Author: Navasardian Karapet

MIKA DEFEATED ARTMEDIA PETRZHALKA – SLOVAKIA WITH SCORE OF 2:1 IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
Aug 17, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The first match of the second
qualification stage of the UEFA’s Cup Winners’ Cup Tournament between
Mika Yerevan and Artmedia Petrzhalka-Slovakia finished with a score
of 2:1 in the Republican sports ground of Yerevan on August 16. Armen
Shahgeldian, Aleks Henrique da Silva (Mika), and Bronislaw Fodrek
(Slovakia) scored the goals.

The second leg is set on August 30 in Bratislava.

AVERAGE PRICE OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS’ APARTMENTS GROWS BY 23.5% IN YEREVAN IN FIRST HALF OF 2007 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Aug 14 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Out of 7,029 transactions on sale
and purchase of real estate in Yerevan in January-June 2007, 4,698
transactions were conducted with respect to apartments of residential
buildings.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, the number of sale
and purchase of residential buildings’ apartments in Yerevan grew
only by 0.5% as compared with the same period of last year.

The average market price of one square meter of residential buildings’
apartments in Yerevan made 241.3 thousand drams (about 690 dollars)
in the first six months of 2007, increasing by 23.5% as compared with
the same months of 2006.

The highest index of average market prices of a square meter of
residential buildings’ apartments in Armenian marzes (regions) was
registered in the city of Abovian (Kotayk region) – 134.4 thousand
drams in January-June 2007, while the lowest index – 3,000 drams was
registered in the city of Shamlugh (Lori region).

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 10 2007

Azerbaijani investigator reveals Georgians and Armenians’ lies

[ 10 Aug 2007 15:59 ]

Georgians and Armenians try to appropriate Azerbaijani generals,
military investigator, journalist, representative of Defense Ministry
Shamistan Nazirli told the APA.
Nazirli said that Georgians present Yadigarov brothers, who were
promoted general title in tsar army as Yadigarashvili in their
history books and Armenians present them as Yadigaryan.
`Georgians link it with that Yadigarov brothers had lived in Georgia.
Therefore, they should be regarded Georgian generals, not Azeri,’ he
said.
Azerbaijani investigator revealed Georgians and Armenians’ lies by
archives documents he found. The archives materials show that there
were more than 20 servicemen in Yadigarovs’ generation. 4 of them –
Israfil bey Yadigarov, Asadulla bey Yadigarov, Davud bey Yadigarov
and Israfil bey Yadigarov (grandchild) were promoted general title.
/APA/

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
August 9, 2007 Thursday 01:50 AM EST

Train with Russian military equipment leaves Georgia for Armenia

TBILISI, August 9

A train with 10 units of automobile equipment, 17 trailers and
material property of the Russian base in Batumi weighing a total of
200 tonnes has been sent to the Russian military base Gyumri in
Armenia on Thursday, a representative of the command of the Group of
Russian Forces (GRF) in the Transcaucasus told ITAR-TASS on Thursday.

According to him, all the equipment and property “were delivered
beforehand to the cargo railway station of Batumi and loaded on a
train consisting of 21 cars which headed for Armenia at night
today.” The GRF representative said that the train would cross the
Georgian-Armenian border on Thursday afternoon and continue its
movement to Gyumri.

As the GRF representative said, in the current year, another four
trains and one motor convoy will take property and equipment of the
base in Batumi from Georgia to the base in Gumri in Armenia. In the
period from May to late July, 11 trains took equipment and property
from the base in Batumi from Georgia to Russia (via Azerbaijan).

Under the Georgian-Russian accords, the Russian military base in
Batumi should be closed before October 1, 2008.

At the end of June, the Russian military base in Akhalkalaki was
transferred to the Georgian Defence Ministry.

‘TAXPAYER’S BECHBOOK’ HAS BEEN PRESENTED

arminfo
2007-08-10 14:07:00

Presentation of the "Taxpayer’s Bechbook", prepared by the State
Tax Service of Armenia, was held today. As deputy Head of RA State
Tax Service Armen Alaverdyan said during the event held in the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Armenia (CCI), this book is
the first step on the way of implementation and development of the
system of self-estimation of tax relations in the republic. He said
that this book is intended for the beginning and the accomplished
entrepreneurs. "The process of registration, the place, time and the
way of tax payment, the punitive measures in case of evasion from
payment of taxes, dues and other compulsory payments are presented
in it", A. Alaverdyan said. He added that the book has been developed
jointly with the Association of bookkeepers of Armenia under financing
of USAID.

