Author: Karagyozian Lena

ARMENIAN FAMOUS RESORT TOWN OF SOVIET PERIOD DILIJAN BEING RESTORED

arminfo
2007-08-06 17:04:00

The greatest part of the resort town of Dilijan and local tourist
facilities are actively restored, Dilijan Vice Mayor Armen Makaryan
said at a press conference, Monday.

He said modern Hotel Mountainous Armenia will open soon. Large-scale
investments are made, especially by world known companies Tufenkian
($200 million) and Slav Group ($2 million). The construction is to be
completed within the coming 3 yeas. However, lack of labor force may
suspend the work, Makaryan said. At the same time, he hopes that after
the construction, Dilijan will become the tourist center of Armenia.

Some 2,000-2,500 tourists visit Dilijan every year. The number
of tourists is expected to rise to 12,000 people yearly after the
reconstruction of the resort.

HJK READY TO CONCEDE "FOR THE SAKE OF MOTHERLAND"

Panorama.am
17:43 03/08/2007

Member of Armenian People’s Party (HJK), Ruzan Khachatryan, told a
news conference today HJK is ready to cooperate with all opposition
forces that share the party viewpoints. In her words, those political
parties that used to say that they would act on their own today are
willing to unite with the awareness that the opposition may record
a victory only in case it gets united.

Khachatryan said HJK has no "emotional feelings" to those opposition
forces that insulted or rebuked it.

"We are ready to concede for the sake of our motherland since our
country is in dire situation," HJK member said blaming the authorities
for that situation.

Khachatryan urged those opposition forces that do not want to unite
and propose a common candidate "to think soberly and take serious
steps." Khachatryan could not name a political figure as a common
candidate at the presidential elections saying, "the political figure
that enjoys the most public trust and love must be selected as a
common candidate."

WESTERN BANKS UNVEIL ‘HISTORIC’ LENDING SCHEME FOR ARMENIA
By Anna Saghabalian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug 3 2007

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and
a leading U.S. financial services group unveiled on Friday a joint
lending program for small and medium-sized Armenian companies seeking
cheap credit.

The EBRD and the Citigroup financial conglomerate said they will
each lend $6 million to one of Armenia’s largest commercial banks,
ACBA-Credit Agricole, that will manage the scheme. Under the terms
of an appropriate agreement signed in Yerevan by the three sides,
ACBA-Credit Agricole will in turn use the money to extend loans to
expanding small and medium-sized firms.

According to the ACBA chairman, Stepan Gishian, the maximum amount
of a single loan to be provided under the scheme will be set at
$300,000. He could not specify the cost of such borrowing, saying
only that it will be below his bank’s current lending rates.

ACBA, in which the French bank Credit Agricole is the principal
shareholder, currently makes loans repayable in up to five years, with
interest rates varying from 16 to 22 percent. With inflation in Armenia
remaining in single digits and the national currency increasingly
strong, such rates are hardly affordable for many small firms.

Officials present at the signing ceremony, emphasized the fact that
it is the first time that an Armenian bank borrows a substantial
amount of cash from a Western bank on a commercial basis. "We are
talking about purely market-based relations," Gishian said, pointing
out that similar lending programs have until now been implemented in
Armenia only by non-commercial development institutions like the EBRD
and the World Bank.

Michael Weinstein, head of the EBRD office in Yerevan, described
the deal as a "historic" event for Armenia. He said the London-based
lending agency helped to negotiate it as part of its growing presence
in the country. "We now pay a lot of attention to the Caucasus region
and Armenia in particular," he said. "We hope that our involvement
in Armenia will continue and deepen."

The EBRD has spent some $180 million on loans to and equity purchases
in various Armenian companies ever since it opened an office in Yerevan
in the mid-1990s. A large part of the sum has reached the country in
the past few years.

WAXMAN, ORWELL AND THE BUSH REALITY MACHINE
Bennet Kelley

Huffington Post
axman-orwell-and-the-bu_b_59061.html
Aug 4 2007

Attorney General Gonzales’ audaciously incredulous testimony before the
Senate Judiciary Committee and the White House’s repeated invocation of
executive privilege to block congressional investigations, highlight
the fact that the essential text to understanding the Bush years
is not Bob Woodward’s State of Denial, but rather George Orwell’s
1984. In his classic novel, Orwell makes two fundamental points that
go to the heart of the Bush administration and their current battles
with Congress — information is power since control of information
leads to control over people; and "who controls the past controls
the future and who controls the present controls the past."

Email Print Comment It was clear from the start that the White House
understood that information was power as they carefully choreographed
every message with visual images or slogans such as "Clear Skies" that
moderated the actual substance being conveyed. With David Suskind’s
2002 interview with a White House aide, however, we discovered that
in the Bush administration basing policy on a "discernible reality"
was a thing of the past. "[W]e create our own reality. And while
you’re studying that reality . . . we’ll act again, creating other
new realities."

