Author: Tadevosian Garnik

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PAYS WORKING VISIT TO SYUNIK PROVINCE

ARMENPRESS
March 31, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid
today a working visit to the Armenian province of Syunik.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that first the president
visited Kajaran’s copper-molybdenum factory, got acquainted with its
work, met with the employees.

In Kapan town "Yerablur" pantheon the president put flowers on the
monument to the victims of Great Patriotic War and on the cross stone
to the missed in Artsakh war.

Afterwards in Syunik governor’s office working consultation took
place, during which the issues of the mine complex of the province
in conditions of financial-economic crisis, the steps which must be
carried out in that direction, as well as the current social-economic
situation in the province were discussed.

The president in his speech said that he got acquainted with the
works of Kajaran, Agarak and Kapan factories and noted that all the
three factories are able and must work even in case of zero profit,
realizing that they are solving not only a social issue but earn
their tomorrow’s income.

"The factories must work and in this respect if there are additional
expectations from the Armenian government we are ready to discuss
them. In general, connected with the crisis, we solved not one issue
and hence as well we will not stand in front of any obstacle," the
president said.

Afterwards the president put a task in front of the relevant provincial
establishments that "no salary, pension, social allowance be decreased
and nothing must impede its timely provision to the people."

During the consultation Armenian vice prime minister, Territorial
Administration Minister Armen Gevorgian and governor Surik Khachatrian
presented the social-economic situation of the province and most
important issues.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT UNDERSCORES FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS WITH GERMANY

ARMENPRESS
March 30, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 30, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
received today State Secretary of German Foreign Ministry Gernot
Erler accompanied with the chairman of the German-South Caucasian
parliamentary group of the German Bundestag Steffan Reiche and German
ambassador to Armenia Andrea Wiktorin.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting the
president highly underscored the further development of bilateral and
multilateral relations with Germany – one of the leading European
countries. Expressing gratitude for the assistance provided to
Armenia since the independence, Serzh Sargsyan noted that Germany
is the second donor country of Armenia as well as one of the biggest
trade-industrial partners.

Gernot Erler said that his visit witnesses the big interest Germany
displays towards the developments taking place in the South Caucasian
region and particularly after the 2008 August events. Considering
the solution of political controversies in military way unacceptable,
he said that Germany is against the usage of force and violence.

Armenian president and the German top official spoke about the
current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulation process,
opportunities of regulation of Armenian-Turkish relations.

German state secretary said that they greet the meetings between
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents directed towards the regulation of
Karabakh issue as well as the political dialogue established between
Armenia and Turkey.

The interlocutors also referred to the EU’s Eastern Partnership
initiative. President Sargsyan said that it opens new opportunities
of partnership and the Armenian side is going to use them at its best.

SCR CONCESSION STEALS LIMELIGHT AT ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION’S MEETING

ARKA
March 31, 2009

YEREVAN, March 31. /ARKA/. The South Caucasus Railways’ concession
management was the focus of last week’s meeting of the Armenian-Russian
Parliamentary Commission, the SCR press service reported.

At the March 26 Moscow meeting of the Armenian-Russian Commission
for Parliamentary Cooperation, SCR General Director Shevket Shaidulin
proposed setting up a special group under the commission to observe
SCR’s concession management of Armenian Railways.

Reporting back the company’s activities to the commission, Shaidulin
touched upon SCR’s objectives.

"We do not position ourselves as a company that just makes investments.

Our mission is to become a national company, increasing the long-term
effectiveness and financial stability, as well as enhancing the
quality of services and expanding capacities of transport business
that integrates into the European-Asian transport logistics system,"
he said.

Shaidulin stressed the importance of the government’s cooperation with
SCR. "I suggest the Parliamentary Commission that it set up a group
to control the implementation of the concession agreement," he added.

The SCR general director introduced the commission to the company’s
financial model, including total expenditures and proceeds for
2008-2012, as well as the basic funds for 2009.

In their turn, the Parli amentary Commission members led by Nikolai
Rizhkov and Aram Safaryan vowed staunch support to the concessionaire.

On 1 June 2008, SCR, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russian Railways,
received property owned by Armenian Railways under the February 13,
2008 concession agreement the parties concluded for 30 years, with a
right of extension for another 20 years after the first 20 years of
operation.

MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT: DEADLINE FOR LICENSING OF ARMENIAN TAXIES APRIL 6

ARKA
March 30, 2009

YEREVAN, March 30. /ARKA/. April the 6th is the deadline for licensing
of taxies in Armenia, Armenian Minister of Transport and Communications
Gurgen Sargsyan told journalists Saturday.

The Government did its best to ease the problems of taxi services in
the licensing process and payment of dues and expects that all taxi
services operating illegally will apply for the respective license,
the Minister said.

