INDIA-ARMENIA CENTRE FOR EXCELLENCE IN INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TO BE ESTABLISHED
armradio.am
26.06.2009 16:44
On June 26 the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Karine Ghazinyan and
the Ambassador of India to Armenia, Rina Pandey, signed the Memorandum
of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Armenia and
the Government of the Republic of India for establishing India-Armenia
Centre for Excellence in Information and Communication Technology.
PRIME MINISTER MET WITH BENEFACTORS FROM FRANCE
NKR Government Information and Public Relations Department
June 25, 2009
On June 24, the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan met with
representatives and benefactors of French affiliate of "Hayastan"
All Armenian Fund. They came for a trip to Artsakh to familiarize
with the present of the young independent republic and to watch
proceeding of construction of units being built at the expense of the
donated means. The NKR Prime Minister addressed words of gratitude
to the participants of the meeting in the person of French Armenians
community and Spyurk, which continue their sizeable contribution into
reconstruction and development of Artsakh. A.Haroutynyan noted with
thankfulness that major of Armenians from Spyurk are participating
not only by charitable undertakings in water supply, road construction
spheres, but performs like investors in different branches of Artsakh
economy. The Prime Minister informed the guests that this year
means from money raise will be directed to restoration of Shoushi,
and expressed hope that unprecedented sum will be collected. "We
must have prosperous, up-to-date Shoushi, which will be constructed
jointly", the Head of the Government emphasized.
Armenian benefactors from France took vivid interest in recognition
of independence of Artsakh, current developments of Karabakh problem,
influence of financial and economic crisis, cooperation of "Hayastan"
All Armenian Fund with the NKR Government, priorities of the republic’s
economy, and so on. The Prime Minister gave detailed clarifications,
wished all the best, new and firm contacts with Motherland.
USAID LAUNCHED TWO MORE SCHOOLS OF MOTHERHOOD IN ARMENIA
US State News
June 23, 2009 Tuesday 5:49 PM EST
YEREVAN, Armenia, March 9 — The U.S. Embassy issued the following
press release:
To celebrate International Women’s Day, USAID’s Project NOVA launched
two new Schools of Motherhood as a special gift to pregnant women
of Abovyan and Vanadzor. International Women’s Day, commemorated at
the United Nations and designated in many countries as a national
holiday, provides an opportunity to reflect on the progress made
toward equality, to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary
societies and to consider future steps to empower women. On March
9th the newly-established Schools of Motherhood welcomed their new
clients – pregnant women and their husbands – at the Abovyan and
Martuni Maternity Houses.
This initiative was made possible thanks to the fruitful partnership
established between the United States Agency for International
Development (USAID), the Ministry of Health and local healthcare
facilities. The initiative started a year ago with the opening of
five Schools of Motherhood in Vedi Maternity Hospital, Sisian Medical
Center, Talin Medical Center, Vayk Medical Union and the Institute
of Perinatology, Obstetrics and Gynecology in Yerevan. Soon after the
openings, Schools of Motherhood became popular not only among pregnant
women who were eager to learn about their pregnancy and childbirth, but
also among healthcare workers who used Schools of Motherhood to better
prepare mothers-to-be for the birth event and newborn care. During
five classes offered to pregnant women free of charge as part of
the Government’s Basic Benefits Package, the Schools of Motherhood
provide psychosocial support, physical and psychological preparedness
for childbirth and promote healthy lifestyle, breastfeeding, proper
postpartum and newborn care. Through School attendance, pregnant
women acquire practical knowledge and skills on important topics
for the pregnancy and postpartum period. Future fathers are highly
encouraged to participate in the classes in order to better understand
pregnancy and childbirth and be supportive of their spouses. All
Schools are decorated with award-winning artwork created by local
children depicting happy families. USAID Project NOVA plans to open
a total of 11 Schools of Motherhood – one for each marz and one in
the capital. USAID Project NOVA is currently working in Armenia to
improve the quality of and access to maternal and child healthcare,
especially in rural areas, by improving the performance of healthcare
workers, providing basic clinical equipment and supplies, renovating
healthcare facilities, and mobilizing and educating communities. It is
implemented by a consortium of international organizations – Emerging
Markets Group, IntraHealth International and Save the Children in close
partnership with the Ministry of Health, marz health departments,
Medical University, leading medical colleges, National Institute of
Health, and healthcare facilities.
GASPROM OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY IS CURRENTLY CONSIDERING
ARKA
June 22, 2009
Gasprom considers possible construction of oil refinery in Armenia
possible construction of an oil refinery in the territory of
Armenia, together with Iranian, Russian and Armenian partners,
Vice Chairman of Gasprom Directors’ Board Valery Golubev said at
international conference on Armenia as a country at the intersection
of communications held in Tsaghkadzor.
