Author: Nahapetian Samvel

ARMENIAN ANNUAL ECONOMIC GROWTH 13,8 PERCENT
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
23/01/2008

Economy

According to indexes of Armenian National Statistical Service,
Armenia recorded high economic growth in 2007.

Last year GDP exceeded 3 trillion AMD and was 3 trillion 140 billion
AMD.

The branches that recorded the highest indexes were services – 21
percent and construction – 19,5 percent.

Growth of industrial output is less than indexes of services and
construction spheres. It is 2,6 percent.

Industrial output growth without electric energy production was 1,7
percent, and 8,8 percent without production of diamond.

Volume of gross agriculture output increased by 9,6 percent, and
retail trade turnover – 9,4 percent.

Volume of foreign trade increased by 41,7 percent and was 4,5
billion AMD.

Export was 1 billion 218 million AMD. It exceeds the same index of
last year by 23,7 percent.

Import was 3 billion 281 million AMD or by 49,7 percent more compared
with 2006.

Negative balance in foreign trade deepened and exceeded 2 billion AMD.

Export increased by 38,7 percent without diamond production, import –
58,4 percent. Export was 1 billion 52 million AMD, import – 3 billion
118 million AMD.

Average monthly medium wages were 77 thousand AMD in 2007, and
increased by 20,4 percent compared with last year.

In public sector average monthly medium wages were 54 thousand AMD,
in private sector – 96 thousand AMD.

REPRESENTATIVE OF HERITAGE PARTY: ELECTORATE MAY FACE AWAY FROM US IF AN EARLY AND UNBALANCED DECISION ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA IS TAKEN

arminfo
2008-01-21 18:59:00

ArmInfo. "If an early and unbalanced decision on presidential
election in Armenia is taken, the electorate may face away from us",
Press-secretary of the oppositional Heritage Party Hovsep Khurshudyan
said to ArmInfo correspondent.

According to him, one of the key reasons why Heritage decided not
to support any of the presidential candidates yet is that none of
them thought it necessary to give complete written answers to the
questions addressed to all the candidates for president. In addition,
the opposition drew no morals from the recent parliamentary election
campaign when the oppositionists failed to go to the election in a
consolidated way and therefore got beaten.

"The support of a candidate during the election is not an aim in
itself for us. A decision will be taken in favor of the candidate
who proves practically that the most important thing for him is to
win and hold systematic reforms in the country", Khurshudyan said.

Asked whether the possibility of support of ARF Dashnaksutyun
representative Vahan Hovhannisyan increases in the context of
Leader of the National-Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan’s probable
withdrawal from the fight in Vahan Hovhannisyan’s favor and Heritage
Party’s appeal to four candidates to join forces, Khurshudyan replied:
"Among our questions addressed to presidential candidates, there was
a question on the intention to go up to the end during the electoral
campaign. Now I can only say that possible consolidation of at
least two alternative candidates to the power is unlikely to play a
crucial role when we take a decision". Khurshudyan didn’t rule out
the possibility that Heritage may take the final decision before the
possible second round of the presidential election.

AGREEMENT SIGNED ON SECOND TRANCHE OF CREDIT RESOURCES UNDER
GERMAN-ARMENIAN PROGRAM ON DEVELOPMENT OF STABLE HOUSING FNANCING
MARKET IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian representative of
Kreditenschaft fur Wiederaufbau (KfW) bank (Germany) Karapet Gevorgian
and the chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) Tigran Sargsian
on January 18 signed an agreement on provision of the second 6
million-euro tranche of the credit resources under the program on
development of stable housing financing market in Armenia.

To recap, an intergovernmental agreement on provision of credit
resources of 12 million euros by KfW to the CBA was signed between the
governments of Germany and Armenia in March 2006. The allocation of the
first 6 million-euro tranche of these resources started in early 2007.
By late 2007, 343 mortgage credits of the total amount of about 2 bln
40 mln 816.1 thousand drams were given through the program partners: 9
banks and 2 credit institutions of Armenia. Under the program, KfW
provides credit resources to the CBA at a 0.75% interest rate, for a
repayment period of 40 years, including a 10-year grace period.

