Author: Tambiyan Samvel

COUNTER TERRORIST DEPARTMENT ARRESTED CITIZENS OF REPUBLIC OF IRAQ

Interpressnews
Feb 19 2009
Georgia

Counter terrorist department of MIA detained vice president of Pilots’
Association Merab Chelidze, citizen of republic of Armenia Garegin
Kilikian and citizens of republic of Iraq: Arsen Ohanian, Zardan
Auritinian, Hakov Nahapetian, Armenin Iarvandian and Ana Tomasian.

MIA informs that the above mentioned people forged passports in
the republic of Armenia by paying 75 000 US dollars, they received
citizenship of Republic of Armenia and tried to fly to Brazil from
Georgia via Netherlands. Merab Chelidze and Garegin Kilikian demanded 4
000 Euros from citizens of Iraq to cross border of Georgia. The amount
of money was offered to workers of counter terrorist department by
the suspects. MIA informs that there were changes in their passports,
photos of the owners are changed.

EASTERN PARTNERSHIP OFFERS NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR ARMENIA-EU COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.02.2009 12:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
Thursday with EU Special representative for the South Caucasus Peter
Semneby to discuss the current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement process, normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations
and the Armenia-EU cooperation.

"Relations between Armenia and the European Union are developing both
in bilateral and multilateral formats," Minister Nalbandian said.

Both agreed that the Eastern Partnership offers new opportunities
for development of the Armenia-EU cooperation.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED ARISTOMENE VARUDAKIS, HEAD OF THE WORLD BANK ARMENIA OFFICE, AND THE WORLD BANK ECONOMIC TEAM MISSION, LED BY SAMIA MITRA

Monday , 16 February 2009

Discussed were issues relating to the cooperation for the next 4
years under the Country Partnership Strategy, as well as the steps
taken by the Armenian government to counteract the global economic
downturn and eventual joint action aimed at mitigating the impact of
the global financial and economic crisis.

VAT TO BE IMPOSED ON ARMENIAN FARM ENTERPRISES

Noyan Tapan
Feb 16, 2009

YEREVAN, February 16. /ARKA/. The imposition of the value-added tax
(VAT) on farm products this year will involve 200 to 500 enterprises,
Armen Alaverdyan, Vice-Chief of the RA Public Revenues Committee,
told reporters.

Among the prospective VAT payers are large fish, poultry and livestock
farms, as well as large farm enterprises.

"To form a full picture, we started monitoring all the agricultural
organizations of Armenia this January, which will allow us to make
realistic appraisals and carry out work with individual producers,’
Alaverdyan said.

He said that the first results will be available in the first
quarter of this year. Since the industry is seasonally dependent,
the monitoring will last during the whole year, and clearer results
will be available this autumn.

One of Armenia’s commitments to the World Trade Organization is
imposing VAT on farm products from January 2009. To meet farmers’
interest, the Government set the minimum rate for taxation, 58.35bln
AMD of the sales.

According to some estimates, 10 to 20 per cent of the Armenian
agricultural enterprises are to pay VAT from this year.

GORAN LENMARKER SAYS KARABAKH CONFLICT REGULATION IS POSSIBLE ALREADY THIS YEAR

ARMENPRESS
Feb 13, 2009

BAKU, FEBRUARY 13, ARMENPRESS: Special representative of the chairman
of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly on Karabakh issue Goran Lenmarker
told journalists on Thursday in Baku that the regulation of Karabakh
conflict is already possible this year.

On Thursday evening Lenmarker arrived in Baku from Tbilisi.

The special representative of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stated that
the regulation of Karabakh conflict will play an important role for
the two countries in the issue of solution of a range of issues.

"In the issue of regulation of the conflict it is necessary to reach
balance between preservation of the autonomy of the country and self
determination of nations as the both principles are very important",
– Lenmarker noted.

The main meetings of the special representative of OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly are planned for today.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER: IT IS IN INTERESTS OF ARMENIA TO INTRODUCE THE REGIONAL CURRENCY AMONG CIS COUNTRIES

Regnum
ml
Feb 10 2009
Russia

Armenia is committed in introduction of the regional currency among CIS
countries, said Tigran Sargsyan, the Armenian Prime-minister in program
"Together" on MIR TV. "We have a whole package of suggestions on this
subject, in particular, how it can be done. And what is interesting,
that the Central Bank of Armenia proposed this amendment three years
ago", — stressed the Armenian premier.