The book has been edited with circulation of 1000 copies and will
be distributed free of charge to all the public organizations and
tax bodies of Armenia. Moreover, he said, the "Taxpayer’s Bechbook"
will be completely placed on the sites of RA Tax Service and CCI
within the next 1-2 days.

For his part, RA CCI President Martin Sargsyan noted importance of
creation of this book as it proposes the tax legislation and methods
of organization of business activities. "Presentation of this book
is continuation of cooperation of RA CCI and the State Tax Service
which is aimed at increasing the transparency and accuracy of the
work of Tax bodies", M Sargsyan said.

FORMER LEBANESE PRESIDENT EXPRESSES HIS GREAT RESPECT FOR ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Aug 09 2007

ANTELIAS, AUGUST 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Catholicos of the
Great House of Cilicia Aram I on August 8 received the former Lebanese
president Amine Gemayel in Bikfaya monastery.

His Holiness expressed the Armenian community’s and his own resentment
at the deputy elections in Metn on August 5 and at some irresponsible
statements and incorrect attributions regarding the Armenian community.

It was reported from Antelias that Catholicos Aram I reminded that
being a single whole, the Armenian community is an integral part
of the Lebanese family, and therefore, wrong expressions about
the Armenian community are unacceptable. Amine Gemayel in his turn
provided the necessary explanations to Catholicos Aram I, pointing
out that he has not made any insulting expression about the Armenian
community. "What I said applies not only to the election process," he
noted. Reasserting his great respect for the Armenian community, Emin
Zhemayel expressed a willingness to promote further mutual relations.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN HAVE INSUFFICIENT COMPREHENSION OF SOCIAL INVESTMENTS’ SIGNIFICANCE

Noyan Tapan
Aug 09 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, NOYAN TAPAN. More than 25 representatives of
Armenia’s business community participated in the August 9 seminar
on corporate social investments held in Yerevan, during which
the experience of Russia, the US and the UK in this sphere was
presented. The Eurasia Foundation’ new program aimed at developing
Armenian businessmen’s skills at making strategical social investments
was launched at the event.

In the words of the director of Eurasia Foundation Juliet Stein,
strengthening local businessmen’s strategical potential to make
corporate investments will result in positive, lasting changes
in the country. The deputy ambassador of the US to Armenia Joseph
Pennington said that following suit of rich Americans, prominent
Armenian businessmen have begun to invest part of their profit in
the social sphere, as well as education and culture.

Studies conducted among Armenian businessmen show that they have
insufficient comprehension of the significance of social investments.

According to surveys, social investments usually do not exceed 1% of
the annual income of the given company. Most of social investments
are made in such spheres as social assistance, science, culture,
health care, and education. As a rule, these investments are one-off,
unplanned and do not make part of long-term programs or strategy
on social investment: they are made in the form of humanitarian or
charitable assistance, individual sponsorship or one-off grants.

The executive director of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen
of Armenia (UMBA) Gagik Makarian underlined the importance of the fact
that the ideas of collective contracts, creation of trade unions,
as well as the idea of trade union – employer – government social
partnership have been included in the new Labor Code of the RA. He
noted that the cooperation of these structures has been put at a
new level.

G. Makarian at the same time said that making social investments
ensures reduction in tax liabilities for businessmen abroad, whereas
such practice is absent in Armenia. According to him, the Union of
Employers currently at the stage of formation will deal with this
problem.

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY EXERCISE UNDER WAY IN MOLDOVA

Moldova One TV, Chisinau
7 Aug 07

[Presenter] An earthquake measuring 6 degrees on the Richter scale
jolted the centre of Moldova at 0900 [0600 gmt] this morning. The Codru
village was the most affected. But don’t be afraid. This is only the
scenario of an international drill which is conducted in Moldova for
the second time under the Partnership for Peace Programme. A total of
500 servicemen from 14 countries are taking part in the exercise. Our
correspondent Natalia Vacaru participated in the removal of debris.

[Correspondent] The earthquake took the residents of the Codru village
by surprise at 0900.

[Ivan Targon, captioned colonel, head of the central military hospital]
Eighteen people were injured. We are providing medical help in the zone
where the earthquake took place. A medical unit of the Moldovan Defence
Ministry was deployed in the camp, as well as a US medical group.

