Author: Kharatian Ani

ARMENIAN CENTRAL BANK GETS NEW APPLICATIONS FROM BIG FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FOR ENTERING THE ARMENIAN BANKING SECTOR

ArmInfo
2007-06-22 20:01:00

The Central Bank of Armenia has received two new applications from
big foreign banks who want to enter the Armenian banking sector,
Chairman of the CB Tigran Sargsyan said during a press-conference
on AraratBank’s receiving B- rating and stable outlook from AmRating
agency (Global Rating Group).

This plans prove that the Armenian banking sector is successfully
developing otherwise such big financial structures would not wish
to come here. "They need to be sure that in Armenia they will have
profitable business," Sargsyan said. He noted that presently the
Central Bank is negotiating with five big foreign banks. ProCredit
micro-credit bank has officially confirmed its intention to come to
Armenia, with Raiffeisen Bank Austria the negotiations are underway,
with Lebanese Biblos Bank they are near completion.

These banks can significantly increase the capital of the Armenian
banking systems as they have no problems with capital, have enough
financial resources and are sufficiently capitalized. So, they can
invest in Armenia as much as they need, Sargsyan said. The entry of
aggressive foreign banking players will result in growing rivalry
and more attractive and diverse banking services in Armenia.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER MEETS THE WIFE OF FORMER ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ARRESTED FOR MONEY LAUNDERING

ArmInfo
2007-06-20 10:25:00

Today, on June 19, the Armenian Prime Minister and Leader of the
Republican Party of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, met Melissa Brown,
the wife of Alexander Arzumanyan, former Armenian Foreign Minister
and Leader of the Civil Disobedience movement, arrested for money
laundering.

M.Brown noted that during the meeting she once again asked the Prime
Minister about the reasons of her husband’s arrest. On the whole,
the meeting had no specific goal, she said. The meeting was held as
S.Sargsyan had earlier promised to meet her, she added. M.Brown also
pointed out that she wanted to give some books to her husband but she
was not allowed to. At the same time, she noted that her husband is
in a good mood.

To note, according to the Armenian governmental press-service,
Prime Minister Sargsyan also met Israel Hakobkokhyan, a boxing world
champion and MP candidate at the 11th constituency, who went on a
hunger strike as a sign of protest against the parliamentary election
returns at the 11th constituency. However, I.Hakobkokhyan himself had
persistently denied the fact of the meeting with the Prime Minister
until the governmental press-service announced this. At the same time,
he didn’t say what exactly they were talking about during the meeting.

PEOPLE ARE NOT PAWNS
Wolf Brown

KarabakhOpen
19-06-2007 11:38:23

No decision on settlement of a region can be made without annexation.

Israel, for instance, first assisted in the settlement of Gaza area,
but in 2005 the government decided on "unilateral disengagement"
and evacuation of Jews and pullout of force. I consider annexation
the right step but it turned out that Israel abused the settlers. You
cannot make promises to people and then change your mind.

According to Oskanyan, the "red line" in the talks is the independence
of NKR in the territory of former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region
and control over the Lachin corridor. One may agree with him or not,
but the stance is clear, and unless NKR annexes once and for all one
territory or another, it cannot be settled. People are not pawns.

ARAX DEPARTURE NEWS IN FRESNO

LA Observed, CA
ng_buzz_tuesday_6190.php
June 19 2007

Reporter Mark Arax and the Times reached a confidential agreement for
him to leave the paper "to forestall a lawsuit alleging defamation and
discrimination," his lawyer says in the Fresno Bee. Times publisher
David Hiller said in a statement:

I want to emphasize that Mark’s decision to leave the paper is
not a reflection on his professional work in reporting on Armenian
genocide, or in communicating with the paper to ensure our adherence
to established policy in referring to the genocide, all of which are
journalistically appropriate. We regret that the situation surrounding
Mark’s story became a subject of controversy and misunderstanding. The
Times does not tolerate any discrimination in the reporting or editing
of the news based on ethnic heritage or other basis and our internal
review found no such discrimination in this case.

ANNUAL SITTING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HAYASTAN FUND STARTED IN YEREVAN

ArmRadio.am
19.06.2007 15:41

The annual sitting of the Board of Trustees of Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund started in Yerevan today. This year it coincided with the
15th anniversary of the Fund’s activity. The sitting started with a
prayer. His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and the Catholicos
of All Armenians brought his patriarchal blessing to the participants
of the sitting.

RA President Robert Kocharyan, the President of the Board of Trustees,
stated with regret that this year the Board had a loss: with a minute
of silence the participants respected the memory of ex-Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan and benefactor Varuzhan Dormanyan.

NA Chairman Tigran Torosyan and Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan were
unanimously elected members of the Board of Trustees.

For considerable contribution to the programs of the Hayastan
Fund implemented in Armenia and Artsakh and on the occasion of
the 15th anniversary of the Fund’s activity, RA President awarded
"Anania Shirakatsi" medals to Albert Poghosyan (Switzerland), Jean
Poghosyan (Belgium), Vahe Chatmadaryan (France), Gevorg Torosyan
(US), Mkrtich Lazarian (Canada), Armine Karapet (Great Britain),
Albert Boyajyan, Jorge Varkharunyan (Argentina) and Michelle Bazumyan
(France). Presidential diplomas were awarded to a number of supporters
from Diaspora.

