Author: Nalbandian Albert

ARMENTEL PLANS TO DOUBLE 3G COVERAGE FOLLOWING "EXPLOSIVE DEMAND"

World Market Research Centre
Global Insight
November 11, 2009

Armenian mobile operator Armentel has indicated that it plans to double
its 3G coverage in the country by the end of 2009, reports ARKA,
citing company CEO Igor Klimko. The network expansion means that 3G
services will be made available in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Echmiadzin, and
Jermuk. Although Klimko indicated that it was too early to comment
on the "commercial success" of Armentel’s 3G offering, launched in
October 2008, he did state that the group was experiencing "explosive
demand" for USB modems in the country.

Significance:Klimko has highlighted that a slew of new Internet
backbone operators are entering the Armenian market, and these can
help to drive down prices for wholesalers and retail customers alike.

The growing maturity of the Armenian mobile sector also explains
why 3G is growing in popularity, as penetration begins to approach
triple-digit level, customers become more comfortable with products
and demand improved services, and the market adjusts to the presence
of a third operator, Orange, having launched operations earlier this
month (seeArmenia: 6 November 2009:). Armentel may lag behind GSM
market leader K-Telecom, with market shares of around 19% and 81%
respectively, but was the first operator to launch 3G services. It
also has the advantage of being the dominant fixed-line operator,
giving it increased exposure to a large subscriber base, and offering
cross-selling and up-selling opportunities.

IMF PREDICTS A 15.5% GDP DECLINE IN ARMENIA BY YEAREND
Shakeh Avoyan

"Radiolur"
12.11.2009 17:48

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicts a 15.5% GDP decline in
Armenia following the results of 2009, Head of the IMF Representative
Office in Armenia Ninke Omes said this at a press conference in
Yerevan today.

According to her, in January-September, 2009, the GDP decline made
18.3%. "This is a very negative index. However, the GDP index increased
1.7%"in September as compared to August," Ninke Omes stated.

According to her, this evidences the gradual rehabilitation of the
Armenian economy.

Speaking about long-term forecasts, Ninke Omes informed that, according
to IMF assessments, in 2010, the growth of Armenian GDP will make
1.2%, and in 2011 – 3%. The following years, GDP will increase by 0.5%
each year until 2014.

Touching upon the policy of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA),
Ninke Omes noted that IMF recommends the Central Bank to carry out
the policy of "manageable floating exchange rate."

"CBA should not interfere with objective trends of the exchange rate.

However, from time to time it can pour currency into the market to
avoid strong shocks," she stated.

TURKEY LAYS A NASTY TRICK ON ARMENIA: THE 6TH CASE OF SWINE FLU H1N1 HAS BEEN REVEALED IN THE REPUBLIC

ArmInfo
2009-11-12 18:16:00

ArmInfo. The sixth case of H1N1 swine flu has been revealed in Armenia.

Chief infectiologist of Armenia Ara Asoyan told ArmInfo correspondent
that the patient is a citizen of Turkey. Like in the previous cases,
the symptoms of the new flu were revealed in the airport. At the
moment he is in "Nork" infection hospital, where 4 more swine flu
patients are being treated. Asoyan assured that 2 of them will be
discharged tomorrow.

The first case of H1N1 was revealed in Armenia on November 10. All
the carriers of the new virus brought the virus from abroad: two from
Iran, and three – from Russia. To recall, the symptoms of the new flu
are high temperature, cough, sore throat, cold or stuffiness in nose,
pain all over the body, headache, algor, weakness, as well as diarrhea
and vomit.

UN RESIDENT COORDINATOR VISITS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

armradio.am
10.11.2009 17:06

On November 10 Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik
Abrahamyan received the UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Permanent
Representative to Armenia Consuelo Vidal, who is completing her
mission in our country.

The Armenian Parliament Speaker expressed gratitude to Mrs. Vidal
for the close cooperation over the past years. Hovik Abrahamyan noted
that the Armenian authorities are grateful for the support rendered
by different UN structures.

At the end of the meeting Mr. Abrahamyan wished success to Consuelo
Vidal in all her endeavors and expressed hope that she would uphold
the friendly ties with our country even upon the completion of her
term in office.

