U.S. PRESIDENT CONGRATULATED SERZH SARGSYAN
Panorama.am
12:57 22/09/2009
On the occasion of 18th anniversary of the Independence of Republic
of Armenia President Serzh Sargsyan received congratulatory messages
from the President of Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, President
of the U.S. Barack Obama, heads of other states and international
organizations, President’s Cabinet reports.
CONCEPT OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION TO BE DEVELOPED IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
22.09.2009 16:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Part of financing provided by international
structures should be allocated to industrial production development,
Head of RA Manufacturers’ Union Vazgen Safaryan believes.
He reminded that during 8 months of crisis, 18.5% GDP slump
was registered in Armenia. GDP in Armenia is mostly comprised of
construction, which proves that " world financial crisis seriously
affected RA economy."
"The Government undertook some steps to stimulate local production,
yet the majority of means was allocated to preserve the existing
construction rate. Still, the slump in construction sphere comprised
20-55% during 8 months," he noted. According to Safaryan, AMD 840
billion was invested in construction in 2008. " Industrial production
share of GDP comprised 22-23% in 2008. In crisis circumstances
industrial production volumes decreased to 10-11%. By the end of 2009
the export will comprise around $550-600 million."
Vazgen Safaryan believes that industrial production concept should
be developed in Armenia. "We already undertook some steps towards
resolving the issue, as without industrial production Armenia will
be unable to provide jobs and product production to supply inland
revenues regardless of economy fluctuations or seasonal conditions,"
Head of RA Manufacturers’ Union stated.
PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS WITH MEDIA REPS FOR PROTOCOL DISCUSSION
9/
2009/09/22 | 12:30
Politics
Late last week, President Serzh Sargsyan invited representatives of
over 30 news outlets to a meeting to discuss the latest developments
in the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. "Hetq Online"
and some other media outlets did not receive invitations.
The discussion lasted over two hours during which President Sargsyan
laid out his priorities for the normalization process, stating that
the role of the media in formulating public opinion on the matter is
quite important. The Armenian president states that the country had
entered a complex but necessary political process designed to restart
dialogue between the two nations.
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended today the opening ceremony
for the new building of ArmSwissbank.
2/
Thursday, 17 September 2009
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan attended today the opening ceremony
for the new building of ArmSwissbank.
Speaking about the Bank’s activities, Tigran Sargsyan indicated that
ArmSwissBank is a dynamically developing entity. He expressed hope that
it will help promote competition in the banking sector.
Concerning the challenges faced by the banking sector, the head of the
Armenian government said that domestic banks should be directed to
sharply increase the level of lending at home.
He similarly noted that the new building will help attract new
customers and expand the scope of services. Appreciative of the Bank’s
mission, Tigran Sargsyan said in particular: `ArmSwissBank came up with
interesting proposals some of which have already been accepted by the
Central bank, such as the building of an investment-friendly legal
framework for commercial banks. The development of securities market
has been central to the policy of economic reform. Here, I would like
to mention the involvement of OMX-Nasdaq in our country.’
In conclusion, the Prime Minister wished the Bank a strong boost in
activities thanks to the new working conditions.
The opening ceremony was attended by NKR Prime Minister Ara Harutunyan
Aysor, Armenia
Sept 19 2009
Professor Sir Ara Darzi to be awarded Foreign Member of ANA
Professor Sir Ara Darzi, a world-known oncologist, will be awarded
Medal and Diploma of Foreign Member of Armenia’s National Academy.
Professor Sir Ara Darzi holds the Paul Hamlyn Chair of Surgery at
Imperial College London where he is head of the Division of Surgery,
Oncology, Reproductive Biology and Anaesthetics. He is an Honorary
Consultant Surgeon at St Mary’s Hospital NHS Trust and The Royal
Marsden NHS Foundation Trust. He holds an honorary chair at The
Institute of Cancer Research.
He is well-known in Armenia of his charity work in medicine. Professor
Sir Ara Darzi has actively engaged in Armenia’s health care
modernization system and modern technologies introduction.
Aysor, Armenia
Sept 19 2009
Getar won’t be open even if its closing will be consider wrong
Many people believe the flooding during the heavy rain in Yerevan is
caused because of the closing of Getar stream of Khanjayan
street. These opinions weren’t dispersed even after the Yerevan’s
Mayor Gagik Beglaryan saying that the flooding is not related with
Getar’s closing and the reason of floods is the plugging of the nets
of the capitals water-pipes.
In his conversation with Aysor.am Gagik Beglaryan mentioned: `We
continue our discussions to understand the defect that exist
today. All these asphalting processes and constructions can bring to
the situation that we had in 1946 when Getar flooded the hall
city. God forbid from understanding the defect that exists during the
real flood.’