Robert Kocharyan noted in his speech that the 15-year-old Fund has
launched its activity simultaneously with the development of our
statehood. The President added that during 15 years the Fund proved
that "it is a national value by itself and is the most representative
body. "I’m proud to be not only the President of the Board of Trustees,
but also an active member, in general. I think everyone should have
this feeling of pride. A lot of work has been done and the evaluation
of the works accomplished becomes more impressive when we you look
back," the President concluded.

"CURSED DESTINY OF LADY MACBETH" TO BE STAGED AT ARMENIAN FESTIVAL

Mehr News Agency, Iran
June 18 2007

TEHRAN, June 18 (MNA) — The Iranian play "The Cursed Destiny of Lady
Macbeth" directed by Ezzatollah Mehravaran will be participating in
the Armono International Theater Festival in Armenia in September.

The play was written in 1975, but it was never staged. "I decided to
prepare the play for entry at this festival as it is focusing on solo
theater performances, Mehravaran commented.

"The Armenian actress Arineh Sarkisian will be unaccompanied in this
production, which will be performed in Persian and perhaps also in
Armenian at the festival," he added.

"The Cursed Destiny of Lady Macbeth" recounts the story of a theater
actress named Lyrinc who has been practicing Shakespeare’s "Macbeth".

She finally manages to get given the role of Lady Macbeth only to
become ill and confined to bed in hospital. Doctors lose all hope in
her regaining health.

New ruling party to be founded in Azerbaijan – Russian website

Kavkaz.memo.ru website, Moscow
16 Jun 07

A Kavkazskiy Uzel correspondent has learned that the ruling regime in
Azerbaijan is planning to set up a second governing party, which will
be called Democratic Azerbaijan.

The party will be created after the presidential election in 2008. The
authorities will campaign for two parties ahead of the next
parliamentary election.

Therefore, the New Azerbaijan Party and Democratic Azerbaijan will
share seats in parliament and posts in the government. It is also
expected that the proportional election system will be reinstated and
the number of seats in parliament will be increased.

Spin doctors of the ruling team believe that being in power permanently
makes it difficult for a party to manoeuvre politically. This gives
grounds for criticism of the party’s dominance in the government,
parliament and electoral commissions.

The new party will be made up of business people, officials who are
loyal to the authorities and other wealthy people close to the
authorities.

The New Azerbaijan Party declined to comment on this report.

US WORRIED ABOUT EXPANSION OF ARMENIA-IRAN COOPERATION

ArmRadio.am
15.06.2007 15:52

The United States is extremely worried about the expansion of
Armenia-Iran relations. US Charge d’Affaires Anthony Godfrey said at
today’s press conference in the US Embassy that they have expressed
their concern on different levels of RA Government. "Two UN Security
Council resolutions already directly refer to the relations with Iran
and financial investments.

We are working with the international community to have Iran fulfill
its international commitments. We strongly recommend the Armenian
Government to be our partner in bringing Iran close to the fulfillment
of its international commitments," US Charge d’Affaires said.

Simultaneously, Mr. Godfrey noted that "they assess that the Armenian
Government is executing its economic cooperation rather transparently.

"We also appreciate that we are frankly told how they are going to
develop these relations in the future," he said.

As for the suggestion of Russia to jointly exploit the Gabala
radio-location station, Anthony Godfrey considers it is too early to
say anything in this regard. "I think speaking about it is premature
and I cannot say whether the radar will once become part of the
network or not," he mentioned.

ALROSA TO PRODUCE JEWELLERY IN ARMENIA
by Kseniya Rybak; Mariya Plis

RusData Dialine – BizEkon News
June 15, 2007 Friday

The Russia’s diamond monopoly ALROSA is going to sell its own
jewellery. In the nearest future the company plans to open about one
hundred boutiques, spending USD 50 million on this project.

ALROSA had thought about creation of its own jewellery brand almost
two years ago. The ALROSA’s former president Aleksandr Nichiporuk said
in 2005 that this project had been discussing with the largest luxury
producer Tiffany & Co and Cartier. But in January of 2007 Nichiporuk
had resigned from his post. His successor ALROSA president Sergey
Vybornov said that the company would open about one hundred boutiques
during five years in Moscow and other cities of Russia.

Vybornov thinks that ALROSA will spend on the creation of its own
brand approximately USD 50 million. "It should be only outsourcing",
Sergey Vybornov said. It is possible that ALROSA’s jewellery will
be produced outside Russia. From the price’s and quality’s point of
view it is very interesting suggestion to produce ALROSA’s jewellery
in Armenia. These jewellery will cost approximately USD 800.

AZERIS TO APPEAL LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR MURDERER SAFAROV IN AUTUMN

AZG Armenian Daily
16/06/2007

The lawyers of Azeri murderer Ramil Sarfarov are going to appeal
the February 22 verdict of life imprisonment sentenced to him at the
Budapest Appeal Court. "Azeri Press" agency informed that the lawyers
decided to leave the appeal to the court for autumn session, as the
Budapest based courts are closing for summer vacations. At the same
time, they state that the Hungarian legislation defines no deadlines
for appeal procedures.