Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

GOVERNMENT APPROVES DRAFT DECISION ON ESTABLISHING TECHNICAL REGULATIONS OF REQUIREMENTS ON JUICES AND JUICE PRODUCTS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 13, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. At the December 13 sitting, the
Armenian government approved the draft decision on establishing the
technical regulations of reguirements on juices and juice products.

The RA deputy minister of trade and economic development Garnik
Badalian stated after the sitting that the technical regulations
define the contents of juices and juice products, and technical
requirements on them. Baby food will have marking about what cannot
be used in the given foodstuff.

G. Badalian said that the technical regulations apply to tomato mash,
tomato paste, tomato juice with dissoluble dry sustances of 7% and
over, fruit mashes, fruit and vegetable juices, and drinks containing
fruit and vegetable nectars and juices.

‘Our community of 1,200 was small’

By Abbas Al Lawati, Staff Reporter
Published: December 13, 2007, 23:18

Dubai: Sharjah-based businessman Bedros Arslanian left
Ethiopia almost thirty years ago to settle in the UAE. "This is my
home now, in a way," said the 72- year-old.
Back in the seventies, he says, there were under a hundred Armenians
in the UAE, mostly concentrated in Abu Dhabi. "Some Armenians from
Iran and Palestine have been in Abu Dhabi for more than fifty years."
Despite an Armenian presence in Ethiopia "for many centuries",
Arslanian has been met with surprise from fellow diaspora Armenians
upon telling them where he was from.

Community

"Our community in Ethiopia was small, of about 1,200, but we had
been there for a long time," he said. Armenians integrated well in
Ethiopia and were rewarded with high ranking government positions, but
most have left now. "We have quality, not quantity."
Like many diaspora Armenians, Arslanian calls more than one place
home, and Ethiopia is one of them. Fluent in Amharic, Arslanian was
born and brought up in Ethiopia and often visits family there. "I have
many memories there. Sometimes I feel like I belong there. I miss it,"
he says. The Republic of Armenia, which he visits every two months, is
also home.
"After so many years, we’ve got our own country and our own national
symbols, of which we are very proud." Although he doesn’t feel the
need to get Armenian citizenship, Arslanian says he might take it one
day "for symbolic reasons."

90.html

REVIVING HEAVILY FROM ASHES AND RUINS

Azat Artsakh Tert
Dec 13 2007
Nagorno Karabakh Rep.

Martakert province. v. of Mets shen. The village divided into two sides
by precipice. This winter day was so warm that the smoke raised only
from several chimneys , like destiny of phoenix, reminding armenian
nation reviving from destiny.Till national liberation war there were
about 225 families (728 dwellers). The village was liberated from
azeris in 1993. Today there are about 100 families (326 dwellers),
and there are 38 pupils, The family of Karakhanyans is the main
reason of our visit. The houses on both sides of the way make bad
impression. The destructed roofs and damp walls.Two brothers Martik
and Derenik, the veterans of Artsakh Nation. Liber, war did not leave
the motherland, temporarily they lived in hostel after the liberation
they returned. His sons married, Martik died. 28 year old Svetlana
remained alone with her cares.We asked her brother in law"s wife,
the mother in law answered that we can not do it because of the low
pension.The collective of "Azat Artsakh" newspaper granted to Svetlana
50.000 drams, getting money,she could not find words for expressing her
gratitude. The family gets monthly for 4 children 20.000 drams plus
21.500 drams for having orphans and they get aid with products for
a quarter. There are about 20-25 guys in the village who don’t marry
because of house conditions. They live in half destructed houses.We
asked the head of the village how you could optimize the conditions
of the house of Karakhanyans. Mr Khurshudyan answered that Svetlana
is the 12th in the list. There are houses destructed by bomb and the
houses of the perished partisans and invalids.

Governor of Martakert province S. Ohanyan told that the house
problem is keen in the province, Mets shen is also in the centre of
attention. There is transport connection with the capital and the
province centre. The drinking water problem will be solved, possibly,
in near time.In perspective, it’s not planned to have irigation
water. The school building is newly constructed.By the means of
compatriot, doctor Yesayan the monument to the liberators and the
house of officers were built.The villagers are engaged in land
cultivation and cattle breeding. 150 ha of lands were sowed. Credit
was granted for 407 thous. of drams, it was used with aim.The leader
of the village also said that there are incultivated lands and they
are inchecked and it’s impossible to sow there.