In the beginning it will be an oil product reloading terminal, but
later it may become an oil refinery if the oil market infrastructure
is favorable, he said.
The cost of the project may total $240-260mln.
The oil refinery may be just a component of the overall oil complex.
The storage terminal is to be built in Yeraskh town of Armenia where
petrol and diesel fuel are to be delivered from Iranian Tavriz city
through a special pipeline to be built.
AMERIABANK DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR: ARMENIA’S 15.7% ECONOMIC DOWNTURN IS AN ESSENTIAL REASON FOR THINKING, AND THE WORLD WILL STILL FACE SERIOUS PROBLEMS
ArmInfo
2009-06-23 19:33:00
ArmInfo. Armenia’s 15.7% economic downturn in Jan-May is an essential
reason for thinking, and the world will still face serious problems,
Ameriabank Development Director Tigran Jrbashyan said. He added that
the main decline (56.1%) falls on construction, 10.5% decline falls
on industry, foreign trade turnover decreased by 33.7%. Jrbashyan
thinks that in such a situation the availability of rapid response
system is important, particularly, necessity arises to introduce
elements of trust management. He added that the improvement of the
situation in Russia will also have a positive effect on Armenia’s
economy. This will decrease the reduction of transfer rates to Armenia.
Speaking of the situation in international economy, the expert said
that the main financial indices for May and June vividly demonstrate
that today under crisis conditions the global economy is on the first
plateau. This is the result of injection of large funds in the global
financial system in 4 qt 2008 and I qt 2009. In this connection,
the situation has stabilized to some extent. However, as a result of
steps taken, the global economy response was weaker than expected.
In particular, the abrupt decline in international stock exchanges,
as well as the fall in oil prices show the ambiguousness of the
response. Jrbashyan thinks that despite certain phenomena which can
be perceived as a sign of restoration of world economy, the W-shaped
scenario is more admissible for further development of the crisis
than the L-shaped scenario.
He added that according to the latest data, unemployment level
in the USA has reached 9.7%, and inflation remains lower than 1%,
and according to June 22 statement of the press-secretary of the US
president, 10% unemployment will be fixed sooner than expected, and the
given tendency will still continue. Jrbashyan thinks that the current
situation shows that the world will still face serious problems.
GRANT THORNTON AMYOT TO CONDUCT AUDIT OF KYRGYZ NATIONAL BANK
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
22.06.2009 19:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Grant Thornton Amyot LLC, the Armenian member of
Grant Thornton International, will carry out the audit of financial
statements of the year 2009 of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz
Republic, the company’s press office said.
On June 11, 2009 the Parliament of the Kyrgyz Republic has approved
Grant Thornton Amyot LLC in the capacity of the auditor of the National
Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic for the fiscal year 2009.
Armen Hovhannisyan, Partner and Director of Financial Institutions
Audit Department at Grant Thornton Amyot, noted, "We are very happy to
be announced as the winner of this tender and to have the opportunity
to provide high quality service to the National Bank of the Kyrgyz
Republic. In November 2008 the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan made amendments
in the law lifting the requirement of license for conducting audit
activity on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. Due to this amendment our
firm became eligible for this assignment. As Grant Thornton Amyot
also has experience with the audit of the Central Bank of Armenia,
we fully satisfied all requirements of the tender. As part of our
development strategy, we also invest efforts into geographic expansion
of our activity. Being the leading audit and advisory firm in Armenia,
Grant Thornton Amyot in recent years has extended the geography of
its operations to other markets."
For over a decade Grant Thornton Amyot has been providing audit and
professional advisory services to a vast number of organizations,
including financial institutions in Armenia, Georgia, Tajikistan and
other countries, among which are 25 banks and over a dozen credit
organizations, funds, insurance and brokerage companies.
EDWARD NALBANDIAN HOPES TURKEY WILL NOT STEP BACK IN PROCESS OF NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKEY RELATIONS
ArmInfo
2009-06-22 16:26:00
ArmInfo. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian hopes that
Turkey will not step back in normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.
Foreign Minister Nalbandian has made such statement at a joint press
conference with Foreign Minister of the UAE Sheikh Abdallah Bin Zayid
Al Nahyan.
Earlier, Special Representative of the European Union for the South
Caucasus Peter Semneby declared that Turkey had taken a tactical
step backwards in the process of normalization of the relations
with Armenia.
