On the tragic event of Yevpatoria, RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
sent a message of condolences to Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Timoshenko, which states in part:
Friday , 26 December 2008
`On behalf of the government of Armenia and myself, I extend deep
condolences on the blast in a residential building in Yevpatoria which
took several human lives.
At this time of sorrow for the people of Ukraine, we join you with a
feeling of sincere sympathy.’
ARMENIAN, TURKISH, AZERI FMS WON’T MEET IN EARLY 2009
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.12.2008 17:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Foreign Ministry refuted information
about a meeting between Foreign Ministers of Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey in early 2009.
"The Ministers will not meet early next year," RA MFA media relations
division head Tigran Balayan told PanARMENIAN.Net.
Turkey’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic announced Thursday
that the Foreign Ministers of the three states are preparing for a
meeting. "Turkey wishes a soonest resolution for the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict," Kilic said.
NO GAS FOR THE VILLAGE
A1+
[12:35 pm] 23 December, 2008
Villagers of the Mets Ayr district of the Lori Marz will solve the
heating issue with firewood this year. The gas tubes made it to the
middle of the village, but no further. The villagers waited for a
long time for the constructors, who never came to the village.
The government has conceded 29,080,000 drams for the gasification
program. According to head of the village Grandpa Arushanyan, the
work remained incomplete because the money wasn’t enough and the
constructors left.
There was another reason for the incomplete work. The district had
to make a 15% investment in the construction (4,362,000 drams). They
only made the five percent investment.
"The only issue now is the remaining 10%, which we are unable to give
due to the low budget of the district," says village head of Mets
Ayrum Grandpa Arushanyan. The village head plans on finding sponsors
to solve the issue. Grandpa Arushanyan believes that the government
will make concessions if the district makes investments and the work
will be completed.
AZERI SOLDIER IN ARMENIAN CAPTIVITY DOESN’T WANT TO RETURN
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 17:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri draftee Rafik Rahman ogly Hasanov who yielded
himself prisoner to the Armenian side said he doesn’t want to return
to the homeland.
He told Armenian TV channels that he suffered humiliation when serving
in the Azeri army. He said that he is treated well in Armenia and
that he is not going to return to Azerbaijan.
EU RESUMES ACCESSION TALKS WITH TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.12.2008 15:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey and the European Union are set to open two
more chapters in the accession negotiations, diplomats close to the
talks said.
The chapters on Information Society and Media, and the Free Movement
of Capital will be opened at an inter-governmental conference scheduled
for Friday.
The EU Foreign Ministers urge Turkey to reconsider its policy toward
Cyprus and speed up the process of reform, Deutsche Welle reports.
CHILDREN DO LESSONS BY CANDLELIGHT
A1+
[01:13 pm] 17 December, 2008
It is too difficult too depict the state of the Asoyans family in
words. The destituted family lives in abject poverty in a dilapidated
building in Vanadzor. To understand their grave state one should have
a look at their hygienic and domestic conditions.
The family’s cherished dream is to have a cozy dwelling place. They
get 26000-dram family benefit which is the family’s only source of
income. The father of three underage children, 49-year-old Levon
Asoyan, has serious health problems. He doesn’t have a permanent
job. Levon Asoyan does manual work and supports his family with his
daily meagre earnings. The Asoyans don’t even prepare for the upcoming
New Year celebration as they hardly earn their early bread. Two of the
children- Karen, 13, and Gurgen, 11, go to school. The boys have to do
their lessons by candlelight as the building is denergised. Asoyans’
neighbours help them to the best of their abilities.
HENCEFORTH ROSGOSSTRAKH-ARMENIA TO INSURE DEPOSITS WITH AMERIABANK
Noyan Tapan
Dec 16, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Ameriabank has signed an agreement
with Rosgosstrakh-Armenia insurance company, by which henceforth
natural persons’ deposits of any amount with Ameriabank will be
completely insured, irrespective of the currency, the director
general of Ameriabank Artak Hanesian announced at the December 16
press conference.
He said that under the law, deposits of up to 2 million drams (about
6.5 million USD) are guaranteed by the Deposit Payment Guaranteeing
Fund, while all deposits of over 2 million drams with Ameriabank will
be insured by Rosgosstrakh-Armenia. A. Hanesian pointed out that not
only new deposits but also those made in the past will be insured. He
informed those present that the total amount of deposits subject to
insurance makes about 8 million USD now.
