Author: Karabekian Emil

JACQUES CHIRAC CONGRATULATES MINISTER NALBANDIAN

armradio.am
15.05.2008 11:08

Ex-President of France Jacques Chirac congratulated RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian on appointment. The message states, in part:

"It was a greet pleasure for me to learn that you entered the
Government of the Republic of Armenia as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

I render my warmest congratulations on this occasion. It is the
recognition of your talents, which I had the opportunity to assess
during your tenure as Armenian ambassador to France.

You really worked with great dynamics and vigor for the sake of
development of Armenian-French relations and had a decisive role in
the formation of close and intensive ties, which are peculiar to the
relations between our countries today.

Rendering my best wishes of success in your new responsible mission,
I ask you to accept, dear Mr. Minister, the assurance of my deep
respect and friendly feelings," Jacques Chirak concluded.

CEMETERIES DESECRATED IN TWO RUSSIAN REGIONS

Interfax News Agency
May 14, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

Unidentified vandals have desecrated three Jewish graves at the
Maryina Roshcha cemetery in Nizhniy Novgorod, Interfax news agency
reported on 14 May. The incident occurred last weekend (10-11 May),
the main interior directorate for Nizhniy Novgorod Region said as
reported by Interfax.

Among the desecrated graves was the grave of Iuda Bershteyn, former
chief rabbi of Nizhniy Novgorod, Interfax said quoting the Federation
of Jewish Communities of Russia.

In a separate development, Interfax reported later on 14 May that
over 100 graves of servicemen, Gypsies and Armenians were desecrated
and destroyed in Petrodvorets near St Petersburg in the early hours
of 13 May.

ARMENIA STANDS READY TO RENDER ESSENTIAL ASSISTANCE TO CHINA

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.05.2008 16:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan extended
condolences to Hu Jintao over the devastating earthquake in China,
the RA leader’s press office reported.

"On behalf of the Republic of Armenia I extend condolences to the
friendly people of China over the devastating earthquake in southwest
Sichuan Province.

I share the grief of the families of those killed and wish soonest
recovery to those injured. I am confident that the Chinese
people will find the strengths to repair the damage caused by
the disaster. Armenia, as a country experienced in elimination
of earthquake consequences, stands ready to render the essential
assistance," the President’s message says.

Monday’s 7.9 magnitude quake was centered in mountainous Wenchuan
County, about 90 kilometers away from the Sichuan provincial capital,
Chengdu.

Rescuers hiking over landslide-blocked roads reached the epicenter,
pulling bodies and a few survivors from collapsed buildings. The death
toll of more than 12,000 is certain to rise as the buried were found.

Panorama.am

15:58 09/05/2008

T. SARGSYAN: `SIGNIFICANCE OF VICTORY MULTIPLIED BY
SHUSHI LIBERATION’

`Dear compatriots, I cordially congratulate you for
May 9 – for the day of Victory and Peace. Today we
celebrate the historic victory gained against the
fascism together with many other nations in the world.
The day is considers as if ours as Armenians fought
having in mind love towards motherland, they fought
selflessly and bravely,’ says the Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan’s message in the regard of Victory
Day.

The press service of Government reported that Prime
Minister mentioned the day is significant for the
liberation of Shushi as well. `Sixteen years ago
behind the war entrenchments our history was being
created. In a war which was compulsory our nation
secured its right to be free and to live a peaceful
life.

Today I am sending my warmest congratulations to the
war veterans, to our soldiers and to our nation; and
have a profound respect to those who are not together.

Dear compatriots, I wish you good mood, peaceful
heaven and welfare in this day of Victory,’ says the
message.

Today in the morning the Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan went to the `Erablur’ to commemorate the
victims of the day. He said that a decision was made
in the Government session to revise the amount of
honor-wages of veterans and to increase them.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenian card warns of possible cash maschine cutoffs

YEREVAN, May 8. /ARKA/. Armenian Card Processing Centre reports on
possible short-term cutoffs of the network’s cash-machines, Executive
Director of the Armenian Card Company Shahen Hovhannissyan told ARKA.

Cutoffs caused by management software modernization work will last
until May 13. Card-holders may turn to the banks which are members of
the local system.

Armenian Card, founded March 16 2000, comprises twenty commercial banks
issuing ArCa Debit, ArCa Classic, ArCa Gold, ArCa Business, ArCa
Affinity, ArCa Co-branded and ArCa Platinum plastic cards. The company
is full member of MasterCard Europe international payment system and is
a third party processor of VISA cards. –0–

Arthur Baghdasaryan appointed Secretary of the Presidential Council on
National Security

armradio.am
05.05.2008 11:16

President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree on appointing Arthur
Baghdasaryan to the post of the Secretary of the National Security
Council at the President’s Office.