RUSSIA’S VTB BANK TO OPEN LEASING CO IN ARMENIA IN EARLY 2008

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire
December 10, 2007 Monday 11:16 AM EET

Russia’s VTB Bank plans to open a leasing company in Armenia in early
2008, the bank’s President and CEO Andrei Kostin told reporters in
the Armenian capital of Yerevan on December 8.

The company, to be called VTB Leasing (Armenia), will finance the
supplies of equipment and machinery to companies operating in the
aviation, electric power and other industries, Kostin said.

In particular, VTB Leasing (Armenia) will arrange a deal for Armenian
airline Armavia to buy SuperJet 100 planes from Russia’s Sukhoi Civil
Aircraft, Kostin said. The leasing company will provide financing
of between U.S. $55 million to $60 million for Armavia to lease
two SuperJet 100 planes in 2008, Kostin said. Sukhoi Civil Aircraft
signed a deal in September to supply two SuperJets 100s to Armavia,
according to earlier reports.

In addition, the charter capital of VTB Bank’s bank in Armenia,
called Bank VTB (Armenia), will be increased by over 62.5% to $52
million before the end of the year, Kostin said. The loan portfolio
of Bank VTB (Armenia) currently amounts to approximately $110 million
and its assets stand at $190 million.

ARMENIAN-KAZAKH RELATIONS HAVE TENDENCY OF DEEPENING, CHARGE D’AFFAIRES OF THAT COUNTRY TO ARMENIA CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 10 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian-Kazakh relations
are developing and have a tendency of further deepening. Erlan
Kubashin, the Charge d’Affaires of Kazakhstan to Armenia, stated at
the December 10 press conference. He reminded that RA Prime Minister
Serge Sargsian had also mentioned this in his interview journalists
of CIS member-countries lately.

According to E. Kubashin, the mutual visits of Armenian and Kazakh
Presidents, the reliable dialogue between them, meetings held within
the framework of CIS and other international structures are evidence
of high-level relations between Armenia and Kazakhstan. Besides,
as the Kazakh diplomat stressed, Armenia and Kazakhstan cooperate in
the direction of implementation of the Collective Security Treaty.

Touching upon the issue of Nagorno Karabakh settlement, E. Kubashin
said that Kazakhstan is for solving this problem peacefully
and considers that the parties in general and especially in the
preelection period should refrain from populist, bellicose statements,
When the journalists asked Kubashin to clarify whom he means as a
country making bellicose statements, he said that to mention names
"is not among his functions" and his task is only to call Armenia
and Azerbaijan for constructive dialogue.

VTB BANK TO FOUND LEASING COMPANY IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Dec 10 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The leasing agreement
signed previously between Armavia airline and VTB Bank is being
implemented. Thanks to the implementation of this 55-60 million-dollar
agreement, Armavia will purchase two SSJ 100 planes of Russian
production in 2008, and it will be the first part of the program on
replenishment of Armavia’s fleet, the chairman of VTB Bank Andrey
Kostin stated on December 8.

According to him, the bank envisages to open a subsidiary – VTB Leasing
Armenia company in Armenia in 2008. In addition to leasing deals,
the subsidiary will implement other leasing programs on import of
machinery and equipment from Russia to Armenia.

Speaking about activities of VTB Armenia Bank, which is a member of VTB
Group, A. Kostin said that this bank is developing successfully. "The
bank strives to hold leading positions in Armenia’s banking sector. We
realize that we purchased in time one of the leading banking
institutions of the country – Armsavingsbank, and the activities of
VTB Armenia should correspond to the role of a leader," he pointed out.

In the words of A. Kostin, recently VTB Bank replenished the
authorized capital of VTB Armenia with 20 million dollars, and VTB
Armenia has become the second largest bank in Armenia by the amount
of the authorized capital, which now makes 52 million dollars. Work is
being done to modernize the Yerevan and regional offices of the bank,
which will allow it to provide services in line with international
standards. VTB Armenia Bank currently has 89 branchehs and it
plans to increase services on crediting of retail trade and small
business. The credit portfolio of VTB Armenia Bank now makes about
110 million dollars, its assets amount to over 190 million dollars
(3rd or 4th place in the banking system of the Republic of Armenia).

It is envisaged that about 70 million dollars will be provided to
Electric Networks of Armenia (ENA) company in the near future.

It was stated that VTB Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD) intend to sign soon an agreement on implementing
a microcrediting program in Armenia from the first quarter of 2008. It
is also envisaged that EBRD will allocate resources to VTB Bank for
a mortgage crediting program in Armenia. Besides, the opportunities
of VTB Group’s European banks will be used for pre-export financing
of Armenian companies.