In the words of A. Hanesian, the authorized capital of Ameriabank
amounts to 18.2 billion drams, which is the highest index in
the Armenian banking system. The overall capital grew 4.5fold in
January-November 2008 and makes about 20 billion drams, while overall
assets grew 5fold as compared with early 2008 and make more than
45 billion drams. The bank’s credit portfolio amounts to 28 billion
drams and it is envisaged increasing it to 30 billion drams by the end
of 2008. The deposit accounts amount to 12 billion drams – against
3.7 billion drams in early 2008. It was mentioned that Ameriabank’s
profit currently makes 830 million drams, but it will also increase
by late 2008.
A. Hanesian said Ameriabank is continuing discussions on purchase of
a bank in Armenia. "We are now examining the indices of some banks so
as to make final decisions on either a merger or purchase of a bank,"
he noted.
According to him, the global financial crisis has not had an impact
on Ameriabank and on the whole banking system of Armenia. "However,
we currently examine the market more carefully and cooperate with
other banks in order to avoid possible risks," A. Hanesian said,
adding that the situation and tendencies in foreign financial markets
are in the center of their attention.
SITUATION ALONG ARMED FORCES CONTACT-LINE DISCUSSED IN KARABAKH
Noyan Tapan
Dec 15, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, NOYAN TAPAN. On December 15, NKR President Bako
Sahakian held a consultation with the supreme command staff of the NKR
Defense Army at the head of Defense Minister Movses Hakobian. Issues
related to army building, situation along the contact-line between
Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan armed forces, and improval of social
conditions of the servicemen were discussed at consultation. Noyan
Tapan was informed about it by the Central Information Department of
the NKR President’s Office.
HRANUSH HAKOBIAN: THERE SHOULD BE CLOSE COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMTECH AND MINISTRY OF DIASPORA
Noyan Tapan
Dec 15, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 15, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Minister
of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian on December 12 received the Chairman of
Viasphere company Tony Moroyan and the Executive Director of the IT
Foundation Garegin Chugaszian.
According to the Ministry of Diaspora, a detailed discussion took
place on the wide use of high technologies and the involvement of
Armenian Diasporan experts in a united information network through
these technologies.
During the meeting the minister asked questions on practical
use of scientific achievements, the unification of Armenian and
Armenian-language websites in the Internet, and organization of
on-line consultations and united educational programs.
H. Hakobian expressed conviction that close cooperation between ArmTech
and the Ministry of Diaspora should start so that the Internet and
high technologies will become everyday work instruments of both the
ministry and the Diaspora, through which it will be possible to ensure
constant contacts and consultations.
December 14, 2008
Armenian Rights Council of America, Western Region
1901 N. Allen Ave.
Altadena, CA 91001
Contact: Mr. Ara Aharonian
Tel: 626-296-2921
Fax: 626-296-2922
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
Argentine-Armenian Legislator Sergio Nahabetian Officially Invited to
Los Angeles City Hall
ALTADENA, CA – On Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Argentine-Armenian
Legislator representing the Province of Buenos Aires, the Honorable
Sergio Nahabetian, accompanied by his gracious wife Susanna and a
delegation of board members from the Armenian Democratic Liberal (ADL)
Organization, Western Region, the Armenian Rights Council of America
(ARCA), Western Region, and the AGBU Southern California District
Committee, accepted an official invitation to visit Los Angeles City Hall.
The official invitation was generously arranged by Los Angeles City
Council Member Tom LaBonge, who represents the 4th Council District of
Los Angeles, which encompasses an area stretching from Central Hollywood
to Griffith Park and from Silver Lake to Studio City. Specifically,
during the Los Angeles City Council’s opening session in the morning,
Council Member LaBonge formally introduced Mr. Nahabetian to fellow
members of the City Council. Moreover, on behalf of Los Angeles Mayor
Antonio Villaraigosa who was out of town, and the residents of Los
Angeles, current Los Angeles City Council President and Council Member
representing the 13th Council District, Mr. Eric Garcetti, welcomed Mr.
and Mrs. Sergio and Susanna Nahabetian to the City of Angels.
A special reception ensued, during which Mr. Nahabetian greeted Los
Angeles City Council members and staff in Spanish, thanked them for
their warm and generous hospitality, and presented Los Angeles City
Council Member Tom LaBonge with a gift on behalf of the Province of
Buenos Aires, Argentina. Council Member LaBonge, in turn, presented
Sergio Nahabetian with an official City Proclamation on the occasion of
Mr. Nahabetian’s historic visit to Los Angeles.