G. Beglarian assured that if it will be proved that closing Getar
stream is wrong measures will be undertaken due to which `we will
lessen the problems that we have’. The mayor excluded the chance of
opening Getar stream again.
The president of Consumers’ Union of RA Armen Poghosyan thinks that
the rains of June were not as intensive as they were last year, but
such a flood didn’t occur yet as the water went by its stream. `If
Getar being closed doesn’t matter so what matters? This question was
left hanging in the air. How can Getar not to be related with the
stream of the water?’, – says A. Poghosyan with indignation.
He also informed that he has talked to the chief architect of Yerevan,
and to the question why Getar was abolished the answer was as follows
`According to the Nature Protection Ministry it was
stenching’. A. Poghosyan assures it is an `absurd’, the river can’t
stench as the river is self-cleaner system. You should only pick up
the garbage from there.
`They have done something more horrible than putting the stream into
the tubes, the rivers overflow in springs and in autumns the
contrary. But the stream of Getar is not being more or less’, –
assures A. Poghosyan.
After his investigations it turned out that the water reserving pool
is dried and reconstructed and the lake which was feeding Getar (in
the North of Avan) doesn’t exist anymore.
HITLER VICTIM BLAMES LAROUCHE SIGN FOR ASSAULT
KOMO News
tml
Sept 17 2009
By Denise Whitaker Watch the story EDMONDS, Wash. — It was just a
sign featuring President Barack Obama with a Hitler mustache.
But one man says what it represents got his blood boiling. And now
the 70 year old is facing assault charges.
Supporters of Lynden LaRouche often stand on sidewalks, passing out
brochures outlining their beliefs. One of their latest campaigns
involve their accusation against President Obama, whom they believe
is trying to revive Adolf Hitler’s genocide programs.
When Henry Gasparian saw the LaRouche supporters handing out pictures
of the mustachioed president, his anger boiled over.
"I asked them, ‘Do you know who Hitler was?’ Do you know why you’re
standing here?’" he said.
But all he got was a casual rebuff, he said.
To Gasparian, the Hitler reference is very real. The Armenian immigrant
tears up whenever he thinks back to the life he lived under Hitler.
Gasparian watched his brother starve to death under the German
occupation of the Soviet Union. And the image of Obama donning a
Hitler mustache rushed him with a flood of emotional memories.
So Gasparian confronted two young men holding the signs. Then he
tried to snatch their brochures.
The two teenagers who were working the LaRouche stand called police,
and Gasparian has been charged with assault.
"I do not regret that I stood up and said that. Maybe the way I did
should have been more civilized," he said. "I never meant to push or
strike them, they are teenagers."
Chris Fleck, another Edmonds resident, LaRouche supporters anger him
and his wife, but said he knows they’re just exercising their right
to free speech.
"They can have all the speech they want, but we have right to be
offended by it," Fleck said.
But Gasparian doesn’t see it that way.
"It’s not freedom of speech. It’s not freedom of speech. It’s freedom
to insult anyone you want to?"
One thing LaRouche supporters may be guilty of is spreading their
word illegally, at least in the city of Edmonds. The mayor said they
have not obtained a proper permit.
ARF-D WON’T COMMIT SUICIDE, THEY’RE ONLY PROTESTING
Tert.am
Sept 16 2009
Armenia
The broad range of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D) Party’s protests are quite impressive.
The latest developments of Armenian-Turkish relations, more precisely
the "improvements", include a large number of activists protesting
before the Government of the Republic of Armenia building, where
an unprecedented sit-in has been taking place. Participants in the
sit-in protect themselves from the sun with Aravot, the Armenian Times
("Haykakan Zhamanak") and Yerevan Time ("Jamanak Yerevan") daily
papers. Along with the protest, activists are collecting signatures.
The young person responsible for collecting signatures could hardly
explain its meaning and aims. In answer to Tert.am’s question if
ARF-D members were present there, or, even, Supreme body member Armen
Rostomian, he said "I don’t know …"
The number of protesters doesn’t exceed a hundred, in which case,
according to the Republic of Armenia Constitution, the protestors are
entitled to organize their protest wherever they wish, explained one
of the protestors.
Unlike other political protests over the past two years, the number
of law enforcers here is not large. Only a few police officers are
responsible for keeping the peace and maintaining order.
There is also a display stand presenting the situation that has
impelled ARF-D representatives to take this measure. The stand presents
corrections made by ARF-D in the "Protocols pre-signed on August 31
between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey."
One can see the same stand before the Republic of Armenia Foreign
Ministry building. Here the protest is more serious. The protestors
are on a hunger strike. It’s true, according to participants, the
strikers take turns, substituting each other every three days. "We
are not going to commit a suicide, it’s a protest action."