According to K. Gevorgian, provision of the second tranche will become
possible after the signing and ratification of an interstate agreement
between Germany and Armenia, which will take place no sooner than in
May 2008. In his words, the use of the whole amount of the first
tranche was restrained by considerations of not causing a deficit of
mortgage credit resources provided by financial institutions. The
second tranche is expected to be placed until the end of 2009, after
which it will be possible to ensure the program’s continuity at the
expense of repayment of the credits provided to customers and financial
institutions – partners.

T. Sargsian said that the Armenian-German program on mortgage crediting
has promoted development of the Armenian mortgage market. Among the
program’s goals are the introduction of the "minimal quality
measurements" of mortgage crediting in credit providing institutions
and the creation of prerequisites for developing the secondary mortgage
market in the medium term.

Robert Kocharyan: We do not plan how many rounds the presidential
election will have

2008-01-18 18:47:00

ArmInfo. "We do not plan how many rounds the presidential election will
have", – Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said at the briefing
today.

He also added the people will resolve the problem of the rounds by
means of their voting. The rumours about one or two rounds rise because
public opinion polls show high possibility of the presidential election
holding in one round, and this is becoming a subject for discussion.
Some political forces treat it very painfully. If a candidate wins in
the first round, he is answerable for his promises and programmes. But
if the election are held in two rounds, displacement of the political
field starts – whom to support.
But this has nothing in common with the interests of the people. This
is only the interest of the political forces. "I myself gained a
victory in two rounds and I know what I speak about – obligations
against the political forces are added to the promises to the people.
It will be better if the new president is not connected with such
obligations", – Robert Kocharyan said.

BRYZA: KARABAKH RESOLUTION POSSIBLE IF THERE IS GOOD WILL

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2008 14:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On January 17, Armenian Defense Minister Mikael
Harutyunyan met with OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza. As
Minister’s Spokesman Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net, the U.S.

diplomat assessed highly Armenia’s participation in international
peacekeeping operations.

The officials discussed the Armenian-American military cooperation
and voiced confidence that bilateral relations will develop in 2008.

They also touched upon the proposals the international mediators
submitted to the Armenian and Azeri FMs in Madrid. "The Nagorno
Karabakh problem can be resolved in 2008 if there is good will,"
Mr Bryza said.

Among the other issues discussed was modernization of the Armenian
armed forces.

SHOGHAKN FOLK ENSEMBLE TO PERFORM ON TOUR IN U.S. AND CANADA FROM JANUARY 19 TO MARCH 2

Noyan Tapan
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The Shoghakn folk ensemble will
perform on tour in the United States and Canada between January 19
to March 2 on the initiative of the RA Ministry of Culture and the
Traditional Crossroads American company. As Hasmik Haroutiunian, a
solo singer of the ensemble, said at the January 16 press conference,
there is much interest in traditional music in the whole world.

Armenian folk, gousan, lullaby songs will be performed by duduk player
Gevorg Dabaghian, kanon player Karine Hovhannisian, H. Haroutiunian
and other members of the ensemble before foreign spectators at
authoritative American concert halls, in particular, New York’s
Carnegie Hall, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Virginia, Santa-Barbara
and San-Diego Universities and Armenian cultural centers. At the
same time it was mentioned that on the Ministry’s initiative it has
been decided to dedicate Shoghakn’s February 26 concert to be held at
Fresno University to writer William Saroyan’s jubilee. The writer’s
100th anniversary will be solemnly celebrated this year both in Fresno
and in Armenia.

According to H. Haroutiunian, since 2000 the ensemble has been
cooperating with the Traditional Crossroads company. The company
periodically releases Shoghakn’s disks, which are mainly spread
abroad. Unfortunately, according to the ensemble’s solo singer, the
ensemble having 14 years’ biography is almost unknown in Armenia, as
Shoghakn is not able to organize concerts in the homeland. "That is
why we are known abroad, but not in Armenia. However, our task is to
do our best to present our pure music in the homeland as well. Some
steps are being already taken with the Ministry of Culture in that
direction," H. Haroutiunian said.

CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT: MY MAIN TASK IS TO FIGHT THE CORRUPTED STATE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

2008-01-17 14:07:00

ArmInfo. ‘I think that my main task is to fight the corrupted state
management system and corruption in general’, candidate for president,
ex-foreign minister and ex-advisor of the NKR president Arman Melikyan
said at the press-conference today.

He also added that his election programme is ready and foreign policy
issues are the main postulates of it along with the above mentioned
one. ‘When becoming the Armenian president I am going to offer the
OSCE MG co-chairs to include the problem about Armenian refugees from
Azerbaijan in the agenda of the talks on the Karabakh conflict. Today
nobody says that ethnic cleansing in Azerbaijan started in 1988,
but the talks several years later, and no attention was paid to the
events before the talks’, – Arman Melikyan said.

He also said that as a rule not the parties to the conflict but
representatives of the third party speak about compromises as it is
important for them to gain signing of peace agreement without taking
into account interests of the parties. ‘There should be no word about
compromises. One should speak about principles on the basis of which
peace agreement will be signed’, – Arman Melikyan said and added that
he knows how to improve position of the Armenian party at the talks.

Asked about his own team at the election, Melikyan replied he does
not have the electoral headquarters yet, but he has got like-minded
persons in many regions of the country. ‘I will conduct the campaign
according to the rules.

I have got not much but enough money for that. The main stress will
be put on the meetings with voters and on the work with mass media. I
think it is not expedient to hold rallies’, – he said. He declined
to answer whom he will support at the second round of the election.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 14 2008

Renowned economist Abel Aghanbekian to make report on Armenia’s
investment policy

YEREVAN, January 14. /ARKA/. Academician Abel Aghanbekian, renowned
economist, member of the RA National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and
the Russian Academy of Sciences will make a report on Armenia’s
investment policy.

The economist is in Armenia to study the local investment field, the
RA NAS press service reports.

During his meeting with local economists, political experts and
historians, Aghanbekian talked about the social-economic problems in
Russia and Armenia.

The Academician attached importance to the innovative program of the
GDP (gross domestic product) increase.

Aghanbekian stated that he plans to meet with Armenia’s entrepreneurs
to discuss investments in the scientific-technical field.

Armenian scientists assured the economist they are ready to help him
with his report.-0–

TIGRAN L. PETROSIAN AND SIRANUSH ANDRIASIAN LEADERS IN ARMENIAN MEN’S
AND WOMEN’S CHESS CHAMPIONSHIPS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. In the 7th tour of Chess Men’s
Championship being held in Tigran Petrosian Chess House, Tigran L.
Petrosian defeated Tigran Kotanjian and remains at the top of the
tournament table with 6 points. Smbat Lputian has 4.5 points, Samvel
Ter-Sahakian and Artashes Minasian 4 points each. A time-out is
declared on January 15 in the Men’s Tournament.

In the Women’s Tournament, Siranush Andriasian has gained 2 out of 2
possible points and Liana Aghabekian 1.5 points. Six participants have
gained one point each.

CLU VICE-CHAIRMAN MANAGES TO ENTER PARTY’S CENTRAL OFFICE ONLY WITH
HELP OF POLICEMEN

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. On January 15, at about 14:20, the
representatives of the Rescue Service, with special technical means
opened the door of the office of the Constitutional Law Union party.
Only after that party Vice-Chairman Hayk Babukhanian, who, as he
mentioned, was restored to that post by court’s decision, managed to
enter the office territory, accompanied by policemen. According to him,
before that CLU Chairman Hrant Khachatrian had locked himself in the
office and did not permit anyone to enter the office.

H. Babukhanian stated that it is already a year the "party is deprived
of the right to work normally." "H. Khachatrian did not permit CLU to
run for the parliamentary elections by violating the decision of the
party congress. And today he does not permit us to fully take part in
the presidential elections, to express our opinion," he said adding
that "H. Khachatrian has made a personal decision to support Vazgen
Manukian’s candidature in the presidential elections."

The statement spread by H. Khachatrian the same day read that H.
Babukhanian tries to draw attention to himself in the eventful
political period conditioned by the presidential elections. According
to the CLU Chairman, neither Appeal nor any other court has ever made a
decision on party’s Chairman or Vice-Chairman.