Author: Nahapetian Samvel

NEW BUILDING OF ARDSHININVESTBANK’S HEAD OFFICE OPENS

Noyan Tapan
April 4, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "I am impressed by the new building of
Ardshininvestbank’s head office. So far no bank has had such a building
of its head office. I think that it will form serious motives in this
competition field, and other banks will also have buildings of this
kind for their head offices and branches," the Armenian president
Robert Kocharian stated on March 4 after touring the new head office
of Ardshininvestbank.

The reconstruction, reinforcement and repairs of the building was
done by International Business Center (IBC) company – a shareholder
of Ardshininvestbank.

In the words of R. Kocharian, "all the sides of the deal have
benefited" as a result of the deal on finishing the construction of new
Yerevan municipality building against transferring the old minicipality
building to IBC and the implementation of the respective programs.

According to IBC director general, deputy chairman of Ardshininvestbank
Khachatur Zakarian, 5 bln drams (about 16.3 mln USD at the current
exchange rate) was spent on the purchase of the old municipality
building and adjacent land after the conclusion of the indicated
deal in 2003, and about 3 bln drams was spent on the construction
which began in 2005. Two storeys were added to this building, which
was constructed in 1951 (now it is a 6-storey buiding). The building
has been also strengthened and made more earthquakeproof. IBC also
carries out repairs of more than 53 branches of Ardshininvestbank in
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

OSCE MG: A PEACEFUL RESOLUTION WILL REQUIRE A NEGOTIATED POLITICAL COMPROMISE ON THE FINAL STATUS OF KARABAKH

armradio.am
04.04.2008 10:48

The Co-Chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group released the following
statement yesterday:

"On the margins of the NATO summit in Bucharest on April 2-4, 2008,
the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russian Federation), Ambassador Bernard Fassier (France), and
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza (United States),
and the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office,
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, met with Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister and President-elect Serge Sargsyan,
together with their Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mammadyarov
and Vartan Oskanian.

"The two leaders and the Co-Chairs exchanged views on ways to reduce
differences between the sides and forge consensus on the Basic
Principles for the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK)
Conflict.

"The Co-Chairs reiterated their support for the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan and reaffirmed their longstanding view that a peaceful
resolution of the conflict will require a negotiated political
compromise on the final status of NK, pending the future approval of
its population.

"The two leaders and the Co-Chairs agreed to continue the negotiations
on the existing basis, further clarify the current proposal on the
table, and pursue additional steps to advance the peace process. For
that purpose, the mediators underscored the utility of meetings at
the highest level between the sides as soon as possible."

4,5-9% GROWTH OF GRAPES HARVEST EXPECTED IN ARMENIA IN 2008

arminfo
2008-04-04 14:57:00

ArmInfo. By preliminary estimations, the grapes harvest in Armenia in
2008 will make up 230-240 thsd tons, that is more by 10-20 thsd tons
than in 2007, Head of the Department of Plant-raising of RA Ministry
of Agriculture Garnik Petrosyan told ArmInfo.

He said that the weather conditions were favourable to receive a good
harvest. "If somewhere the vineyards perished, this happened because
of carelessness of winegrowers who do not raise the earth around the
grapevine in winter", G. Petrosyan said. He added that winegrowing
in the republic develops, that is testified by the annual growth
of the territories allocated for vineyards. "In 2007, the vineyards
increased by 1500 Ha to 19800 Ha. The demand for grapes in Armenia
is explained by growth of procurements by the agricultural product
processing enterprises", G. Petrosyan said.

According to the data of RA Ministry of Agriculture, there were
144,000 tons of grapes in Armenia in 2007 against 106,000 tons in 2006.

AZIMOV: WE CONTENT WITH OSCE MG ACTIVITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.04.2008 12:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Voting against the Azerbaijani resolution "On
the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan," the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chair states broke neutrality, said Araz Azimov, Azeri
Deputy Defense Minister. "Baku’s enquiry on replacement of the OSCE
MG co-chairs is an alarm signal."

"The co-chairs should make conclusions. We’re content with their
activity. However, their recent moves caused dissatisfaction. The MG
has not exhausted its potential yet, but the intermediaries monopolized
the peaceful talks," he said.

"The proposals submitted by the Minsk Group 4 years ago highlighted
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

"If it were not so, Baku would break off talks.

Nagorno Karabakh was supposed to remain a part of Azerbaijan, with
Armenians and Azeris living there," Azimov said.

He said that the Lachin corridor is of great importance both for
Azerbaijan and Armenia. "Official Baku can offer the possibility of
using the Lachin corridor by both sides in case it remains within
Azerbaijan. The Minsk Group is aware if this condition which can be
the topic of further discussion," he concluded, ANS Azeri TV channel
reported.