Specialists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus and other states are
working together with our staff.

[Ruslan Targon, captioned as senior major, general surgery section,
central military hospital] Many people are still in a state of
stress. We provide medical assistance to all those who need it. Our
key goal here is to help victims.

[Correspondent] Fire-engines, land and air equipment are working
round the clock. About 500 rescuers – servicemen from abroad – have
been invited to deal with consequences of the earthquake.

All residents of the Codru village affected by the earthquake have
been sent here, to the military hospital, where they will receive
further medical assistance. In such extreme weather conditions air
equipment was necessary for their transportation.

Military doctors from Moldova, along with their colleagues from
13 states, who came here to help us deal with consequences of the
catastrophe, are working two kilometres from the affected zone,
where they have already set up a military hospital.

[Louis Jef, captioned as major, US military doctor, in English overlaid
with Russian translation] We have examined all patients. Three out
of 18 seriously injured patients need urgent surgery in order to
stop the arterial bleeding. We have transported them to the unit
of intensive therapy as all of them have injured limbs. The first
surgery has been successful.

[Correspondent] All these actions were demonstrated to journalists
by participants in the multinational medical exercise Medceur-2007,
which takes place at the Bulboaca training ground. During the drill,
servicemen from 14 states, Moldova included, were trained on how to
quickly react to consequences of natural disasters. Moldova hosts a
military exercise under the Partnership for Peace Programme for the
second time.

Also today, two other projects were launched: the reconstruction of
the kindergarten in the village of Floreni and of an artesian well
in the village of Cobusca Veche.

[Passage omitted: details about the projects]

[Correspondent] The multinational medical exercise Medceur-2007 will
last until 11 August.

BY-ELECTION FIGURES ESTABLISH AOUN AS CHRISTIAN LEADER
Hussein Noureddine

Al-Manar Special
08/08/2007

After relative political and electoral calm returned to the Metn
region in the wake of Sunday’s stormy by-election, figures revealed an
increase in the Christian popularity of Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic
Movement, whose candidate Kamil Khoury defeated former President Amine
Gemayel and secured a seat in parliament. Khouri gained 79 percent of
the Armenian Christians votes, whereas only 20 percent of them voted
for Gemayel. This had prompted the former president to lash out at the
Armenian community and saw other leaders from the so called February
14 bloc demand Lebanese Armenians to "let the Lebanese decide their
own fate," according to MP Walid Jumblatt. In the meantime, Gemayel,
a Maronite Christian, received 56 percent of Maronite votes; that is
around 15 thousand Maronites whereas Khouri received 43 percent of
their votes; that is some 12 thousand Maronites. Worth mentioning
that dozens of ballots naming Khouri had been cancelled because
they were orange ballots, something that the electoral law does
not sanction. There were also some 600 electoral IDs for pro-Free
Patriotic Movement voters which were not handed over to their owners
by the Ministry of the Interior.

Moving to Orthodox Christians, they gave Khoury more than 1200 votes
over Gemayel who only received 42 percent of their votes. Khoury also
gained 52 percent of Catholic Christians’ votes, while Gemayel gained
some 42 percent of their votes.

Just until before by-elections, the Metn region was considered a
stronghold for pro-February 14 supporters, however Sunday’s referendum
as both sides like to call it, proved this theory wrong.

According to analysts, should a comprehensive referendum be conducted
in the remainder of Christian areas, General Michel Aoun would
undoubtedly rise as the most popular Christian leader in Lebanon. The
result of by-elections in Metn is likely to influence presidential
election for which General Aoun is a candidate.

It goes without saying that pro-government members of parliament
representing Christians in North Lebanon, Baabda and Aley had won
their seats in the 2005 legislative elections with the votes of
non-Christians.

14.7% ECONOMIC GROWTH RECORDED IN THE KARABAKH IN JAN-JUNE 2007

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Aug 7 2007

STEPANAKERT, August 7. /ARKA/. Nagorno-Karabakh National Statistical
Committee says 14.7% economic growth was recorded in the republic in
Jan-June 2007.

According to the preliminary statistical report, GDP on market prices
amounted to AMD 2866.5mln (about $85mln).

The report says taxes on commodities and imports ensured 4.6 percentage
points of GDP, construction contributed 3.3% to GDP, industry added
3.1% and 2.2%came from tax receipts from transport and communication
services.