Sargsyan underlined, that a project is on the table of the CIS
Intergovernmental Bank. According to him, this bank, where are
represented all CIS countries’ Central Banks could be an appropriate
instrument.

"In case the Central Banks will use these currencies and consider
them as own reserve currencies, it will be the first step towards
calculations in rubles between CIS countries, and in its turn,
it means, that the Central Bank of Armenia will have to recognize
ruble as its reserve currency. Hereinafter, our commercial banks can
maintaine a ruble accounts in Armenian Central Bank and so on. It
is quite a logical scheme, and Armenia is very interested ruble to
become a currency, to carry out a transaction not only with Russia
but also with CIS other countries. We will make every effort to turn
it to reality", — said Sargsyan.

THE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY SAVING FOUNDATION OF ARMENIA (REESF) BOARD OF TRUSTEES MET AT THE OFFICE OF GOVERNMENT, PRESIDED AT BY BOT CHAIRMAN, RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN

Thu rsday, 12 February 2009

The Foundation seeks to facilitate investments in the spheres of
renewable energy and energy saving and promote the development of
renewable energy and energy saving markets in Armenia.

Based on the comments and proposals made during the discussion, the
Board of Trustees approved the 2008 REESF performance report, the
report on the fulfillment of the assignments given at the previous
meeting.

REESF Director Tamara Babayan said that a number of projects launched
in 2006 continued to be implemented during 2008, inclusive of the
World Bank-supported Urban Heating Lending Project, the "Global
Environmental Action" Trust Fund-financed Renewable Energy Grant
Project, as well as the World Bank and RAGP-co-financed Gas and Heat
Supply Grant Project. Ms. Babayan gave information on program budgets
and compliance indicators, procurements and overall performance.

The REESF Director noted that all of the assignments issued at the
previous meeting have been complied with in full and in time. In
particular, she advised that preparations for the Geothermal Project
have been completed already. Talks were held between the World Bank and
the Armenian delegation on January 29, 2009, leading to a co-financing
arrangement with USD 1.5 million available from the Bank as a grant
and USD 300.000 allocated from the Republic of Armenia State budget
(17% of total expenditures). The program is due to be completed in
2010. Tamara Babayan said that considering that the program will be
carried out on a seasonal basis, the Foundation has already launched
a tender process with a view to signing the necessary contracts as
soon as the program is effective.

Account taken of the observations and suggestions made during the
meeting, the Board of Trustees passed a number of decisions concerning
the Urban Heating Project, the procurement plans of Renewable Energy
and Gas and Heat Supply programs, consolidated program budgets,
the Foundation’s agency remuneration and maintenance cost estimate
for FY 2009, the list of vulnerable households eligible under the
Renewable Energy and Energy Saving Program, heat (heating and hot
water) supply rehabilitation in 7 urban boarding schools under the
Urban Heating Project, as well as concerning the decisions passed
on the rulings of tender commissions dealing with the purchase of
commodities, works and services for the Installation of Individual
Gas Heaters in Vulnerable Households program.

The Board of Trustees was provided information on the loan proceeds
extended to Arguishti Condominium as a preparations advance for pilot
projects under the Urban Heating Program. It has been decided to
exempt 0Athe Condominium from fines and penalties only upon repayment
of the credit sum.

RICHARD KIRAKOSYAN: NO VIABLE ALTERNATIVE TO THE MINSK GROUP AS A MEDIATOR FOR THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

armradio.am
11.02.2009 18:47

Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS) Director
Richard Giragosian issued a statement today commenting on a recent
report in the Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet claiming that a new
"partial agreement" has been reached between Armenia and Azerbaijan
over Nagorno Karabakh, brokered by Turkish Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan. The report alleged that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached a
new agreement on four key points of a draft peace plan, including
the reopening of road and rail links between Azerbaijan and Armenia
and the deployment of an undefined international peacekeeping force
to the region.

