must be replaced
with the RUB formula, which will not have any effect inside our
country. Gas-filling stations settle accounts in USD terms, which
affects ordinary Armenian citizens. And since an amount of currency
comes to Armenia, it can be predictable. But when we arrange deals
in terms of a third currency – the US dollar or Euro – we actually
shift the global economic burden onto our economy.”

Asked to comment on Gazprom Armenia’s earlier promise to ask the
Public Services’ Regulatory Commission to revise the tariffs, Minasyan
said he expect such a move to prevent a possible hike. “With this,
we’ll prevent a hike in the natural gas prices, at least in the short
run. Gazprom has to nonetheless raise the gas price for Russia to
justify the reasons behind the increased price for Armenia. We are,
after all, in the same economic area. And that means Gazprom cannot
raise the price on its own because of changes in the Dollar rate. This
offers advantages to our country and state.

Addressing the need to recover the economy, Minasyan stressed the need
of investments as a sustainability tool. “Hence, our country has to
create an investment protection committee to make foreign currency
investments possible. Stock companies today cannot release shares
in a foreign currency. As a result, a foreign investor who wants to
make a payment for a share in Euros or [US] Dollars in the frameworks
of an investment project has to exchange with Drams in order to pay
the money. He or she thus actually incurs the risk and has to either
insure it by paying more for the investment or remain in the risk
zone. All two scenarios result in a negative decision in terms of
investments. We have sectors which we have artificially restricted.

And those restrictions have caused a 70% dollarization, which means
70% of our economy is based on a foreign currency. This implies that
we ourselves have weakened the Dram. So it fulfills no function as
a matter of fact. And if a currency fulfils no function at all, it
easily assumes the function of a weak means of overturn,” he explained.

Asked to comment on Gazprom Armenia’s earlier promise to ask the
Public Services’ Regulatory Commission to revise the tariffs, Minasyan
said he expect such a move to prevent a possible hike. “With this,
we’ll prevent a hike in the natural gas prices, at least in the short
run. Gazprom has to nonetheless raise the gas price for Russia to
justify the reasons behind the increased price for Armenia. We are,
after all, in the same economic area. And that means Gazprom cannot
raise the price on its own because of changes in the Dollar rate. This
offers advantages to our country and state.

Addressing the need to recover the economy, Minasyan stressed the need
of investments as a sustainability tool. “Hence, our country has to
create an investment protection committee to make foreign currency
investments possible. Stock companies today cannot release shares
in a foreign currency. As a result, a foreign investor who wants to
make a payment for a share in Euros or [US] Dollars in the frameworks
of an investment project has to exchange with Drams in order to pay
the money. He or she thus actually incurs the risk and has to either
insure it by paying more for the investment or remain in the risk
zone. All two scenarios result in a negative decision in terms of
investments. We have sectors which we have artificially restricted.

And those restrictions have caused a 70% dollarization, which means
70% of our economy is based on a foreign currency. This implies that
we ourselves have weakened the Dram. So it fulfills no function as
a matter of fact. And if a currency fulfils no function at all, it
easily assumes the function of a weak means of overturn,” he explained.

Asked to comment on Gazprom Armenia’s earlier promise to ask the
Public Services’ Regulatory Commission to revise the tariffs, Minasyan
said he expects such a move to prevent a possible hike. “With this,
we’ll prevent a hike in the natural gas prices, at least in the short
run. Gazprom has to nonetheless raise the gas price for Russia to
justify the reasons behind the hike for Armenia. We are, after all,
in the same economic area. And that means Gazprom cannot raise the
price on its own because of changes in the Dollar rate. This offers
advantages to our country and state.

Addressing the need to recover the economy, Minasyan stressed the need
of investments as a sustainability tool. “Hence, our country has to
create an investment protection committee to make foreign currency
investments possible. Stock companies today cannot release shares
in a foreign currency. As a result, a foreign investor who wants to
make a payment for a share in Euros or [US] Dollars in the frameworks
of an investment project has to exchange with Drams in order to pay
the money. He or she thus actually incurs the risk and has to either
insure it by paying more for the investment or remain in the risk
zone. All two scenarios result in a negative decision in terms of
investments. We have sectors which we have artificially restricted.