The Government reduced the due for getting a license from 200,000
Drams down to 25,000Drams for individual taxi drivers, which is by 8
times lower that the due paid by tax service companies. Individual
taxi drivers can pay the state due amount within 5-6 months, the
Minister said.

The Government also agreed with importers and domestic producers on
deferment of payments against counters to be set in taxies. The cost
of the counters is about 60,000-80,000Drams, Sargsyan said. Taxies
will have the opportunity to pay this amount within half a year to
a year with no prepayment required, he said.

The Minister also said that the issue on driving Armenian taxies with
yellow numbers (ARKA – taxies licensed in the territory of Armenia
have yellow number plates) on the territory of Georgia is currently
under consideration.

All the licensing documents are to be arranged promptly within 7-10
days, the Minister said.

After the deadl ine, April 6, stricter measures will be taken toward
non-licensed taxies, Sargsyan said.

According to Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communication,
currently there are about 6,500 taxies having the required licenses,
paying taxes and dues. According to rough estimates, the number of
non-licensed taxies is about the same.

Today, the penalty for use of white number plates instead of the
yellow ones required by the law is 20,000Drams.

In 2008, the Ministry issues 411 licenses for transportation by
taxi. As a result of the licensing process, a total of 80.8mln Drams
were transferred to the country’s state budget.

According to the official information, 476 licensed taxi services
companies with a total fleet of 5,599 cars operated in Armenia in
2008. ($1=366.11Drams).

Glendale man sentenced to 11 years for hit-and-run
The Associated Press
Posted: 03/12/2009

PASADENA, Calif.-A Glendale man has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for
driving a Mercedes-Benz that struck and killed a pedestrian, and then
fleeing the scene.
Ara Grigoryan was sentenced Thursday in Superior Court under a deal with
prosecutors in which a second-degree murder charge was dropped.
Grigoryan pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter and admitted a special
allegation of fleeing the scene.
Prosecutors say Grigoryan did not stop when he hit 24-year-old Elizabeth
Sandoval on July 10, 2007, as she was walking across the street. His vehicle
was found near a body shop.
Grigoryan was arrested in Mexico City later that month and brought back to
the United States by U.S. marshals.

ARMENIA: US STATE SECRETARY SENDS A MESSAGE TO ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Foreign Ministry
March 27 2009
Armenia

Matthew Bryza handed over to Edward Nalbandian the message of the
USA State Secretary Hilary Clinton, in which State Secretary warmly
remembers the recent phone conversation with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and touches upon friendly relations between Armenia
and the US, regional issues and possibilities of normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations.

In the address State Secretary Clinton expressed readiness to render
every assistance for the resolution of Nagorno Karabakh issue.

In the course of the meeting Edward Nalbandian and Matthew Bryza
discussed issues concerning the negotiation process of Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabakh) issue. .

AZERI OFFICIAL URGES GREATER RUSSIAN EFFORTS TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT

Azad Azarbaycan TV
March 23 2009
Baku

A senior Azerbaijani official has urged Russia to step up efforts to
resolve the territorial dispute between his country and Armenia.

In his remarks to the Baku-based Azad Azarbaycan TV, Deputy Foreign
Minister Xalaf Xalafov also called on other international mediators to
step up efforts towards a peaceful solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict.

He said that the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, which
mediates a solution to the conflict, "should play a greater role to
show that… there are no movements or activities creating tension
and negatively impacting peace here in the region." "We expect these
actions from our neighbour Russia, too. We expect it, as a Minsk
Group co-chair, to increase its efforts as a reliable mediator… in
the resolution of this conflict."

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA RECEIVED MEMBERS OF THE EU ADVISORY GROUP

armradio.am
25.03.2009 11:01

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received the Head of the European
Commission delegation to Armenia, Ambassador Raul de Luzenberger
and members of the Advisory Group dispatched to Armenia from the EU,
President’s Press Office reported.

Agreement on sending the Advisory Group to Armenia was reached during
President Sargsyan’s December, 2008 visit to Brussels. The Group will
provide counseling to the Armenian state structures and agencies for
the most optimal implementation of the political and economic reforms
envisaged by the European Neighborhood Action Plan.

Welcoming the members of the Advisory Group, President Sargsyan
noted that the meeting with the Group before it officially starts its
activities could prove useful and would attribute to the success of
their mission.

Stressing with satisfaction the atmosphere of mutual trust established
during the negotiations, Serzh Sargsyan said that the signed Memorandum
and all other steps on that direction have one goal: to assist
Armenia in achieving best possible results in the implementation of
the Action Plan.

"We believe that ultimately all of it will create new additional
capabilities and in some cases this may even result in the
establishment of new institutions," – the President of Armenia
underlined.