TURKEY WON’T BE ALLOWED INTO REGIONAL CONFLICTS RESOLUTION PROCESSES

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2009 14:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s direct engagement in resolution of regional
conflicts is ruled out, said Lernik Aleksanyan, member of the ruling
Republican Party of Armenia.

"As to opening of the Armenian-Turkish border, it’s the demand of
the international community," he said.

For his part, leader of People’s Party Tigran Karapetyan said that
"opening the border, Turkey will get access to the whole region and
consequently interfere into the ongoing processes."

news.am, Armenia
Nov 7 2009

`Upper Lars’ opening might be gambit

15:08 / 11/07/2009

Georgian-Russian relations have recently reached a deadlock. Quite
possibly the sides will revise their positions shortly and seek to
resume relations to some extent. In this respect, the opening of
`Upper Lars’ checkpoint might be the gambit, opposition Heritage
faction leader Stepan Safaryan told NEWS.am.

`The checkpoint opening is definitely beneficial for Armenia from
economic and communication viewpoint, as &`Upper Lars’ route is the
only one connecting Armenia with Russia,’ MP said.

The other day talks on the matter between Armenia, Russia and Georgia
were held in Yerevan, having Armenia as a mediator. According to
Russian mass media, Georgia reasons the checkpoint opening by lifting
Russian embargo for Georgian goods, whereas Russia refutes the
presence of such preconditions.

KARABAKH STATUS KEY ISSUE IN TALKS – ARMENIA

Interfax
Nov 5 2009
Russia

The status of Karabakh is the central issue in the talks on the
settlement of the problem of Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia Foreign Minister
Edvard Nalbandian said.

"The status of Nagorno Karabakh, security guarantees and a land border
between Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh are the central issues in the
talks," Nalbandian told the Armenian parliament on Thursday.

Armenia’s position on the settlement of the conflict remains unchanged,
he said.

"We see no alternative to a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

The conflicts must be resolved peacefully through talks," he also said.

The co-chairmen of the organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe’s Minsk Group, brokering the settlement, will arrive in
Yerevan from Azerbaijan on November 6, Nalbandian said.

FRANCE TELECOM’S ARMENIAN UNIT LAUNCHES GSM MOBILE OPERATIONS

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
November 5, 2009 Thursday 5:40 PM EET
Russia

France Telecom’s Armenian subsidiary Orange Armenia has launched
commercial operations of its GSM mobile network, representatives of
the operator told reporters Thursday.

The operator received a 15-year license for mobile services in
November 2008.

Orange Armenia plans also in 2010 to launch a third generation (3G)
mobile network in Armenia.

France Telecom plans to invest in total 150 million euros in Armenia
in 2009-2011.

Armenia’s two other GSM operators, ArmenTel and K-Telecom, are
subsidiaries of Russia’s VimpelCom and MTS, respectively.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI SCHOOL LEAVERS WILL NEED TO PASS ONLY GENERAL SKILLS EXAMS

The Messenger
Nov 6 2009
Georgia

Armenian and Azeri school leavers who plan to attend Georgian
universities will need to pass only one exam, a General Skills exam,
in the National Exams from next year.

On November 5, at a sitting of the Committee on Education, Science
and Culture, amendments to the Georgian Law on Higher Education was
discussed. The bill aims to increase the accessibility of higher
education in Georgia for those citizens who pass the general skills
exam in the Azeri and Azerbaijani languages. It specifies the creation
of a programme of Georgian language training which will provide
students with the skills and knowledge necessary for higher education.

Reportedly this programme will be financed by the state, its essential
condition being that the students collect 60 credits after a one year
course and continue to study in Georgian.

The Committee also considered the Bill on amendments to the Georgian
Law on General Education initiated by the Georgian Government, at
a second reading. Both bills were presented by Maia Kopaleishvili,
Deputy Minister of Education and Science. Nika Gvaramia, Minister
of Education and Science, participated in the meeting as well. The
Committee supported submitting the bills to a plenary session.

Ruling party MP Khatuna Ochiauri also presented a bill of amendments
to the Georgian Law on General Education for a first reading. This
bill aims to regulate and simplify the rules on directing property
transferred from the state to the public schools. Specifically, if
state property is transferred to schools in the Autonomous Republics,
the right to decide what to do with it must rest with the Ministry
of Education of the Autonomous Republics and not the Ministry of
Education of Georgia. The Committee unanimously supported this change.