Indeed they did. Like no administration before it, the Bush
administration has worked diligently at creating new realities by
concealing, distorting and manufacturing information on a broad range
of issues aided by a once timid media and docile Congress.

Last month’s "Initial Benchmark Assessment Report" on the effectiveness
of the surge in Iraq report was the administration’s latest pièce de
resistance. Despite the fact that the report’s claim of success on
eight of the 18 benchmarks set by Congress was pure spin and contrary
to testimony by the Chairman of the National Intelligence Council
that there have been "few appreciable gains," the press ran with the
report’s glass half-full assessment.

As the Bush administration churned "new realities," Representative
Henry Waxman worked diligently within the Republican Congress to expose
these false realities with reports on the Bush administration’s Iraq
lies, politicization of science and overall secrecy. The Democratic
victory in November moved Waxman to Chairman of the House Oversight
and Government Reform Committee and has enabled him and other Democrats
to shine a spotlight on Bush’s reality machine.

Waxman currently is investigating one of the quintessential
administration realities — the death of football star Pat Tillman.

The Pentagon claimed that Tillman was killed leading a charge against
the enemy; when in reality he was killed by friendly fire. The Bush
administration, however will not relinquish their secrets without a
fight, as they have gone to Nixonian extremes in invoking executive
privilege to withhold evidence from Congress in the Tillman and other
investigations and even attempted to claim that the Vice President
was a separate branch of government.

While issues such as executive privilege, the White House’s failure to
retain presidential records and Bush’s order restricting access to his
records after he leaves office may appear mundane, Orwell teaches us
that this is a much larger and significant battle as the White House is
seeking to engrave its manufactured realities in the tablet of history
by discarding or eliminating access to the truth. This administration
already has demonstrated that it views history as another form of
reality to be created when it discarded 300,000 pamphlets on helping
children learn history because it embraced historical standards that
were "too gloomy" and not white enough for Lynne Cheney.

History matters, since as historian David McCullough notes, it is
about "who we are and why we are the way we are." This explains why
history sometimes remains in debate for decades or even centuries
or is rewritten to fit government propaganda such as in the former
Soviet Union where it was said that "nothing is as unpredictable as the
past." Consider the fact that during the past few months alone, Turkey
has engaged in diplomatic skirmishes with Canada, Chile and France over
their recent recognition of the 1915 genocide of 1.5 million Armenians;
while Japanese officials enraged China by seeking to reduce the number
of victims of the 1937 "Rape of Nanking" from the historical consensus
of 150,000 to 20,000. These examples demonstrate that the "Whitewashing
History Club" is a rogue’s gallery, not a gentlemen’s club and it is
telling that the administration is seeking early membership.

Maya Angelou once said that "history, despite its wrenching pain,
cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived
again." That is precisely what is at stake in this current battle.

Congress must not yield in this fight, since although it cannot undo
the cavalcade of catastrophes that have defined this administration,
by countering each fabricated reality with the truth and enabling
future generations to recognize the charlatan’s call, it can ensure
that they are not repeated.

–Boundary_(ID_PxNTxazdLMj0jWO8XW1/5g)- –

ARMENIA’S POLICE DENIES SHOOT-OUT NEAR "SHANT" CONFECTIONERY IN YEREVAN

ARKA News Agency
Aug 3 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, August 3. /ARKA/. The RA Police Department has refuted the
information on shoot-out near the "Shant" confectionary plant.

According to Lieutenant General Hovhannes Hunanian, not firearms,
but a gas-spray pistol was used.

"A security officer fired three shots with a gas-spray pistol which
he keeps on legal grounds," Hunanian said.

According to him, a scuffle took place near the plant, and the
participants were brought to the Police Office. Facts of the case
are being investigated.

ARDSHININVESTBANK LEADER IN ECONOMY CREDITING IN ARMENIA’S BANKING SYSTEM IN FIRST HALF OF 2007

arminfo
2007-08-02 16:07:00

Assets in Armenia’s banking system grew by 12.2% over the first half of
2007 and by 27% as compared with the same period of 2006. As compared
to 2004, the growth made up 91% to 609.9 billion drams ($1.8 billion)
on June 30. The growth was connected with the annual increase in
crediting by 38.2% and over than doubling as compared to 2004. In
addition, it was connected with the increase in investing in state
bonds by 35% as compared with the first half of 2006 and almost trice
as against 2004.

According to the Ranking of Commercial Banks of Armenia prepared by
the Agency of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo), real crediting
grew to 307.7 billion drams ($902.4 million) as of June 30 2007 and
made up 50.55 of assets. The share of economy crediting made up 50.5%
of total provision of crediting or 155.4 billion drams ($455.7). This
indicator grew by 20.7% as compared to the first half of 2006 and by
17.5% in the first half of 2007.