Arthur Baghdasaryan was born November 8, 1968 in Yerevan.

In 1985, he completed the Secondary School after Khachatur Abovyan in
Yerevan.

In 1985 he entered and in 1992 completed the Law Faculty of Yerevan
State University.

In 1988- 1989 he served in the army.

From 1989 until 1993 he worked at the editorial offices of the
newspaper "Avangard" as a Correspondent, Head of Department, and Deputy
Editor-in-Chief.

In November 1993 he was elected the Vice-Chairman, Shengavit Community
Council, Executive Committee.

From 1994 until 1997 he studied at and completed with honors the
Academy of Civil Service of the President of the Russian Federation.

In 1995 he defended his Candidates Thesis and received the degree of
Candidate of Legal Sciences.

On July 5, 1995, Mr. Baghdasaryan was elected Deputy of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia of the First Convocation from the
Shengavit Electoral District 5.

In September 1995 he was elected the Chairman, Union of Lawyers and
Political Scientists of the Republic of Armenia.

In 1997, in Moscow, he defended his doctoral dissertation and received
the degree of Doctor of Legal Sciences.

In March 1998 he was elected the Chairman of the Standing Committee on
State and Legal Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republic of
Armenia.

In June 1998 he was elected the Head of the Party "Orinats Yerkir"
(Rule of Law).

On May 30, 1999 he was elected Deputy of the National Assembly of the
Republic of Armenia of the 2nd
Convocation from the Shengavit Electoral District Number 21, and in
September 1999 was the Head of the "Orinats Yerkir" Faction of the
National Assembly.

In 2000 Mr. Baghdasaryan was chosen as the Chairman of the Board of the
French University of Armenia, and in 2002 of the European Regional
Academy in the Caucuses.

From 2001-2003 he was a member of the Standing Commission on Foreign
Relations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

On May 25, 2003 he was elected a Deputy of the Third Convocation of the
National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

From June 12, 2003 to May 29, 2006 Mr. Baghdasaryan was the Chairman of
the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

He is the author of a number of scientific monographs and more than 100
scientific and analytical articles.

He is married and has three children.

Panorama.am

17:22 06/05/2008

AMBASSADOR OF GEORGIA: `IF ARMENIA VOTES AGAINST IN UN…’

Tomorrow Georgia presents to the UN Chief Assembly
discussion an article about the status of the refugees
and violently displaced people living in Georgia. In
this regard, today the Ambassador of Georgia in
Armenia Georgi Saganelidze had a meeting with the
journalists and called on the Armenian authorities to
vote for the article. According to him the demand to
adopt such article has been created after getting
concerned by the aggressive activities of Russia.

`Russian side should be conscious of the fact that it
does not have any partners in its aggressive policy
making activities. Georgian side carries out active
foreign political activities in order colleague
countries vote for the article,’ notified Saganelidze.

He said that according to their sources Russia is
going to take initiatives against the adoption of the
article. `We heard that Armenian authorities are going
to vote against it also. And we are concerned with
that. In this regard we held discussions with Armenian
authorities but we have not got any clarified response
yet,’ he said.

`If finally Armenia votes against the document, then,
I guess, it will decrease the level of reliability
among our nations. I ask Armenian authorities and call
on them to be wise and not to harm itself and its
colleagues,’ he said.

Source: Panorama.am

May 7 is the Radio Day

armradio.am
07.05.2008 16:51

The Armenian Radio is celebrating its 82nd anniversary today, which is
the recurrent vivid proof of the fact that for decades the Armenian
Radio has been the best friend and a preferable source of information
for Armenian listeners in both Armenia and abroad. Today, in this age
of rapid development of information technologies, when the world is
flooded by most various means of transferring information, millions of
our compatriots are still linked to the Motherland through the Armenian
Radio.

Today we are not alone in the air space, which we ` continuers of the
traditions of the Armenian Radio ` welcome, since competition was the
driving force that became an impetus for the Public Radio to find and
occupy its proper place in the new reality. `Over the past few years
the leadership of the Public Radio managed to implement serious
technical re-equipment. Today almost all the equipments of the Public
Radio are digitalized, the fund of the Radio has been digitalized,’
said Varuzhan Olkinyan, commentator of the Public Radio of Armenia.

