Author: Karapetian Hovik

"ARARATBANK" AND IZMIRLIAN FUND SIGNED AN AGREEMENT ON CO-FUNDING OF BUSINESS-CREDITS AT THE WHOLE SUM OF $4MLN

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2007

Yerevan, June 26 /Mediamax/. "ARARATBANK" and Izmirlian Fund signed
an agreement in Yerevan today on co-funding of business-credits at
the whole sum of $4mln.

Mediamax reports that the Chairman of the Board of "ARARATBANK"
Ashot Osipian noted that the volume of co-funding will make $2mln
from each side.

The minimal sum of the credit will make $250 thousand, the maximum –
$1mln, the credits will be allocated in Armenian drams and U.S.

dollars, the term of credit – 5 years, interest rate – up to 14%
per year. The credits will be granted to representatives of all
branches, basically in the field of production, with the exception
of agriculture.

Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Artur Dzhavadian
stressed that the decision of Izmirlian Fund on realization of a joint
program with "ARARATBANK" is justified – the fact that the bank assets
grew for 43% from the beginning of the year is a good proof.

According to Dzhavadian, due to its potential and inner reserves,
"ARARATBANK" will manage to stand the growing competition, related
to the expected arrival of new players on the Armenian banking market.

Vice-President of Izmirlian Fund Jacques Sarkisian stressed that
the main priority of the credit programs realized in Armenia is the
establishment of new workplaces.

Starting from 1999, about 4-5 thousand new workplaces were established
in Armenia at the expense of the realization of Izmirlian Fund credit
programs.

Jacques Sarkisian also informed that the Fund financed the construction
of three buildings, the electric power station and the kitchen complex
of the Defense Ministry’s Military Institute after Vazgen Sarkisian,
the reconstruction and modernization of the library of Yerevan State
University.

FORMER OSCE MG CO-CHAIR APPOINTED U.S. CHARGE D’AFFAIRS IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.06.2007 13:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Rudolf Perina, former OSCE Minsk Group Co-chair was
appointed acting U.S. Charge d’Affairs in Armenia. ‘The U.S. Department
of State requested retired Ambassador Rudolf V. Perina to assume the
post of acting U.S. Charge d’Affairs in Armenia. Mr Perina will take
the office July 10," U.S. Embassy PR Officer Taguhi Jahukian told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"Richard Hoagland remains the Bush administration designate for the
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia. We are waiting for confirmation from the
Senate," she said.

Rudolf Perina served as U.S. Special Negotiator for Nagorno Karabakh
and NIS Regional Conflicts in 2001-2004.

SECOND CONGRESS OF ARMENIAN WRITERS WRITING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGES TO BE HELD ON OCTOBER 10-17

Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The second congress of the Armenian
writers writing in foreign languages will be held on October 10-17,
in which more than thirty Armenian writers from the U.S., Canada,
France, Switzerland, Lebanon, Iran and Turkey will take part. As Levon
Ananian, the Chairman of the Union of Writers of Armenia, informed
the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the first four days of the congress
under the title of "Identity and Literature" will be held in Armenia,
after which it will continue its work in Artsakh.

Anthology "Armenian writers writing in foreign languages" will be
published in Armenian within the framework of the cogress’ preparation.

It was mentioned that the majority of the participants will arrive in
Armenia for the first time. Besides the Armenian writers writing in
foreign languages, Diasporan Armenian writers from different colonies
of Diaspora will also take part in the congress.

L. Ananian also said that the writers will have meetings with
high-ranking officials of RA and NKR and will take part in the
Translators Holiday in Oshakan.

RUDOLPH PERINA TO REPLACE ANTHONY GODFREY AS US CHARGE D’AFFAIRES

ArmRadio.am
27.06.2007 11:40

July 10 Rudolph Perina will assume the office of the US Charge
d’Affaires in Armenia.

Ambassador Perina held a number of responsible positions throughout
his diplomatic career. 1993-1996 he worked as US Ambassador to Belgium,
1996-1997 he was the Senior Assistant to the Deputy Secretary of State.