As compared to 2004, the share of economy crediting grew by 101.1%. In
addition, the summary crediting of individuals by commercial banks
grew by 61.7% as compared with the first half of 2006 and by 38.8% in
the first half of 2007, as well as by 208.8% as compared to 2004. The
summary crediting of individuals totaled 142 billion drams or $416.1
million (46.1% of total provision of crediting) on June 30. Crediting
of individuals grew due to activation of commercial banks in the
market of auto loans, consumer crediting and mortgage lending.

Ardshininvestbank ensured the largest volume of economy crediting –
24.9 billion drams (54.2% of total), Bank ACBA Credit Agricole – 20.9
billion drams (52.7%), HSBC Bank Armenia – 18 billion drams (47.5%),
VTB Armenia – 11.6 billion drams (50.5%), and Armeconombank – 10.7
billion drams (42.5%).

Moreover, the agricultural credits by ACBA Credit Agricole Bank were
included into the item of economy crediting. As regards crediting of
individuals, HSBC Bank Armenia is in the lead having ensured 19.9
billion drams credits (52.5% of its total provision of crediting)
on June 30 2007.

ACBA Credit Agricole Bank is on the second position – 18.3 billion
drams (46.1%), and Ardshininvestbank is on the third position –
15.9 billion drams (34.6%).

As regards the share of crediting of individuals in total provision
of crediting, Areximbank is in the lead – 69.3% or 5.7 billion drams
due to the bank’s position in the market of auto loans. Thus, the
bank invested 33% of its credit portfolio or 2.7 billion drams in
the market, which is almost 12% of the auto loans in the aggregate
portfolio of commercial banks.

PHOTOS OF ANI TEMPLES EXHIBITED IN GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.08.2007 13:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A photo exhibition titled "Ani – Anisi – crossroad
of sixteen civilizations" opened in the Caucasian Home, the center
of cultural relationship in Tbilisi. The event was initiated by the
center and the Georgian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

Well-known photographers Yuri Mechitov and Maya Deysadze displayed
50 best of 300 pictures of the ruins of Ani, one of the capitals
of ancient Armenia that has been closed for visitors till recently,
Blagovest-info reports.

Ani’s rapid development started in 961 when the city became the capital
of Bagratid Armenia and a trade crossroad between the Byzantium,
Arab states, South Russia, Central Asia and China. The population
of the city totaled no less than 100 thousand people. Ani was also
known as the "city of 1001 churches" because of the great number of
grand temples.

ARMENIAN CHURCHES COLLAPSING IN GEORGIA

Panorama.am
15:31 31/07/2007

There were more than 600 Armenian Apostolic Churches in Georgia and
now their number has sharply gone down.

Those that survived are in a miserable state : half-collapsing or
near to that. The only functioning church of the Armenian Apostolic
Church in Tbilisi is St. George church. Havlabar’s St. Echmiadzin
is under reconstruction now, St. Georgia church priest, Ter-Narek
Ghushchyan, told Panorama.am. Despite the fact that the Armenian
Apostolic Church was established in Georgia 16 centuries ago, it has
no legal status. "We act de facto but the state does not recognize
us with respective regulations and rights," Ter-Narek said.

ABKHAZIA LEADER SAYS NO TALKS WITH GEORGIA WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS

ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 31 2007

MOSCOW, July 31 (Itar-Tass) – The head of Georgia’s breakaway region
of Abkhazia, Sergei Bagapsh, categorically dismissed on Tuesday the
possibility of negotiations with Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili
without any precondition, to which Europe is urging.

"This will not happen," he stressed in a newspaper interview. "I
know why they need tete-a-tete talks of the presidents – in order
to say then that Bagapsh and Saakashvili are meeting, and they would
have had normal relations if Russia had not interfered," the Abkhaz
leader stressed.

"We won’t give them such a motive," he said in an interview with the
Kommersant daily on Tuesday.

"After the war we had a constructive dialogue with them, but the
arrival of Saakashvili has put paid to it," he stressed. "These
people don’ t understand that apart from the use of force there
are also negotiations. They don’t understand that South Ossetia and
Abkhazia are not boys in short pants, but full-fledged partners in
negotiations," Bagapsh emphasized.

Bagapsh also specified that Abkhazia does not link "its fight for
independence with the recognition of Kosovo". However, it such decision
on Kosovo is approved, "it will untie the hands of other states for
the recognition of Abkhazia, the Dniester region, Nagorno Karabakh
and South Ossetia," he believes.

