Author: Kalantarian Kevo

CULTURE
Un séminaire dédié au tapis arménien du 20 au 22 novembre à Erévan

Le ministère arménien de la Culture organisera du 20 au 22 novembre à
Erévan un séminaire et des conférences intitulés « Haygagan Hankouyts
» (le n`ud arménien) consacré à l’art du tapis arménien. De nombreux
thèmes liés aux tapis arméniens seront étudiés. Parmi ces derniers, la
culture du tapis en Arménie, les particularités spécifiques du tapis
arménien, les tapis arméniens dans les musées étrangers, les
collections privées de tapis arméniens, les techniques de rénovation
des tapis et la protection des tapis arméniens. Le ministère arménien
de la Culture ouvre ce séminaire à tous ceux -personnes ou
organisations- qui désirent y participer.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 18 mai 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

Business New Europe
May 17 2013

Armenia plans Eurobond debut in 2013

bne
May 17, 2013

Armenia is planning to make its debut on the Eurobonds market this
year, the prime minister said on May 16. The move sees Yerevan seeking
to leverage the ongoing emerging markets bond rally as it’s forced to
replace development funding, which is drying up.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan announced that a political decision to
issue a Eurobond has already been made. A $500m bond is expected
before the end of 2013. The PM told government officials that the
Eurobond will establish a benchmark to help private Armenian companies
tap international capital markets at better rates, News.am reported.

“This is a new page in our economic policy, and not only in the
management of public finances. We create opportunity for the private
sector to attract cheaper funds from the financial markets,” Sargsyan
said.

Finance Minister Davit Sargsyan told the cabinet meeting that as
international financial institutions no longer consider Armenia a
low-income country, the flow of preferential loans and other
development funding is expected to gradually dry up. As a result,
Armenia needs to find its own sources of finance, he said. “This means
the issuance of Eurobonds should start,” he insisted.

The issue will also enable Yerevan to pay back loans from Russia,
Armenia Today reports. The government says it is planning to employ
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLC to advise on the issue and
provide technical assistance.

NKR Foreign Ministry delegation participating in the anniversary
events in Abkhazia

19:42 – 17.05.13

The delegation of the Foreign Ministry of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, headed by Minister Karen Mirzoyan, is participating in the
events dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Foreign Ministry of
the Republic of Abkhazia.

The NKR Foreign Minister delivered a speech at the ceremonial meeting
taken place on May 17, congratulating the Abkhaz colleagues and noting
that the people of Artsakh were attentively following the developments
in Abkhazia and were glad for its successes.

‘The events, which have been taking place in the world for the recent
years, prove that the realization of peoples’ right to
self-determination remains the most optimal means for the resolution
of international disputes’, Karen Mirzoyan, in particular, emphasized.

The same day, a meeting of the delegation of Artsakh with Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia Viacheslav Chirikba took place, at which
the parties discussed the prospects of further cooperation between the
Foreign Ministries of the two countries and the issues of mutual
interest.

In the framework of the festive events, a meeting of the Foreign
Ministers of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdniestria, and Nagorno
Karabakh took place, at which the development and consolidation of
bilateral and multilateral cooperation were discussed.

During the visit, a meeting of the delegation of Artsakh with
representatives of the Armenian community of Abkhazia also took place.

Armenian News – Tert.am

FAO report predicts 5.4% rise in cereal production in 2013

YEREVAN, May 17. /ARKA/. UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
has projected an increase in wheat production to 695 million tons in
2013, from 6 million tons in the year before, says a monthly report on
FAO official website.

Recovery from drought in the major CIS producing countries should
contribute significantly to the record global production.

Increase in Russia’s wheat production is particularly important for
Armenia as Russia is practically the main grain supplier to Armenia.
According to Armenia’s customs service, 83.3% of Armenia’s wheat
imports were from the Russian Federation in Q1 this year.

Russian wheat imports in absolute terms totaled about 38,700 tons in
the first quarter as compared to 85,900 tons in Q1 2012.

