Author: Vanyan Gary

COLORADO GOVERNOR EXPRESSED GRATITUDE TO CCGAA ACTIVISTS FOR FIGHT FOR JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.11.2009 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Colorado Governor Bill Ritter expressed his
appreciation and thanks for those individuals, activists and
organizations that "fight for justice and truth", reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (AAA).

In the meantime, governor also highly assessed the activities of
Roz Duman, founder and Director of Colorado Coalition for Genocide
Awareness & Action (CCGAA). "I congratulate Roz and the Colorado
Coalition for Genocide Awareness and Action for the kind of leadership
and commitment that is essential to ensuring there are no future
genocides. Roz, and organizations like the Armenian Assembly of
America, continue to fight for justice and truth, and I thank them
for their great accomplishments," Bill Ritter said.

"The CCGAA will continue to work with the local Armenian community
to help raise awareness about the incontestable fact of the Armenian
Genocide," stated Duman.

Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny announced in turn that,
"The Assembly has a strong tradition of reaching out and working with
individuals and organizations that share the same goals and values
regarding genocide education and prevention,". "We echo the Governor’s
praise for Roz Duman and the CCGAA’s work in raising greater awareness
about this critically important human rights issue," he added.

Armenian president to pay a three-day working visit to Hungary

2009-11-07 16:19:00

ArmInfo. On November 8 Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan will leave
for Hungary on a three-day state visit.

The Armenian presidential press-service told ArmInfo that the
delegation headed by the president includes Armenian Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian, Justice Minister Gevorg Danielyan, Diaspora
Minister Hranush Hakobyan, Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosyan,
Agriculture Minister Gerasim Alaverdyan, Head of Armenia-Hungary
Parliamentary Friendship Group Gagik Melikyan and other officials.

November 8 evening Serzh Sargsyan will arrive at Budapest. On November
9 the official ceremony of greeting of the Armenian president will
take place at the Hungarian presidential residence. The greeting
ceremony will be followed by a face-to-face meeting of Armenian and
Hungarian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Laszlo Solyom, which, in its
turn, will be followed by an enlarged meeting. The two countries’
governments will sign a number of cooperation agreements. Afterwards
both presidents will make a statement for the mass media. The same day
the Armenian president will meet with Speaker of Hungarian Parliament
Bela Katona.

In Budapest Sargsyan will visit the Square of Heroes and lay a wreath
of flowers at the memorial, he will also lay a wreath at the khachkar
(cross-stone) dedicated to the memory of Armenian Genocide victims.
Then, on Laszlo Solyom’s behalf, an official dinner party will be held
in Serzh Sargsyan’s honor. On November 10 President Sargsyan will meet
with Peter Cardinal Erdo, Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai and
participants in the Armenian-Hungarian business forum. Serzh Sargsyan
will also visit the places of interest of Budapest. The two presidents
will pay a visit to the Military Institute Museum of Budapest.

The same day Sargsyan will pay a short-term working visit to
Kaliningrad region of Russia on the invitation of Governor of
Kaliningrad Georgy Boos. In Kaliningrad the Armenian president will
meet with Boos, as well as with representatives of the Armenian
community of the region. Sargsyan will also participate in the
ribbon-cutting ceremony of an Armenian cultural center and lay a
wreath at an Armenian khachkar (cross-stone).

President Sargsyan will return to Yerevan on November 11.

ACCORDING TO ANC, 2010 BUDGET IS BUDGET OF AUTHORITIES’ MISTAKES AND LACK OF FORESIGHT AND THEIR RESIGNATION

Noyan Tapan
Nov 6, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Congress
(ANC) on November 6 issued a statement, in which it expressed its
opinion about the 2010 state budget of Armenia.

The statement reads:

"The Armenian National Congress has repeatedly warned that the
steps undertaken by the Armenian government under the conditions
of the financial and economic crisis are quite inadequate for the
prevention or mitigation of the current negative developments. The
result of ignoring numerous warnings is that even after attracting
an unprecedented loan of 1.5 billion dollars from the outside world,
Armenia surpasses all CIS countries and nearly all countries of the
world in terms of the official index of its economic decline.

In fact, the so-called preventive economic measures taken by the
authorities are aimed at feeding, strengthening and maintaining the
corrupt power system rather than at protecting the interests of the
state and the citizens and at solving the existing problems.

Throughout 2009, concealing its failures and inability to deal with
any serious problem, the government – in various ways evading the
law – changed the National Assembly-adopted law on the budget and,
as a matter of fact, carried out shadow sequestration of the budget
post factum. Under such condutions, the 2010 draft state budget,
which ignores the real problems and challenges facing our country,
has been developed and presented to the National Assembly.

Thus:

– About 25% reduction in revenues is envisaged as compared to this
year, whereas economic growth is forecast for next year by the
authorities.