Addressing the members of the Advisory Group, Serzh Sarg syan said,
"the implementation of this program proves once again that the people
and the authorities of Armenia believe that these relations have
a future. I also believe that this experience would be useful for
the implementation of the Eastern Policy initiatives. We welcome
the adoption of the Eastern Policy at the EU summit. We are also
confident that Armenia can benefit from many of its elements, and
we would be happy to work on the implementation of the projects that
would advance our country."

According to President Sargsyan, assistance of the European
Union and European structures to the programs of the Armenian’s
authorities directed at strengthening democracy, making our economy
more competitive, ensuring a more secure future for the Armenian
children, is great. With this regard he stressed the importance of the
Advisory Group’s work and role and noted that the Group’s assistance
was required and necessary.

The Head of the European Commission delegation to Armenia hailed the
efforts of the Armenian President aimed at strengthening relations
with the European Union, assessing such kind of cooperation as the
evidence of mutual trust.

"ARTSAKH HYDROPOWER STATION" IPOS WILL SECURE INVESTMENTS FOR PROMOTION OF NKR ECONOMY DEVELOPMENT

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
March 23, 2009

"The primary public subscription to Artsakh Hydropower Station shares
which promotes the NKR economy development is an unprecedented
event," NKR Prime Minister Ara Harutyunyan stated at the official
presentation of this programme in Yerevan , on March 20. According to
him, the programme has been the most significant investment project
of post-war period, for the realization of which lengthy negotiations
were conducted with the major investors.

Ara Haroutyunyan clarified the fact that being in possession of
sufficient water and energetic resources, Karabakh was deprived
of such opportunities because of major investors’ distrust and
uncertainty, absence of international programmes, low opportunities
of local entrepreneurs, absence of business projects and efficient
management. "This project is a good chance for those of our compatriots
who are willing to participate and invest in NKR economy development",-
he stated.

In his speech delivered before the participants, A.Haroutyunyan called
the society to make investments in the Artsakh Hydropower Station
project as it will give an opportunity to provide new working places
and will promote the NKR economic growth. According to the recent
data, IPO subscribers in the NKR comprised 200, total shares value
amounted USD 400 million drams.

The primary share issue totaling AMD 3,45 mlrd (about 9.5 mln dollars)
was effected by "Artsakh Hydropower Station" OSJO, with "Armenbrok"
OSJO serving as consultant and emission underwriter. 3285715 shares
are being issued at AMD1050 per share.

"Artsakh Hydropower Station" is one of the leading companies in the
energy sector of Nagorno- Karabakh which at present satisfies only
40-60 % of the needs of NKR’s electric power system. The means gained
through share issue will be used for the construction of three small
Hydro Power Stations in the NKR on the Tartar River. The new Hydro
Power Stations will help cover more than 85% of domestic needs in
NKR’s Energy Sector.

HERITAGE CALLS VOTERS FOR VOTING FOR OPPOSITION IN YEREVAN COUNCIL OF ELDERS ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
March 23, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 23, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with Yerevan Council of
Elders elections, on March 23, the Heritage party made a statement,
which, in particular, read:

The Heritage party

– placing a huge importance to the elections for the Council of Elders
of Yerevan, in terms of the institutional establishment of Armenia,

– considering these elections as yet another chance for our country
to ultimately form in the Armenian capital and by way of free, fair,
and transparent elections, legitimate authorities who are chosen by
the people,

– bearing in mind Yerevan’s growing importance for the country and
that this importance makes the elections for the Council of Elders
become, to some extent, equivalent to the national elections,

– remaining true to its adopted values and work ethics,

– expressing with regret that it was impossible to reach an accordance
with the Armenian National Congress (ANC) with respect to a united
list of candidates for the elections,

– condemning the authorities’ limitations put on the freedom of speech
and the ongoing firm establishment of an environment of intolerance,
the "instructed" and unsubstantiated accusations against Heritage
and its founder Raffi Hovannisian disseminated over the years by
the media that serve the ruling administration, the deluge of lies
and disinformation which periodically grows worse especially before
elections, as well as registering for the record certain oppositional
media’s attempts to imitate the aforesaid defective mode of operation
in the recent week and doing this with the silent support by the ANC,

– acknowledging all too well that if, under the condition of a low
political culture reigning in the country, the opposition participates
in the elections with two separate lists, the ensuing clash will
be inevitable even in the case of exerting the greatest of efforts
to prevent it, and the victims will be the whole opposition and the
entire people, and they will assume the complete task of thwarting
such likely confrontation, and

– understanding that under such conditions one of these two
oppositional forces must give way, hereby decides:

To not present its own candidate list for the elections for Yerevan’s
Council of Elders, to be held on May 31, 2009, and urges its voters and
all Yerevan residents to cast their ballots in favor of the opposition.