World cereal stocks by the close of seasons ending in 2013 are
forecast at 505 million tons, up 1% (5 million tons) from the previous
forecast, according to the report.

Global wheat trade, including flour, is said to reach 139mln tons in
June-July 2012-2013, 1% lower from April forecast.

Cereals consumption will remain 2,332 million tons.

According to Armenia’s national statistical service, annual cereal
consumption is 650-720,000 in the country, including 435-450,000 tons
as food. In the last five years, imports were 380-420,000 tons every
year.-0 –

Prime Minister’s Sensational Statement

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan made a sensational statement. He said
Armenia will start issuing government bonds. He added that it will
allow Armenia to pay its debt to Russia.

This statement indicates a fundamental change of the country’s economic bias.

Issuing bonds might have advantages because it will make Armenia part
of the world market, reducing the influence of local oligarchs and
monopolists on the country.

Currently, the exchange rate, precious metals and food are set by
local tycoons. Entering the open market will make it difficult to hold
down the exchange rate of the dram, which means that export will be
more profitable than import.

However, it may also play a negative role. First, purchase of
government bonds of Armenia will mean that Armenia may appear in a
deeper debt pit. Our foreign debt is already approaching half of the
GDP, meanwhile it may become known that our foreign debt has been
obtained by Turkey.

There is another circumstance. Armenia is likely to repay its debt to
Russia, which means that Yerevan wants to settle its accounts with
Moscow to move towards Europe with a light heart. Evidence to this is
the agreement of Armenia to the rise of gas price. It means that
Yerevan did not come to compromise with Russia, while the West will
help Armenia to handle the rising price of gas, possibly by means of
issuing state bonds.

However, sudden entry of Armenia to the international market may
produce the effect of turbulence, the country may lose control, and
the liberalized economy will appear in the hands of others. Mining
will be shared between the British and Germans, air transportation
between Americans and Arabs, banks between the British and French.

The economic isolation of Armenia is against the country indeed. It
produces the effect of a castle in siege. Sooner or later Armenia will
have to open up but Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan must provide
safeguards against loss of the national branches of economy.

For example, it is said that the bankruptcy of Armavia may result in
disappearance of national aviation. Liberalization of mines may result
in the loss of control over our subsoil.

Armenia could discuss and adopt a law similar to laws in Arab and many
other countries. The law would provide that only joint companies with
citizens of the country could be set up.

Besides, the government must make a list of branches of economy,
enterprises and resources which are national wealth. It is necessary
to set quotas for the use of branches of economy. Otherwise, the
sensation of the prime minister will mark the beginning of the
disaster of the independence of Armenia.

Naira Hayrumyan
20:51 16/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Armenian President promises to double funding for young scientists

May 16, 2013 | 15:41

YEREVAN. – Annual funding of the program provided to young scholars
will be doubled and increased to AMD 200 million, President Serzh
Sargsyan said.

Armenian leader on Thursday met with young scientists in the National Library.

Chairman of the council of young scientists Gevorg Vardanyan presented
an annual report on the program which commenced last June. He called
the program `very effective’, thus making the president ask about
`concrete results.’

`I am not so naive to believe that 100 million is enough for tangible
result,’ he said, adding that he would not like to hear opinions only
on effectiveness of the program.

Summing up the meeting, President Sargsyan promised to allocate 200
million for the next year.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Armenia to have insulin-producing venture

May 16, 2013 | 15:46

YEREVAN. – Within the framework of the `Project to Establish an
Armenian-Chinese Venture on Insulin Production,’ it is planned to
found a modern-technology-based insulin production in Armenia.

The main raw material for this venture will be the Jerusalem
artichoke, which the local farms will grow with special technical
requirements.

An annual amount of 3,000-3,500 tons of insulin, 1,000 tons of
fructose, 1,200 tons of cellulose, and 12,000 tons of biofertilizers
are planned to be produced by this venture.