RUSSIA TO RECONSIDER RELATIONS WITH NATO-ASPIRED STATES

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.04.2008 12:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia has a firm position on NATO enlargement
and doesn’t conceal it, said Vasily Istratov, Russia’s Ambassador
to Azerbaijan.

"Any country aspired to NATO should understand that Russia will
reconsider relationship for security reasons," he said.

Touching on mutual broadcast talks, Ambassador Istratov said that
they were broken off last December.

"Nevertheless, Russia is ready to discuss any proposal," he said,
the Azeri Press Agency reports.

DAY OF "BEELINE" TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON APRIL 7 TO LAUNCH BEE LINE BRAND IN ARMENIA

ARKA
April 2, 2008

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Day of "Bee Line" is to be held in Yerevan on
April 7 to launch the Bee Line brand in Armenia, the public relations
manager of the company Natalia Saraeva reported.

A trip through Yerevan and a press conference on launching the brand
are expected to be held in the scope of the Day events. The manages of
"Vimpelcom" open joint stock company will communicate the philosophy of
the brand, plans and strategy of further activities of the companies’
group on mobile communication market of Armenia. The first sales
office of "Bee Line" will be opened in Yerevan on the same day.

The "Vimpelcom" group of companies (Bee Line trademark) is a
telecommunication company providing voice communication and data
transmission services based on wireless and stationary communication
technologies and wide-band Internet access.

Among the members of the group are companies providing communication
services to a total of 250mln people in Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia and Armenia.

The "Vimpelcom" is represented by "ArmenTel" closed joint stock
company in Armenia offering stationary and mobile communication
services. Since April 2007, 100% of ArmenTel’s shares have been owned
by "Vimpelcom".

NAREK SCHOOL STUDENT RECOGNIZED AS BEST AT HIGH JUMP EVENT AT NICOSIA REGIONAL GAMES

Noyan Tapan
April 2, 2008

Narek seventh year student Elena Kaprielian won the Girls High Jump
event at the Nicosia Regional Games that took place on March 29 by
jumping 1.45, a few centimetres less than her own height. On the 12th
of April, she will participate in the Pancyprian Athletic Games that
will take place in Limassol.

THE FABULOUS LIFE OF JACK KEVORKIAN
By Emily Michels

Michigan Daily
March 26 2008
MI

I love it when completely unqualified people run for public office.

The democratic process was created to allow all citizens an
"equal" opportunity to be elected into office and use governmental
resources to make changes, policies and earmarks in favor of their
constituency. Former professional wrestler Jesse Ventura, former
governor of Minnesota, and actor/body builder/international icon Arnold
Schwarzenegger, current gubernatorial incumbent of California, show me
that our democracy is working. Any person, regardless of their race,
nationality, gender, political ideology, sexual orientation, career,
celebrity status, shoe size, susceptibility to premature balding,
tattoos, sleeping habits or affinity for plastic surgery can hold
office in our great nation.

That is why I am ecstatic that assisted-suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian
is running for Congress. After a "successful" medical career and a
"glamorous" stint in prison, my new favorite politician-to-be has been
released, and is apparently hell-bent on advocating the protection
of implicitly stated rights under the Ninth Amendment. Snaps for a
single-issue politician pushing 80 years old!

Imagine what this guy could do if he became Congressman. So our taxes
would probably be mishandled, our social programs would probably
be abolished, our schools would probably crumble, our parks would
probably erode and our general welfare would probably be completely
disregarded…

But at least we would be comforted knowing that our doctors could
help us die. And that’s an issue worth campaigning for.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS MONITORING GROUP TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON MARCH 29

Noyan Tapan
March 28, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of Europe Committee of
Ministers Monitoring Ago Group will arrive in Yerevan on a four-day
visit on March 29.

During the meeting, the delegation will meet with RA NA Speaker Tigran
Torosian, Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, Justice Minister Gevorg
Danielian, Head of Police Hayk Haroutiunian, Prosecutor General Aghvan
Hovsepian, Ombudsperson Armen Haroutiunian, and representatives of
the opposition.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign
Ministry Press and Information Department, Ago Group’s meeting with
V. Oskanian will take place on March 31.

RUSSIAN LAWYERS CALL TO SER FREE VASILI ALEKSANIAN

Noyan Tapan
March 27, 2008

MOSCOW, MARCH 27, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The lawyers of Russia
have applied to newly-elect President Dmitri Medvedev, calling to set
free seriously sick Vasili Aleksanian, the former Deputy Chairman of
the YUKOS, from the isolation cell.

The application has been signed by 450 people: lawyers, political
prisoners, intellectuals, reports Radio Liberty.

Vasili Aleksanian is charged with committing a financial crime of
great extent. On accout of a serious illness, Aleksanian was moved
from the isolation cell to hospital at the beginning od this February.