– Serious cuts have been announced in education (about 25%) and defence
(over 22%) compared to 2009, whereas expenditures on maintenance of
the state machinery have been left almost unchanged.

– An extremely low and declining level of taxes is programmed in the
taxes-GDP ratio, which in fact means that the authorities will not
fight the shadow economy and corruption.

– A huge budget deficit in the amount of 6.5% of GDP is envisaged.

The Armenian National Congress states that for any authorities, this
budget is a budget of their own mistakes and lack of foresight and
their resignation.

Being aware that the deepening of the economic downturn and the
financial crisis, as well as the inadequate steps on their prevention
are fraught even with the danger of a humanitarian disaster, the
Armenian National Congress once again considers it necessary to present
those principles and measures, whose use would only make it possible
to mitigate the current hard situation which is expected to worsen:

The principles of special anticrisis 5-year economic, social and
financial programming should form the basis of the 2010 state budget.

Realistic anticrisis measures rather than abstract and fairy-tale
promises and judgements should be the pivot of the indicated program.

These measures are:

– To gradually increase the revenue collection level in this 5-year
period, reaching a 22% level of the taxes-GDP ratio.

– To adopt a list of tax and customs reforms and the respective
documents, which should be aimed at introducing the principle of
progressive taxation when the tax burden is moved from the consumer
to the income consumer, from low-income consumers to high-income
consumers, the well-off stratum of society.

– To develop a package of system changes, which shall include a real
program of anticorruption and antimonopoly measures and specify a
fair economic competition atmosphere in Armenia.

– Instead of encouraging elite apartment construction, to envisage
programs on affordable apartments construction, including housing
for young families.

– To develop special programs on unemployment reduction, especially
measures on the rehabilitation of local inter-village roads,
infrastructure in rural areas and the development of communities,
and to envisage their financing from the budget.

– To allocate foreign loans for the extension of the demand rather than
the supply and to stop crediting (giving guarantees to) the so-called
"elite" developers, etc."

According to the statement, ANC has its program of measures for
overcoming the crisis, and in case of the existence of the respective
political will and the adoption of several dozen laws and decisions,
it will be possible to put the country on the development path again.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES KUWAIT PM

KUNA
Nov 3 2009
Kuwait

Kuwait, nov 3 (kuna) _ Visiting Armenian President Serzh Sargsian
received His Highness the Prime Minister Shaykh Nasir Muhammad
al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah at his residence at Bayan Palace here
Tuesday afternoon [3 November].

The meeting was attended by head of the mission of honour, adviser at
the amiri diwan Mohammad dhaifullah sharaf and assistant undersecretary
at the prime Minister’s diwan shaykh fahad jaber al-mubarak al-Sabah.

RUSSIAN GAS IMPORT TARIFF FOR ARMENIA TO RISE 16.8% STARTING APRIL 2010

Arminfo
2009-11-06 14:16:00

ArmInfo. Starting April 2010, import of natural gas to Armenia will
cost $180 per 1000 cu meters versus the present $154, Robert Nazaryan,
Chairman of the Public Services Regulatory Commission (PSRC) told
media on Friday.

He said Armenia has agreed to reduce the tariff by $20 for the next
year i.e. to $180 instead of the earlier announced $200 per 1000 cu
meter. He explained that rise of the import tariff will result in the
growth of internal tariffs of gas for the population and enterprises.

The exclusive supplier of natural gas to Armenia ArmRusgasprom CJSC
will apply to PSRC for revision of the internal prices of gas till
the end of January 2010, Nazaryan said. Electricity tariff will rise
simultaneously. "Even if the power generating companies did not apply
to the Commission for revision of tariffs, we will change the tariffs
in order the generating companies avoid losses," PSRC Chairman said.

Thermal power plants ensure 24-25% of total power generation in the
country, and these plants are gas consumers. R. Nazaryan said that
in 2010 the new modern power unit of Yerevan TPP will be put into
exploitation which is twice as effective as the existing plants. The
fifth power unit of Hrazdan TPP will be put into exploitation in 2011,
he said. (Ed. It was reported earlier that Hrazdan-5 would be put
into exploitation in 2010).

Since April 1 2009, import of natural as to Armenia grew in price 40%
to $154 per 1000 cu meters. As a result, the tariff grew 40.2% to $215
per 1000 cu meters for industrial enterprises (consumers over 10000
cu meters of gas monthly) versus the previous $153.26. Tariff for the
consumers using up to 10,000 c/m of natural gas monthly (mainly the
population) grew from the present 84,000 drams per 1,000 c/m inclusive
of VAT to 969,000 thousand drams inclusive of VAT (a 14.2% growth).

FUNDING OF ARMENIAN SCIENCE IS PLANNED TO INCREASE 10 TIMES BY 2020 UP TO 2% OF GDP OF THE COUNTRY

ARKA
Nov 5, 2009

YEREVAN, November 5. /ARKA/. Funding of Armenian science is planned
to increase 10 times by 2020 up to 2% of GDP of the country", said
Radik Martirosyan, President of Academy of Sciences to the journalists
on Wednesday.