In the opinion of A. Kostin, the investment environment is favorable
in Armenia. "We do not see political risks related to investments,"
he stated, explaining that quite a serious financial and banking crisis
has begun in the world, with the liquidity being restricted and prices
of credit resources rising in the international financial market –
due to the problems encountered by, first of all, the financial
sectors of the US and Western Europe.

Nevertheless, in his opinion, Armenia and Russia remain countries with
a favorable economic environment. At the same time, according to him,
Armenia’s banking system is notable for its legislative regulation,
liberalization, equal working conditions and a high degree of trust,
which is evidenced by inflow of German, British and French banking
capital to the Armenian market of banking services.

Belgovision.com, Belgium
Dec 9 2007

Belgians love Armenia, the Netherlands and Sweden

Armenia took part in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest for the first
time and just like in the big Eurovision Song Contest, Armenia could
count on the twelve points from Belgium. The Netherlands got ten
points, Sweden eight points. That means that the poll on
Belgovision.com predicted the top 3, however in a different order.
Belgian televoting

. 12 points . Armenia: Arevik – Erazanq
. 10 points . The Netherlands: Lisa, Amy & Shelley – Adem In, Adem
Uit
. 08 points . Sweden: Frida Sandén – Nu Eller Aldrig
. 07 points . Bulgaria: Bon-Bon – Bonbolandiya
. 06 points . Serbia: Nevena Bo?oviæ – Pi?i Mi
. 05 points . Belarus: Alexey Zhigalkovich – S Druzyami
. 04 points . Georgia: Mariam Romelashvili – Odelia Ranuni
. 03 points . FYR Macedonia: Rosica & Dimitar – Ding Ding Dong
. 02 points . Russia: Alexandra Golovchenko – Otlichnitsa
. 01 point . Lithuania: Lina Joy – Kai Miestas Snaudzia

Armenia didn’t only receive twelve points from Belgium. Seven
countries awarded their twelve points to Arevik. Belarus, the country
that won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2007, received twelve
points from three countries only.

A striking fact is that the success of Armenia, the Netherlands and
Sweden in the Belgian televoting was predicted by the poll on
Belgovision.com. The Netherlands (first in the poll), Armenia (third
in the poll) and Sweden (second in the poll) respectively received
ten, eight and twelve points from Belgium.

p?id=3499

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION SERVICE HEAD APPOINTED

Panorama.am
13:45 08/12/2007

President Robert Kocharyan has appointed Andranik Mirzoyan as a
special investigation service head by December 7 decree, president
press services report.

Mirzoyan was the head of the investigation department at the chief
prosecutor’s office before that.

Panorama.am

21:22 05/12/2007

ARMENIAN WOMEN PRESENCE IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC LIFE INSUFFICIENT

Today a research presentation conducted by OSCE in Kapan: the problem
is that the participation of the Armenian women in social and economic
life of the country is not sufficient. The research results showed
that the important parts in social and political spheres are governed
by the male part, and they make the final conclusions.

According to the survey, the women in villages are not aware of their
rights and they do not have enough resources to take active parts in
the social and economic life of the country. Sergey Capinos the head
of OSCE Yerevan office said that he hope that this survey will create
basis to solve gender equivalence problems and will increase women’s
role in these fields. There are several proposals marked in the survey
how those problems could be struggled.

Note that the survey is conducted in the collaboration with Armine
Mkhitaryan, the head of the Social Aid Department of Research National
Institute.

Source: Panorama.am

Panorama.am

18:25 06/12/2007

SURVEY REPORTS CONCERNING GROWTH IN POLITICAL CORRUPTION

”In all civilized countries, the citizens believe that the steps
taken by the authorities against corruption are insufficient,” Amalia
Kostanyan, leader of Transparency International told reporters today
speaking about the challenges of corruption.

In her words, public opinion polls conducted by them on the size of
corruption and its perception testify that the political corruption is
increasing in size and that the political parties and the parliament
are considered as most corrupt together with courts and the
police. Moreover, by world corruption barometer surveys in 60
countries show that political parties and the parliaments are
conceived as the most corruption in 2007.

Kostanyan says women are more pessimistic about increase or decline of
corruption which is against the opinion that women give fewer
bribes. Kostanyan said women simply are less related to such
transactions.

In the words of the head of Transparency International, the political
corruption is deepening in Armenia since the concerns expressed during
the recent elections were not properly reacted.

Source: Panorama.am