1998-2001 he was the US Ambassador to Moldova. 2001-2004 Mr. Perina
worked as Special Representative for the Nagorno Karabakh and
Eurasian conflicts (Minsk Group Co-Chair). 2004-2004 he worked as
Deputy Director of the State Secretary’s Staff for Policy Planning.

Ambassador Richard Hoagland remains President Bush’s candidate for
US Ambassador to Armenia.

TODAY WORLD INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ADDICTION

Panorama.am
18:37 26/06/2007

Today is World International Day of Fight Against Drug Addiction. UN
reports say some 200 million pople are drug addicts. Armnian police
say is among the last in NIS countries in terms of drug traficing. USA
State Seceretariat also says restricted transport routs of Armenia
with its neighbouring countries makes Armenia secondary in terms of
drug trafficking.

YEREVAN’S ARARAT DEFEATED IN FIRST GAME OF INTERTOTO CUP TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Jun 25 2007

SOLIGORSK, JUNE 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Yerevan’s Ararat was defeated by
the Belarusian Shakhtyor with the score of 1 to 4 in the first game
of Intertoto Cup Tournament on June 23 in the city of Soligorsk,
Belarus. The second leg will take place on July 1 in Yerevan.

ARMENIAN OFFICIAL SAYS DECISION TO CANCEL QUALIFIERS WITH AZERBAIJAN VALID

Arminfo
25 Jun 07

Yerevan, 25 June: The European Union of Football Associations, UEFA,
decided at its meeting in the Netherlands on 23 June to cancel 2008
European Cup qualifiers between the national teams of Armenia and
Azerbaijan. In accordance with the decision, neither of the teams
will get points for the matches.

[Passage omitted: known details]

The CEO of the Armenian Football Federation, Armen Minasyan, has
commented on the UEFA decision.

"This decision is legal on the grounds that the UEFA is the top
European football authority," Minasyan said. "It set up a committee
which tried to settle the issue, find compromises and round off rough
corners. But it turned out that the sides could not find common ground
and therefore, the decision is fully valid. I do not think we will
protest it."

[Passage omitted: minor details]

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA TO DISCUSS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AT THE
INTERNATIONAL ECUMENICAL CONFERENCE IN AMMAN

The International Ecumenical Conference dedicated to the peace process in
the Middle East was officially inaugurated in Amman on June 18. Around 150
representatives from several churches around the world participate in this
conference organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC).

Bishop Nareg Alemezian (Ecumenical Officer of the Catholicosate) and Dr.
Nora Bairakdarian-Kabakian (Chairwoman of the Ecumenical Committee)
represent the Catholicosate of Cilicia in the conference. During the
conference Dr. Nora will give a talk on the Armenian Genocide, viewing it in
light of the issues on the conference’s agenda.

The organizers of the conference closely consulted His Holiness Aram I
during the past months and the Pontiff stressed the importance of
establishing a connection between justice and peace both in legal,
theological, political and social senses.

The conference will end on Thursday.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

IN 5 YEARS KARABAKH WILL HAVE ITS OWN TOURISM SERVICE

KarabakhOpen
19-06-2007 11:39:52

Mesrop Mashtots University of Stepanakert has recently been accredited.

Besides, recently the university has signed a memorandum in the
framework of the European Academic Partnership according to which the
university will set up a department of tourism and service, said the
rector of the University Donara Gabrielyan. Besides, foreign students
can visit Armenia and Karabakh to study the historical monuments of
our region, she said. "We are also going to sign an agreement with
the rector of the Slavic University Mr.

Darbinyan for methodical help to our university. And in 5 years
Karabakh will have its own tourism service," she said.

RA DEFENSE MINISTER AND NATO SEC. GEN. DISCUSSED EUROPEAN SECURITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2007 16:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s Defense Minister Mikael Harutyunyan who
is currently in Brussels, met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de
Hoop Scheffer. As RA Defense Minister’s spokesman, colonel Seyran
Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net, the parties exchanged views on
the processes ensuring Europe’s security.

Mikael Harutyunyan confirmed Armenia’s readiness to enlarge
participation in NATO peacekeeping operations.

He also met with Greek Defense Minister Evangelos Meimarakis and Czech
Defense Minister Vlasta Parkanova to discuss activities of Armenian
peacekeepers and military reforms in the RA defense sector.