`No matter how much the television and digital technologies develop,
the radio will never yield its positions. It has gone through many
trials and survived thanks to the fact that it carries out its function
of educating and providing information without taking time form the
listener, a factor, which is very important in this high-speed age.
Thus, the news about the past age and the death of radio are extremely
exaggerated,’ Director of the Radio Van Shushanik Arevshatyan said.
According to her, the future belongs to the radio, and radio’s speech
is very influential and important. `Words can cure or kill a man. Once
the voice of Levitan was inspiring hope in people, and while there is
this magic and psychological influence of the voice, radio will exist,’
Shushanik Arevshatyan.

Yerevan is on air¦ These words have sounded for 82 years, spreading the
voice of the Armenian state all over the world. Millions of Armenians
in different sites of the world communicate with the Motherland and
feel the pulse of Armenia thanks to the Armenian Radio. Today we
congratulate our partners from all the radio stations, wishing
uninterrupted broadcasting.

Prices for maintenance of aircrafts and service of air passengers in
‘Zvartnots’ Yerevan airport are highest in region

2008-05-06 19:51:00

ArmInfo. The prices for maintenance of aircrafts and service of air
passengers in "Zvartnots" Yerevan airport are the highest in the
region, the preliminary data of competitiveness of Armenia’s air
transport, carried out by experts of USAID programme "Competitive
Armenian Private Sector" (CAPS) testify this.

As CAPS consultant for Politics and Law Arsen Nazaryan told journalists
today, the surveys were carried out in April-May, 2007, and 12
countries were selected for comparative analysis. He said that the
expenses for maintenance of one "Boeing" or "Airbus" aircraft in
"Zvartnots" airport total $4 thsd, which may be compared only with the
expenses in Baku airport. He also said that these expenses in Vienna
make up $5,6 thsd, in Tbilisi – about $2 thsd, in Moscow "Domodedovo"
airport – about $1 thsd. Service of air passengers in "Zvartnots"
airport is also the most expensive. As A. Nazaryan said, the expenses
per one passenger in Yerevan total about $60, while those in Vienna are
equal to $30-35, in Baku – $50, in Tbilisi – $30, in Istanbul – $15, in
Moscow – about $20.

The consultant also said that almost half of the passenger carriage
market in Armenia falls on the national carrier, the "Armavia" Company,
followed by "Siberia Airlines" and "Aeroflot" – 11% each, "Ural
Airlines" and "Austrian Airlines" – 4% each. Moscow (40%) is the main
direction of flights from Armenia, that indicates a great
centralization. Prague (9%) and Paris (5%) are the next, and the rest
46% of directions have been distributed among 34 countries. The flights
to Moscow are served by four air companies. 91% of regular flights from
Armenia and back is carried out over the air space of Europe, only 5% –
over Near East and only 4% – over Asia.

OVERALL BALANCE CAPITAL OF ARMENIAN CREDIT INSTITUTIONS GROWS BY 7.9%
IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. 21 credit institutions with their 40
branches operated in Armenia as of March 31, 2008. According to data of
the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), their actual authorized fund made
11,458,300 thousand drams (over 37 mln 296 thousand USD) on the
indicated date, growing by 4.8% in the first quarter of 2008. The
overall balance capital of the credit institutions made 13,434,307
thousand drams as of March 31, 2008, increasing by 7.9% in the first
quarter.

The overall liabilities of Armenian credit institutions made 35,339,991
thousand drams as of March 31, 2008, growing by 14.3% in the first
quarter of 2008. The same indices with respect to overall assets made
48,774,298 thousand drams and 12.5% respectively.

Standard credits and debts made up 97% of the credit institutions’
credits and bills receivable of a total of 46,271,641 thousand drams as
of March 31, 2008.

The total amount of credits, deposits, as well as sums provided by
leasing and factoring by the credit institutions to residents made
44,811,697 thousand drams as of March 31, 2008, growing by 13.2% in the
first quarter. Sums provided to industry made 4,610,900 thousand drams
(1.1% growth in the first quarter), sums to agriculture – 5,292,911
thousand drams (37.9% growth), to construction – 2,806,102 thousand
drams (49% growth), to transport and communication – 2,297,184 thousand
drams (45.3% growth).

Sums to trade made 8,446,601 thousand drams, growing by 12.9% in the
first quarter of 2008. 1,368,917 thousand drams was alloctaed to the
financial sector of the economy (10.6% growth), while consumer credits
made 7,210,875 thousand drams (2.1% growth). Sums to mortgage crediting
made 4,928,883 thousand drams (8% growth), to other sectors – 7,849,324
thousand drams (6.4% growth).

The gross incomes of the credit institutions made 3,056,123 thousand
drams in the first quarter of 2008. During the indicated period, their
gross expenditures amounted to 2,337,917 thousand drams, while net and
undistributed profits made 262,496 thousand drams.