Here, signatures are also collected. By the way, one can sign the
petition "without any preconditions"; that is, without a passport or
any other form of ID. Along with your signature, only your first name,
surname, patronymic, and home address are required. Most probably,
those collecting signatures are able to remember faces, in order to
prevent someone from signing twice.
If we cross the street and move to the part where Lenin’s monument
once stood (on the 1700th anniversary of adoption of Christianity, a
huge luminous cross was standing in the same place), we will be able
to see two women in charge of several display stands. The themes of
the photos and images shown on the stands are diverse: raging from
horrible pictures of the Armenian Genocide to scenes encouraging
violation of the Turkish flag. Heroes of the Nagorno-Karabakh war
are also pictured here.
It is not in vain that the word "improvement" mentioned above is
accompanied by a copyright symbol. According to the ARF-D, the word
"development" must be replaced with the word "improvement." That is
to say, there have not been any relations, to "develop"…
One more point, which probably is the most important for the ARF-D
in their persistent and fixed struggle. In point 5 of the Protocols,
according to them, the words "science and education" must be replaced
with "science, education and culture."
They explain it this way: "We think that this sub-commission must
not only deal with the spheres of science and education, but also
with cultural values and the fate of historical monuments."
To conclude, we would like to mention that ARF-D is not against and has
never been against normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. They
only note, "Turkish people owe us."
ORANGE ARMENIA STRIVES TO BE INNOVATIVE MOBILE OPERATOR IN ARMENIA
Tert.am
Sept 16 2009
Armenia
By the end of this year, Armenia’s third mobile operator, Orange
Armenia, plans to enter the mobile market. All in all, the company
plans to offer cell phone services and protective covers in the area
of 80 million USD — and that’s just this year.
In experts’ opinions, a third mobile operator entering the market will
bring about structural changes. In a briefing with local newspaper
Capital, Orange Armenia CEO Bruno Duthoit offered certain details
about their initial steps.
Capital: Mr. Duthoit, the mobile market is pretty saturated in
Armenia. What new products will Orange Armenia offer in this market,
and what will be your competitive edge?
Duthoit: The permeability of the Armenian mobile market is around 75%,
but that is not considered a final and impermeable figure. The level of
permeability of the mobile services market in Europe is larger, but new
operators are able to enter the market and carry out their activities.
As for having a competitive edge, we will have new approaches to
customer service, while respectfully regarding our competition. Orange
Armenia wishes to be the innovative mobile operator in Armenia. In
that regard, France Telecom’s strength and power will assist us.
In different countries, France Telecom has research centres which
concern themselves with technological development. We will strive
to find and suggest such solutions in the market which will satisfy
the needs of every customer. Perhaps they don’t wish to take about
technical solutions. Let me simply note that customers will see the
innovation in services.
Capital: In your opinion, how are the other two mobile operators in
Armenia preparing for your entry into the market?
Duthoit: We see that they are taking active steps to improve services,
as well as opening new customer service centres.
Capital: Mobile operators currently in the market already have
specific positions. Is it possible that Orange Armenia will have a
"dumping policy"?
Duthoit: We don’t plan to enter into a bidding war with the other two
operators. We will offer reasonable prices to customers, but we will
not unreasonably lower prices in order to compete in the market.
RA GOVERNMENT: OPEN BORDER MEANS ECONOMIC GAINS FOR ARMENIA, TURKEY
Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Sept 16 2009
Armenia
19:04 / 09/16/2009By various estimates, the reopening of the
Armenian-Turkish border means economic gains from dozens of millions
to billions of U.S. dollars for both countries, RA Minister of Finance
Tigran Davtyan stated in the Armenian Parliament.
He pointed out that the RA Government has conducted extensive
research to estimate the possible impact of the reopening of the
Armenian-Turkish border. "The research was conducted by not only
Armenia, but also foreign experts, as well as by such an authority
as the Word Bank. The researchers were of the unanimous opinion that
the reopening of the Armenian-Turkish border means economic gains
for both the countries," the Minister said. Davtyan pointed out that
the reopened border means lower transportation costs for Armenia, new
markets for Armenian products as well as impetus to investment. The
Minister also pointed out that the Government is ready for open
hearings for the issue. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan reported
that, pursuant to the President’s order, the RA Government is preparing
a report on a possible impact of the reopening of Armenian-Turkish
border. The Premier assured the Parliament members that the document
will cover all the aspects of Armenian-Turkish relations.
In contrast to the Government’s position, Vahan Hovhannisyan, a
member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), stated that
the party conducted in-depth research as well. However, unlike the
Armenian Government, the ARF arrived at an unfavorable conclusion.