"While today’s report in the Turkish media remains unsubstantiated by
any Armenian, Azerbaijani or Turkish officials, the rather sensational
claims of a sudden breakthrough over the unresolved Karabakh conflict
raises several concerns. Most notably, the unconfirmed report reveals
the danger posed by the overall lack of transparency and inadequate
public awareness of the status of the peace process.

By its very nature, the closed and secretive process of mediation by
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk
Group only fosters misunderstandings and misinformation, especially
as neither the Armenian nor the Azerbaijani governments are doing
enough to prepare their consti tuencies for a possible peace deal.

At the same time, however, there is no viable alternative to the
OSCE Minsk Group as a mediator for the Karabakh conflict. The Minsk
Group is the sole international body empowered to manage the mediation
effort aimed at resolving the Nagorno Karabagh conflict and has been
long engaged in conducting delicate diplomacy toward that end.

But the OSCE Minsk Group format is also structurally flawed by the
absence of the democratically-elected representatives of the Nagorno
Karabagh Republic (NKR) which, as a party to the conflict, must be
afforded a more direct and formal role in the peace process.

Moreover, the failure to incorporate Karabagh in the peace talks as
a party of equal standing only questions the viability of reaching
a negotiated resolution capable of meeting the minimum standards of
security and sustainability.

The recognition of the vital and primary role of the OSCE Minsk Group
as the mediator for the Karabagh also means that Turkey can have no
direct role in the peace process. By virtue of its close strategic
relationship with Azerbaijan, and in terms of Turkey’s open diplomatic,
economic and military support for Azerbaijan, including its ongoing
blockade of Armenia, Turkey can not been accepted as a neutral broker
or mediator of the Karabagh conflict.

On a broader level, the lack of information concerning the peace
process only leads to misinformation, endangering th e already fragile
and delicate peace talks. For Armenia, the lack of information only
fuels misunderstanding and fosters a deeper sense of apathy among the
population. The Armenian government must do much more to educate and
involve its citizens in the peace process.

Equally important, Azerbaijan has also failed to properly prepare its
public for any possible progress in the peace talks. In addition,
the secrecy surrounding the peace talks has only strengthened the
militant rhetoric of its leadership and has radicalized the discourse
within Azerbaijani society.

Although the August 2008 war in Georgia only reaffirmed the danger of
a sudden outbreak of hostilities in the region, Azerbaijani leaders
continue to dangerously promote an irresponsible language of aggression
and threat, tending to exacerbate regional insecurity.

Therefore, the recent revelations of the Turkish media suggesting a
secret peace deal over Karabagh only serves to complicate efforts to
forge a fair and lasting peace. Most crucially, the lack of information
and transparency encourages a dangerous trend of misinformation and
disinformation that entrenches stereotypes and emboldens more extreme
views. Thus, the failure of all sides to prepare and engage their
publics in the peace process only reveals the deficit of prudent
statesmanship and proper leadership."

THE 8TH MEETING OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS FOUNDATION OF ARMENIA TOOK PLACE ON FEBRUARY 8, 2009 CHAIRED BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD MR. TIGRAN SARGSYAN

Tue sday, 10 February 2009

Other public sector representatives attending the meeting included
Board members Vahram Nercissianz, Chief Economic Advisor to the
RA President and Vice Chairman of the Board; Nerses Yeritsyan, RA
Minister of Economy; Tigran Davtyan, RA Minister of Finance; Arthur
Javadyan, Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia. Representatives of
the private sector and the international donor community attending the
meeting included Board embers Ruben Vardanian, CEO of Troika Dialog;
Noubar Afeyan, CEO of Flagship Ventures; Raffi Festekjian, CEO of
Wolters Kluwer/PCi; and Aristomene Varoudakis, World Bank Country
Manager in Armenia. Hranush Hakobyan, RA Minister of Diaspora, and
Hakob Sarkissian, Partner amd Head of Transactions, CIS of Ernst
&Young also attended as invitees.

The goal of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia is to
foster sustained economic development and raise Armenia’s level of
competitiveness. The Foundation fosters the formation of a strong
and competitive Pan Armenian world, and assists in the development
of Armenia into a regional and international center in areas where
it has intrinsic potential, such as tourism, healthcare a nd education.