Daily Star – Lebanon
July 30 2007

Kouchner: ‘Pressure is needed’ to reach Lebanon deal

Foreign minister warns of civil war if standoff between rival camps
is not resolved

By Rym Ghazal
Daily Star staff
Monday, July 30, 2007

BEIRUT: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said on Sunday in
Cairo that pressure had to be exerted on Syria and Iran to avoid a
new war breaking out in Lebanon. "Pressure is needed on the
environment [of Lebanon], meaning that Syria and Iran must not
exercise influence that could lead to war," he said in a joint news
conference with his Egyptian counterpart Ahmad Abu al-Gheit.

"Lebanon is difficult and complicated and with exterior influences,
it has become one of the most difficult problems in the world," he
said during a visit to Egypt to brief other Arab foreign ministers
about his Lebanon trip.

Kouchner arrived in Cairo Sunday to garner further regional backing
for the French initiative which has so far failed to break the
ongoing political deadlock that he warned might lead to "war" if not
resolved.

Kouchner told reporters at a news conference at Rafik Hariri
International Airport before leaving for Egypt that his trip here had
been "just a step," but nonetheless succeeded in bringing together
rival leaders to sit face to face, if only for lunch.

"This is a triumph, because we succeeded in gathering all first-class
leaders to at least sit together for lunch," he said.

Kouchner said he would be coming back to Lebanon before the end of
August and reiterated France’s support for Lebanon.

"We are hopeful that there will be progress. It is not a lost cause,"
he said.

At the same time, Kouchner warned the Lebanese to accept that this
country is "prone to war" and war might break out if the
nine-month-old standoff between Lebanon’s political parties is not
solved through talks.

"Don’t appear innocent – I know and you know a war can start in
Lebanon at any time," said Kouchner for the second time since his
arrival in Lebanon.

Kouchner also said his trip faced "difficulties," as it was
overshadowed by the hotly contested by-election in Metn. "I didn’t
want to postpone my trip, as I promised to come on July 28 even
though I knew I would be facing difficulties – and I did face
difficulties," he said.

Prior to his departure, Kouchner invited various Lebanese leaders for
lunch at the French ambassador’s residence before the minister ended
his two-day bid to make a breakthrough in the political impasse.

MP Michel Skaff, Hizbullah official Nawaf Moussawi, Transportation
Minister Mohammad Safadi, MP Samir Azar representing Parliament
Speaker Nabih Berri, MP Michel Murr, Free Patriotic Movement leader
MP Michel Aoun, former President Amin Gemayel, parliamentary majority
leader Saad Hariri, MP Ghassan Tueni, Armenian MP Hagob Pakradounian,
MP Boutros Harb, MP Walid Jumblatt, Mohammad Shatah representing
Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Lebanese Forces chief Samir Geagea and
French Ambassador Bernard Emie attended the lunch.

While the prime minister was not at the lunch, nearly all other
leaders of the ruling majority were present, while opposition leader
Aoun attended the event and the leaders of Hizbullah and Amal sent
representatives.

The lunch also brought together Gemayel and Aoun, whose FPM MP
Camille Khoury will face off against Gemayel in the August 5 Metn
by-election, for the first time since the election campaign began.

Kouchner left for Cairo after meeting with Spanish Foreign Minister
Miguel Angel Moratinos at the airport, while Kouchner is expected to
meet Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal and Abu al-Gheit and Arab
League Secretary General Amr Moussa in Cairo.

"We are interested in helping out to end this crisis," Moratinos told
reporters after Kouchner left Lebanon.

Kouchner’s visit is a follow-up to the conference France hosted July
14-15 in the Paris suburb of Saint Cloud to bring 14 of Lebanon’s
feuding factions to the negotiating table.

The foreign minister said at the time that the conference "broke the
ice" but failed to produce any breakthrough.

Kouchner also said that Lebanon’s future is "tied" to neighboring
countries such as Syria and Iran. "There is some outside influence
that is affecting the pace of the political sphere," said Kouchner.

The government and opposition are feuding foremost over the
legitimacy of the government and the upcoming presidential elections.
The opposition demands a national unity government, while the ruling
coalition insists such a government can only be formed if the
opposition agrees on a candidate to replace President Emile Lahoud.

"The Lebanese need to discuss the how and when to form the government
of national unity," Kouchner said, adding that the presidential
elections are of "great" importance to France. "What is really
lacking between the Lebanese leaders is trust."

On Saturday, Kouchner met with Berri and Siniora for the second time
in two days. He also met separately with Aoun, Geagea, civil-society
representatives, and Hizbullah’s resigned Energy Minister Mohammad
Fneish and foreign relations chief Nawaf Moussawi.

The talks did not yield concrete results, but Kouchner stressed on
Saturday that the process was ongoing. "This is not a moment of
despair, nor is it a moment of joy," he said. "We will continue. I am
available, France is available." – With agencies