According to the draft budget plans to allocate 0,2% of GDP or less
than 1% from the part of expenses in 2010 which is about 8 billion
drams. "The planned allocations are not enough for the development
of science. In Armenian the state allocates 3 thousand EURO for
each scientist and in European countries it makes about 120-130
thousand EURO", he said. Strategy of science development till 2020
was elaborated, according to which funding of science is planned to
reach to 2% in 2020.

But the provision of the given indicator will be problematic and
will fully depend on the economy and development of its priority
directions. "Provision of all the envisaged indictors will allow
to raise the level of Armenian science up to European standards",
said Martirosyan. ($1 – 387.56 drams.

ARMENIA INTERESTED IN DEVELOPING RELATIONS WITH KUWAIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.11.2009 19:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As part of his state visit to Kuwait, the President
of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with the director of the investment fund
of Kuwait Bader Mohammad Al Saadi. During the meeting the Armenian
President spoke about Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with the fund,
creating necessary conditions for the successful implementation of
various investment programs. Agriculture, energy, real estate and
mining were pointed as possible areas for cooperation.

Serzh Sargsyan also met with Director General of Fund for Economic
Development Abdulwahab Ahmed Al-Bader. During the meeting the President
of Armenia underlined that the official Yerevan is interested in
promoting cooperation in various spheres and ready to establish
cooperation with the Fund. In turn, General Director of the fund
attached importance to fund’s involvement in the economic development
of Armenia.

During the visit, Serzh Sargsyan also met with the head of the RA
National Assembly speaker and the prime minister of Kuwait Jassem
Mohammad AlHoraffi and Nasser Al Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.

"This is my first visit to the Persian Gulf region. Armenia
is interested in deepening relations with Kuwait and other Gulf
countries and parliaments in this respect can play a significant role,
" Serzh Sargsyan said during his meeting with the speaker of the
Kuwaiti parliament.

During the meeting with the prime minister issues of bilateral economic
cooperation were discussed. Serzh Sargsyan suggested to establish an
intergovernmental commission between Armenia and Kuwait.

The parties agreed that the opening of diplomatic missions in Yerevan
and Al Kuwait will contribute to further development of relations and
two foreign ministries were instructed to intensify consultations on
the issue. The parties also agreed to accelerate accelerate the process
of concluding an agreement on encouragement and mutual protection of
investments, press service of the Armenia’s president reports.

‘NOVIY REGION;: IF AZERBAIJAN ATTEMPTS TO RESUME MILITARY OPERATIONS IN KARABAKH, USA WILL RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNY KARABAKH REPUBLIC

ArmInfo
2009-11-03 12:25:00

ArmInfo. The United States have actually made an ultimatum to the
leadership of Azerbaijan, "Noviy Region" reports referring to the
official website of the Azerbaijani Opposition Party Yeni Musavat.

The source reports that they in Baku say that Washington represented
by Tina S. Kaidanow, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs, has responded to the frequent military statements by
official Baku regarding the Karabakh problem. In particular, the USA
hinted Azerbaijan that if it attempts to resume military actions in
Karabakh, the USA will recognize independence of the Nagorny Karabakh
Republic. In addition, the USA has information that Azerbaijan is
secretly preparing for war. It is noteworthy that Tina Kaidanow was
previously the U.S. special envoy to Pristina, Kosovo’s capital. She
is considered one of the "architects" of the Kosovo independence
scenario. Observers say the frequent military statements by Baku are
connected with the fact that the agenda of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
negotiations for the status of the NKR in mediation of Russia, France
and the USA does not contain the issue of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan as President Aliyev demands, the source reported.

ARTHUR OSIKYAN: WE CARRY OUT REFORMS IN POLICE

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2009 18:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the framework of "European Neighborhood" the
Armenian Police pledged a number of obligations, Deputy Chief of RA
Police Arthur Osikyan told meeting with law students at the Yerevan
State University.

"We are diligently working to carry out reforms within the police,"
Mr. Osikyan said, adding that a particular attention is paid to the
education system.

ARMENIAN AND GREEK ARMED FORCES TO EXCHANGE EXPERIENCE IN SPIRITUAL SERVICE SPHERE

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2009 21:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On November 3, Defense Minister Seryan Ohanyan
received Georgios Apostolakidis, Head of Greek armed forces religious
spiritual service department. During the meeting, parties stressed
that Armenia and Greece continued political-military cooperation in
the sphere of spiritual service.

Mr. Ohanyan expressed gratitude to Greek colonel and his department
for providing consultative assistance to Armenian servicemen who
perform peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Minister also expressed hope
that bilateral experience exchange in the sphere would continue,
RA Defense Ministry’s press service reports.