The mission of the Foundation is the development and implementation
of strategic investment projects, the formation of infrastructure
and capacity required for those projects, and the development and,
in partnership with ministries, the implementation of policy and
reform projects aimed at creating a favorable enabling environment.

During the Board meeting, the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer
of the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia, Mr. Pegor
Papazian, presented his proposals regarding the strategic approach,
work plan, organizational structure and budget planning aspects of
the Foundation.

Among other issues, Board members addressed the recent developments
of the world economic situation and the actions undertaken by the
Government of Armenia to ensure the sustainable development of
Armenia’s competitiveness in that context.

The Board approved the candidacy of Mr. Armen Hovhannisyan for the
position of the National Competitiveness Foundation’s Tourism Office
Director.

Mr. Hovhannisyan was selected from among 81 applicants by a special
committee composed of Board members, advisors to the Board and the
Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mr. Papazian. The Tourism
office of the Foundation already has a portfolio of projects that are
in the planning or implementation stage, including the development
of the area around the Tatev monastery into an important tourist
destination in conjunction with the restoratio n of the Monastery
and the construction of a ropeway across the Hali gorge undertaken
in partnership with Armenia 2020. Another tourism project under
consideration is the creation a Masters’ neighborhood as a tourist
destination near the city of Spitak, which will showcase the work
of master craftsmen from the region who would live and work in this
special neighborhood.

Several projects in the health sector are under consideration
in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of
Economy, including one project in the advanced planning stage aimed
at establishing a major center for nuclear medicine in Yerevan. The
Board also discussed plans in other target sectors, forming a working
committee to begin developing the Foundation’s project portfolio in
Education and deciding to take up the topic of initiatives in the
financial sector and of Armenia as a center of business excellence
during its next meeting.

The Board also discussed the issue of the Pan Armenian Bank, and
requested that the Central Bank of Armenia assume responsibility for
the selection of international experts who will assist in the design of
the Pan Armenian Bank’s functional and institutional structure. Having
examined more than 140 candidates from seven countries, a committee
of the board made up of Ruben Vardanyan, CEO of Troika Dialog, Vache
Gabrielyan, Vice Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia, and Andrew
Lazarian, M anaging Director of Ameria CJSC, concluded that although
many candidates were of high caliber, none had the specific experience
required to ensure the success of the Bank’s operations and to fulfill
its vision. Based on the committee’s recommendation, the board decided
to launch a broader and more specifically targeted international
campaign to attract world class candidates for consideration at
subsequent Board meetings.

The Board decided to create a working group together with the Ministry
of Diaspora to develop mechanisms for collaboration with Armenians
from the Diaspora who have high professional qualifications with the
aim of foster a stronger and more competitive Pan Armenian world. The
same working group will also address two other aspects of active
collaboration within the Pan Armenian world, namely the interaction
of Armenians in a virtual electronic environment and the creation
of a network of prominent Diaspora Armenian advisors to provide
the National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenian with a powerful
support structure.

The Board of trustees of the National Competitiveness Foundation of
Armenia decided to hold its next meeting on March 21 and 22, 2009.

"HEALTH CARE AND PHARMACEUTICS EXPO-2009" 8TH INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIZED EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN

ARMENPRESS
Feb 11, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 11, ARMENPRESS: "Health care and Pharmaceutics"
8th international specialized exhibition will be held April 10-13
in Yerevan.

Press service of the Armenian Health Ministry told Armenpress that
during the exhibition roundtables and workshops will be organized,
particularly on prevention, clinical medicine, stomatology,
pharmaceutics, motherhood and childhood, hygiene and other themes.

Achievements of a number of leading countries as well as Armenia in
the sphere of medicine and modern approaches of providing medical
services in a number of principle directions will be presented to
the visitors. During the event a special place will be provided to
the exhibition of rehabilitation equipments.

The exhibition is organized by "LOGOS EXPO center" exhibition company
under the auspices of the Armenian Health Ministry.

It will be held in Yerevan "Moscow house" business-cultural center.