‘Turkey will not settle the exiting problems by contradictory
statements.
All the existing disagreements should be settled through negotiations.
Armenia is devoted to such approach and will further exert efforts
in this dimension. We are ready to settle the relations without any
preconditions and we hope Turkey will chose the same way’, the Armenian
minister said. He highlighted that an intergovernmental commission
is to be set up to study many issues of mutual importance to further
develop the bilateral relations.
For his part, the Foreign Minister of the UAE said the issue of
the Armenian-Turkish relations was discussed at the last bilateral
meeting and his country supports the given process. He welcomed ‘the
soccer diplomacy’ that created bases for settlement of the relations
of Armenia and Turkey. He expressed hope that these developments will
lead to positive breakthroughs.
In addition, Sheikh Abdallah Bin Zayid Al Nahyan said the authorities
of both the states made brave steps and the UAE supports the parties
in this process.
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
June 18 2009
HOMELESS IN YEREVAN
A decade and a half after the fighting ceased, many refugees are still
waiting for proper housing.
By Gegham Vardanian in Yerevan
In a gloomy ex-hostel, built for students at Yerevan’s chemistry
technical collage but used by refugees from Azerbaijan, 120 families
are still waiting for some kind of decent accommodation.
Amazingly, considering that whole families are crammed into rooms of
just 12 square metres, and are forced to share a toilet with up to 50
people, often this is better than the facilities they have had in the
past.
Some 360,000 of the half-million Armenians who fled Azerbaijan because
of the Karabakh conflict, which ended exactly 15 years ago, ended up
in Armenia, and accommodation for them is still scarce.
Maria Aslanian, a 96-year-old, has lived with her two sons `
67-year-old Viktor and 62-year-old Vladimir ` in one such room for ten
years. With its three beds and cupboard, there is barely room to stand
up.
`There was a time when we had absolutely nowhere to live. For four
months we had to sleep outside, in the snow and the rain. It’s good
that they gave us this place,’ said Maria, as she sat playing
backgammon with Viktor.
Just down the hall was her neighbour Laura Melkonian, who has lived in
the former student hostel in the Charbakh district of the Armenian
capital for 18 years already. She spent years complaining about the
toilets, but has just learned now to accept them as they are.
`Water drips out of the ceiling, it pours out of the plaster, and we
have to go in there with an umbrella. Who knows, maybe one day the
ceiling will fall down completely? But what can we do? It is a public
toilet, which 50 people are using,’ she said.
She has more space than many of her neighbours, since her husband has
left her to move to Russia, and she lives only with her 13-year-old
son.
She has separated out a little kitchen area with a curtain, but it is
so small that only her arms can fit inside it. `I am thinking maybe I
should leave the country and become a refugee from Armenia,’ she
mused.
Gegham is the editor of the website of Internews and a
participant in IWPR’s Cross Caucasus Journalism Network.
ARGENTINA OPENS EMBASSY IN ARMENIA
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
19.06.2009 19:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On June 19, RA FM Edward Nalbandyan
received Argentinean Charge d’Affaires Marcello Sabaste who has
arrived in Yerevan in connection with the opening of Argentinean
Embassy. Welcoming his guest, FM Nalbandyan expressed hope that Embassy
would promote strengthening and development of bilateral ties. Friendly
ties, as well as developed contractual-legal cooperation between
Armenia and Argentina establish firm background for active cooperation
in different spheres, Mr. Nalbandyan stressed. "RA Foreign Ministry
will assist Argentinean diplomat in the process of opening embassy
and carrying out his diplomatic mission in Armenia," he added.
Passing Argentinean Foreign Minister’s address to FM Nalbandyan,
Marcello Sabaste said that Buenos Ayres attached primary importance to
developing ties with Yerevan. Argentinean diplomat also emphasized
Armenian community’s role in bilateral relations. During the
meeting, parties exchanged views on issues of mutual interests. Then,
Mr. Sabaste confirmed Argentinean Foreign Minister’s address inviting
Mr. Nalbandyan to Argentina, RA Foreign Ministry’s press service
reports.
RA PRESIDENT VISITS EMBASSY OF UNITED KINGDOM IN ARMENIA ON BIRTHDAY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH
Noyan Tapan
June 19, 2009
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of National Holiday
of United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland – official
birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, RA President Serzh Sargsyan
has visited today the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Armenia and
congratulated the staff of the Embassy.
According to the President’s Press Office, at the subsequent discussion
the two sides discussed the perspective of development of UK-Armenia
relations, stressed the importance of activizing the cooperation in
the sphere of economy. They also discussed regional problems.