To assist in this project, the Government of Armenia on Thursday
decided to allocate close to 3 million drams (approx. $7,200) to the
Ministry of Economy, to set up a contest to attract foreign capital.

Along the lines of this project, an annual amount of 30,000 tons of
Jerusalem artichoke must be grown from 3,000 hectares.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

`We’ll not pay taxes if you raise the price of gas’

People are protesting against rise of the gas bill. Members of
Parliament Artsvik Minasyan and Armen Rustamyan, members of Barev
Yerevan Alliance Gagik Baghdasaryan and Arthur Ispiryan have joined
the other participants in front of the house of government.

The citizens of Armenia are holding up posters stating `Rising gas
price will turn into removal of the regime’, `ARG+RPA=genocide’,
`We’ll not pay taxes if you raise the price of gas’.

Armen Poghosyan of the Association of Consumers said if the gas price
increased, the state budget will be shattered because inflation will
affect other branches of economy.

Member of Parliament Artsvik Minasyan says this is protest against the
policy conducted in Armenia. `The depression with which the Armenian
government handles the gas price shows that our authorities not only
fail to conduct an appropriate policy but are also unable to realize,
understand that Armenia as a state and its people as a society will
not get anywhere with this policy. The purpose of this policy is to
make the authorities, the government, the president and the political
majority, understand their responsibility rather than sit in the
offices and enjoy people’s votes,’ Minasyan said.

According to him, there are serious problems in all the branches of
economy of Armenia but these problems are not understood by the
government.

`If the Armenian government does not have the will to resist to the
behavior of the Russian strategic partner, it means there is no
strategic partnership. This is a relation of master and slave. As you
know, history showed that these relations have nothing in common with
strategic partnership, only pressure,’ the member of parliament of ARF
says, noting that the government must resign if it is unable to
resist.

The government’s representative Alexander Ghazaryan listened to the
demonstrators and said their demands are in line with the point of
view of the government because the government does not want the price
to rise.

The participants of the protest are going to hand a letter to the
prime minister.

14:41 16/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Armenian authorities ruined gas talks with Russia – ARF Dashnaktsutyun

May 16, 2013 | 11:58

YEREVAN. – The Armenian authorities have ruined gas talks with Russia,
ARF Dashnaktsutyun member said.

During the action near the Armenian government, Armen Rustamyan said
increase in gas price was not announced before the election due to
clear reasons.

`What is the essence of strategic partnership between Armenia and
Russia if we are buying gas on full market price? The Armenian
authorities had to raise the question during the talks. They had to
remember that gas price affects prices of consumer goods. It is
another failure. Speaking about `secure Armenia’ and `better Yerevan’
they meat expensive gas,’ Rustamyan said.

On Tuesday ArmRusgasprom has applied to the Armenian Public Services
Regulatory Commission with an offer to revise the natural gas price.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Azerbaijan criminalizes free speech online ahead of presidential vote
– Amnesty International

May 16, 2013 | 12:29

The Azerbaijani authorities must not use the upcoming presidential
election as a pretext to silence critical voices and meaningful
debate, Amnesty International said following a move to extend criminal
defamation laws to the internet.

On 14 May, the Azerbaijani Parliament approved an amendment to the
country’s defamation law to impose hefty fines and prison sentences
for anyone convicted of online slander or insults. The new
legislation constitutes a further attack of freedom of expression in
Azerbaijan.

This is just the latest in ever-more restrictive measures ` including
actions to muzzle mainstream media outlets and the introduction of
harsher punishment for peaceful protesters ` ahead of October’s
election.

`The Azerbaijani authorities’ fear of critical voices has already led
them to attempt to keep peaceful protesters off the streets and to
muzzle the mainstream media. This new law aims to shut down one of the
few last resorts of legitimate protest ` the internet,’ said David
Diaz-Jogeix, Deputy Director of Amnesty International’s Europe and
Central Asia Programme.

Earlier the new law was criticized by OSCE Representative on Freedom
of the Media Dunja MijatoviÄ?.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am