THE FIRST MEETING BETWEEN THE ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJAN’S PRESIDENTS,SERZH SARGSYAN AND ILHAM ALIYEV
Interfax News Agency
May 15 2008
Russia
Petersburg on June 7, Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian said.
The parties will be discussing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the
minister said.
"The Armenian and Azeri presidents will meet on the sidelines of
the informal summit of the CIS heads of state in St. Petersburg,"
Nalbandian told journalists.
RA NA ADOPTS 25 BILLS AND LEGISLATIVE PACKAGES AT APRIL 8 MORNING SITTING
Noyan Tapan
April 8, 2008
YEREVAN, APRIL 8, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Assembly at the April
8 morning sitting adopted all 25 bills and legislative packages
discussed the day before. NA Speaker Tigran Torosian thanked the
deputies "for efficient voting," after which the most of the deputies
left the sitting hall.
The most of the adopted bills envisage amendments and addenda to laws
in force. In particular, the addendum adopted in the second reading
and completely to the law in force On Ombudsperson stipulates that
the Ombudsperson is an independent national mechanism of prevention
established by the protocol of Convention Against Tortures and Other
Punishments or Other Cruel, Inhuman Attitude Humiliating Dignity.
By the amendment to the valid law On Local Duties and Payments adopted
in the second reading and completely, from January 1 2009 the minimum
threshold of local duty established for the permission for organization
of tobacco products sale is raised. According to the law in force,
the local duty for permission for organization of tobacco products
sale inside capital constructions was established to the amount of
from 0 to 12.5 thousand drams for each quarter, inside non-capital
constructions to the amount of from 0 to 17.5 thousand drams for
each quarter. The adoption of the amendment is conditioned by the
requirements of the frame convention On Fighting Smoking.
Local duty for organization of sale of alcoholic drinks is established
to the amount of from 0 to 17.5 thousand drams.
Among other bills there are the also the legislative package On
Peculiarities of Administrative Examination Carried out on Cases of
Violation of Rules of Traffic Revealed with the Help of Video and
Photo Equipment adopted in the first reading, the bill On National
Debt adopted in the second reading, the bill On Organic Agriculture
adopted in the third reading and completely, and the legislative
package On Control over Use and Keeping of Lands.
GAP IN POPULATION INCOMES REMAINS GREAT PROBLEM FOR ARMENIA
ARKA
April 2, 2008
YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Unequal income of population remains a
great problem for Armenia, the economic and social review of Asia and
Pacific region for 2008. The study was conducted by the UN Economic
and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
The number of people below the poverty line was 34% in Armenia in
2005 against 55% in 1998 with the Jeannie coefficient being 33.8 in
2003 against 44.42 in 1996, says the review.
ESCAP was founded in 1997 and has 48 members and 10 associated members
representing almost 60% of the world’s population.
Armenian Government approved poverty reduction strategy for 2003-2015
on August 8 2003. The strategy is currently under review.
According to the reviewed draft version of the program the poverty
level is to be brought down to 6% in Armenia by 2021 with the extreme
poverty to be completely eliminated by 2017.
According to the recent data for 2006, the extreme poverty rate was
4.1% in Armenia.
DEPUTY FM OF RUSSIA AND ACTING ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE DISCUSSED SITUATION IN TRANSCAUCASIA
arminfo
2008-03-18 11:25:00
ArmInfo. Yesterday, Secretary of State, deputy FM of Russia Grigory
Karasin met acting Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, being
in Moscow within the frames of the Russian-American negotiations in
‘two plus two’ format.
As RF FM’s press-service reports, during the meeting, the parties
discussed the relations of Russia and USA with the CIS states in
details. Special attention was paid to the problem of NATO extension
to the East and the situation in Transcaucasia.
LAST BUT ONE SUNDAY OF LENT MARKED AS PALM SUNDAY FESTIVAL BY PEOPLE
Noyan Tapan
March 12, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Every year the last but one Sunday of
Lent is marked as Palm Sunday by the Armenian people: this year the
festival will be celebrated on March 16. According to the tradition,
young couples uproot newly sprouted willows in the midnight of
Saturday, then decorate the whole church with the branches of the
willow and put a great heap in the center of the church. While the
young decorate the church, it is gradually being filled with people:
girls, women and young people with festive appearance.
On the day of the Palm Sunday people change their winter clothes with
spring ones, young girls come to church with flowers on that day.
In a number of places of Armenia seven fragrant flowers and grasses
are put into water in that night, which, in conviction of people,
becomes more powerful during the night. The water, with which they
wash in the morning, is called "Yotnius". After all this the clergyman
comes, and the bells of the church ring. People surround the willows,
by lighting the candles brought by them fix them on the branches
and the ceremony of blessing the branches of the willows starts in
the midnight under the bright light of hundreds of candles. On that
day, for the first time during the whole Lent, they speak about
engagements. Impromptu engagements are taking place in the midnight.
At the end of the church service everybody is trying to take as many
blessed willow branches as possible. Coming out of the church with lit
candles, people hurry to cemetery, fix the candles on the gravestone
of the dead and take the blessed willow branches home. Power of
"charkhapan" and plenty is attributed to those branches and thus
they are used for numerous occasions during the year until the next
Palm Sunday.
ARMENIAN LAWMAKERS RATIFY ARMENIAN-GERMAN AGREEMENT ON JOINT CRACKDOWN ON ILLEGAL MIGRATION
ARKA
Feb 25, 2008
YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. Armenian National Assembly ratified
Armenian-German agreement on joint crackdown on illegal migration.
On Monday, Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan,
presenting the agreement, said that the document’s aim is to make
the crackdown on illegal migration more effective.