And those restrictions have caused a 70% dollarization, which means
70% of our economy is based on a foreign currency. This implies that
we ourselves have weakened the Dram. So it fulfills no function as
a matter of fact. And if a currency fulfils no function at all, it
easily assumes the function of a weak means of overturn,” he explained.

ZHOGHOVURD: GEORGIA TO LIFT VISA RESTRICTIONS FOR ARMENIANS

10:26 * 23.12.14

The Georgian visa rules, which restrict the Armenian citizens’
residence in the country to a maximum period of 90 days, are reportedly
going to change in the near future.

It comes after Georgian-Armenian lawmakers urged Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamyan to raise the question at talks with his Georgian colleagues,
says the paper.

The premier reportedly addressed the issue in the course of his
recent visit to the country, pointing to the concerns of the
Georgian-Armenians (some of whom Republic of Armenia citizens).

Citing its sources, the paper says that a high-ranking Armenian
official recently promised renewed procedures in a phone conversation
with Samvel Petrosyan, a member of Armenia’s National Assembly. The
paper notes further that thousands of Georgian-Armenians recently
obtained Armenian citizenship to facilitate their departure for Russia
as employment migrants.

ZHAMANAK: GOVERNOR’S BROTHER-IN-LAW TO BE APPOINTED DEPUTY GOVERNOR

At the suggestion of Harutyun Sargsyan – the newly appointed governor
of Armenia’s Vayots Dzor province, member of the Republican Party of
Armenia – Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan relieved deputy governor
of the province Aram Grigoryan of his position.

‘Zhamanak’ paper writes that the governor already has a candidate for
the vacant post – his own brother-in-law Vasil Aslanyan who became
acting mayor of the city of Vayk following Harutyun Sargsyan’s
appointment as governor.

23.12.14, 11:54

MUTUAL TRUST KEY FACTOR IN EXPANSION OF IRAN-ARMENIA COOPERATION

IRNA – Islamic Rep. News Agency, Iran
December 19, 2014 Friday

Tehran

The official news agency of Iran (IRNA) has issued following news:
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia Yervand Zakharian
said mutual trust between Iran and Armenia is a key factor in expansion
of bilateral cooperation.

Speaking at Iran-Armenia joint economic cooperation session, he said
the Republic of Armenia attaches great importance to relations with
Iran which is based on bilateral interests and friendship between
the two countries.

He said each of the two sides has played its role and used its position
in the advancement of previous targets as well as in proposing new
plans and as presidents of the two countries have acknowledged –
despite the good bilateral political relations – that economic
relations are not in satisfactory condition and only a small part of
economic potentials has been activated.

Stressing that proper cooperation will lead to multifold increase
in economic relations, Zakharian noted that the 12th session of the
joint economic cooperation commission has high potentials for the
development of economic, industrial, tourism and trade cooperation and
provides a good ground for expansion of economic and trade relations.

He said now the attention should be concentrated on major economic
plans such as the third high voltage electricity transmission line,
railway link between the two countries, Magri hydroelectric power
plant and other major programs.

Zakharian concluded by saying that trade transactions between the two
countries are low, adding that success in increasing and developing
economic activities depends on the activities of the commission and
“we are bound to take effective measures in this regard for trust of
the two governments.”

Meanwhile, Iran’s Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian hoped that agreements
between the two countries will open a new chapter in bilateral
relations adding that support of the two sides of the private sector
will provide a proper ground for the expansion of exchanges of private
sectors of the two countries and provide welfare and calm for the
two nations.

He said Iran will employ all capacities available for the development
of bilateral relations and cooperation with Armenia, adding that proper
mechanisms should be developed for the development of cooperation
and putting agreements into effect.