The deputy minister said that the Armenian delegation, which is now
in Germany, meets with illegal migrants and renders possible help
to them.
RA PARLIAMENT RATIFIED AGREEMENT WITH OSCE YEREVAN OFFICE ON CREATION OF OSCE OFFICES IN COUNTRY’S REGIONS
arminfo
2008-02-25 15:49:00
ArmInfo. Today, RA Parliament ratified an additional protocol to the
Memorandum of mutual understanding between RA government and OSCE
Yerevan Office on creation of OSCE offices in the country’s regions.
As deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Gegham Gharibjanyan said,
the Memorandum was signed on September 15, 1999, based on which an
additional protocol was signed on June 5, 2006, according to which
OSCE Yerevan Office, in cooperation and consent with RA government,
cannot found its offices in the republic’s territory for implementation
of various programmes. G. Gharibjanyan exampled the work of OSCE Office
in RA Syunik region, where OSCE office was opened for implementation of
the programme of assistance to the local farmers. Such initiative is
welcomed by the republic’s executive power, as all the international
structures have been centered in the capital over the last years,
while the regions turned out to be somewhat aside.
ARMENIAN-CAPTURED AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER SAMIR MAMMADOV HANDED OVER TO THIRD COUNTRY
Azeri Press Agency
Feb 1 2008
Azerbaijan
Armenian-captured Azerbaijani soldier Samir Mammadov was handed over
to third country, captive’s family told the APA
Representation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
in Azerbaijan reported that the captive was handed over to the third
country yesterday.The captive’s mother Tarana Mammadova told the APA
that they do not know which country Samir was handed over to. "We
are anxious about Samir," she said.
ICRC Representation in Azerbaijan confirmed the fact. It was stated
that, Samir was handed over to third country on January 31.They
declined to give information about which country he was handed over
to. It was noted that it is kept confidential.
"The committee representatives did not participate in handover
process. ICRC representatives in Armenia visited captive on January
29.Captive stated that he wants to go to third country during the
visit of representatives," committee said.
International Committee of the Red Cross said that the representatives
of the committee visited Samir Mammadov 26 times, and the captive
and his family exchanged 20 letters.
Secretary of State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and
Missing Persons Shahin Sayilov told APA that the commission has not
received official report that Samir Mammadov was handed over to the
third country. The secretary said it is not released what country
the captive has been handed over to.
"The name of the country can be kept confidential by his request.
According to the international rules, in this case it is only reported
that the captive has been handed over to the third country.
But the captive will possibly contact his family and tell them where
he is," he said.
Sayilov also said that there are rare cases of handover of Azerbaijani
and Armenian captives to the third countries.
"For example, we do not release what country Armenian captives were
handed over by their request," He said.
According to the secretary, Samir Mammadov can be delivered to his
country at his will.
"He has not given up citizenship and can return to motherland,"
he said.
Samir Mammadov was captured by Armenian armed forces in Gazakh region
of Azerbaijan on December 24, 2006.
WB VICE-PRESIDENT: ARMENIA’S ECONOMY CONTINUES SERIOUS GROWTH
ARKA News Agency
Dec 14 2007
Armenia
YEREVAN, December 14. /ARKA/. In 2007 Armenia’s economy continues
serious growth, said World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central
Asia Shigeo Katsu.
He said that Armenia’s economy develops very well. "The prospects of
development of Armenia’s economy are quite positive, but it does not
mean that we should be satisfied. There are various challenges that
should be overcome by tense work," Katsu said.
He pointed out that "the growth of economy is accompanies by definite
pressures."
"In recent years Armenia has managed to attract supplementary means
for the economy, which led to definite pressures in revaluation of
dram and rise in prices for some products," he said.
In this connection he pointed out that the world trends of rise in
prices for oil product and foodstuff certainly influenced Armenia.
According to the Armenian National Statistical Service, the economic
growth in Armenia in January-October totaled 13.3% as compared to
the same period last year.
5.1% inflation is recorded in Armenia in November 2007 as related
to December 2006. Only in November the prices of the consumer market
rose by 2.1%, which was accounted for by seasonal changes in prices
for provisions. In November prices for foodstuff (including alcoholic
beverages and tobacco goods) rose by 3%, for non-food – 1.2%, and
tariffs for services – 0.9%.
TOLERANCE BIEN ORDONNEE…; A CONTRETEMPS
Le Temps, Suisse
27 novembre 2007
C’est un temple dedie a la tolerance. Mais, a Los Angeles, ce musee qui
prône la bonne entente entre les peuples, qui rappelle les horreurs de
l’Holocauste ou le genocide des Armeniens est aussi devenu un "must"
touristique: depuis son ouverture, en 1993, il a deja attire quelque
4 millions de visiteurs.
Or les voisins du musee n’en peuvent plus. Ils ne supportent plus
les autobus emplis de touristes qui se garent n’importe où; ils en
ont assez des traînees de dechets laissees par les visiteurs; ils
ne se sentent plus chez eux lorsque les forces de securite du FBI
quadrillent le quartier en cas de presence de dignitaires etrangers.
"Les gens du musee ne nous respectent pas, explique une voisine dans
la presse americaine. Ils sont insensibles a nos demandes."
Le proprietaire du musee, le Centre Simon-Wiesenthal, veut encore
elargir le bâtiment, pour abriter des ceremonies privees. Il compte
le garder ouvert jusqu’a minuit pour accueillir des mariages ou des
bar-mitsva. Il demande aux voisins d’etre plus tolerants. Mais il
reconnaît l’ampleur des nuisances. "Nous ne sommes pas parfaits",
admet son fondateur.
–Boundary_(ID_7DA1e3t6qBr+AKPrji+sBw) —