Author: Vanyan Gary

Investment Opportunities in Armenia & Georgia

BISNIS Trades & Tenders
09/07/05 – 09/21/05

BISNIS Trades & Tenders program designed to help U.S. companies secure
export transactions and take advantage of tender opportunities in the
region. Trades & Tenders summary reports are distributed via email. To
search previously distributed

Trades & Tenders leads online, visit

This issue of BISNIS Trades & Tenders includes opportunities in:

– Aviation and Aerospace
– Consulting

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AVIATION AND AEROSPACE LEADS

EBRD – Armenia: Advisory Services – EBRD – Armenia, Consultancy
Services, Airports/Transport: Armenian International Airports

New Passenger Terminal – Advisory Services to EBRD

For more information on the Aviation and Aerospace Sector in the NIS,
please contact Irina Mitchell at BISNIS at

[email protected]

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CONSULTING LEADS

EBRD – Georgia – Public Administration – Consultancy Services –
Technical Assistance to Ministry of Environment, Georgia

For more information on the Consulting Sector in the NIS, please contact
Ellen House at BISNIS at [email protected]

Note: These opportunities are provided solely as an informational
service and do not represent an endoresment by the U.S. Department of
Commerce. Verification of these leads is the responsibility of the reader.

This report is provided courtesy of the Business Information Service for
the Newly Independent States (BISNIS). BISNIS is the
U.S. Government’s primary resource center for U.S. companies exploring
business opportunities in Russia and other Newly
Independent States of the former Soviet Union. BISNIS website:
.

+++++++++++++++Forwarded by:+++++++++++++++
Katie Kane, Trade Program Assistant
BISNIS- U.S. Department of Commerce
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 202-482-3100

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PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address: Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact: Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel: (374 10) 517 163
Fax: (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail: [email protected]
September 21, 2005

Armenian Independence Day celebrated in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

On September 21, Independence Day of the Republic of Armenia, His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, led the
members of the Brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin and the faithful in
commemorating the festive day with a service of thanksgiving in the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin.

The procession of bishops, priests and deacons led His Holiness as they
entered into the Mother Cathedral of all Armenians under the singing of
hymns and stood before the Main Altar where they offered their prayers for
the safety and security of Armenia.

Following readings from the New Testament letters and the Gospel, His
Holiness offered a prayer to heaven on bended knees, stating in part, “O
Lord, we offer praise and thanks to You, that you visited the Armenian
nation, showing us Your great mercy, and established the Armenian Republic
on this land. We bow down before You, O Lord our God, and ask from your
most generous and beneficent love, that You keep and protect the Republic of
Armenia in peace – prosperous and unshaken. Bless O Lord, all faithful and
loyal officials of Armenia. Bless all those who live under the authorities
of this Republic: clergy and laymen, young and old, men and women, and all
of your faithful flock, keeping them under the safety of Your Holy Right
Hand.”

The service ended with the Pontiff of All Armenians blessing the gathered
faithful and wishing all Armenians a happy Independence Day.

Aravot, Armenia
Sept 20 2005

ADVICE TO RECTORS

Aram Abrahamian

Teachers dismissed or offended by principals of schools periodically
come to the editorial office of “Aravot” /as well as other editorial
offices/ and tell about illegalities in schools. If the newspaper
publishes an article on that theme /certainly listening to the
opposite side, too/ the principal sends to the editorial office 10-15
teachers in addition to it 6-7 parents who make noise in the
corridors and whose brought text is approximately the following; “We,
the whole staff of the school and parents’ committee are deeply
indignant and angry of “Aravot’s” publishing. The journalist didn’t
even have right to listen to false information, which distorts the
high name of the principal. And which sounded some garbage dismissed
from the school” etc. As the principal orders to write such texts to
the teachers of Armenian Language the artistic emotionality always
exists there. The mentioned illegalities of the dismissed teachers /
gathering money, private lessons with the pupils, not going to school
the pupils in 9-10 forms etc./ exist in every school. But the “whole
staff” have to sign under “complaint- letter” as they depend on him
and in case of not obeying him they can loose their job and the
mentioned “private lessons”. The expectation of a high citizenship
from the half-hungry people is almost a cynicism.
Now is the time for our “expire date” rectors to be reelected. And it
is very possible for the “whole staff” of the institutes of highest
education to write “artistic” letters, to arrange various kinds
actions of protest for proving that how irreplaceable their rector is
and what a disaster will happen if another person leads the IHE.
Those who don’t want to stay in their posts have already sent in
their resignation. The former rector of the State Institute of Stage
and Screen doesn’t need in self-determination by the post; he is the
beloved artist Sos Sargsian. And those who try to keep their posts
produce shows and receive presents from the oligarchs. Probably as
the representative of the most needy strata of society just the
rector of Medical Institute needed in a new car.
In short, we are waiting for the activity of “all collectives”. It is
also normal. Let me only give an advice to the rectors; don’t allow
women by philological education to write texts, which assist you.

OSKANIAN: ARMENIANS OF KARABAKH PROVED THEY CAN DEFEND THEIR INDEPENDENCE

Pan Armenian News
19.09.2005 04:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Vatran
Oskanian and Elmar Mammadyarov addressed the 60-the Session of the
UN General Assembly. Starting his speech Vartan Oskanian stated that
Armenia being ahead of its neighbors occupies the 83-th position
in the Human Development Index. “We achieved this result despite
our unfavorable geopolitical position,” the RA FM said adding that
Armenia has no sea borders and oil.

“But if we had oil income we would spend it on education, social
welfare and environment protection but never on doubling the military
budget”, he stated. When touching upon the Karabakh conflict the RA FM
noted, “The Armenians of Karabakh achieved independence de-facto. They
proved that they can defend their independence, form democratic
institutes and hold elections.” In his turn the Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister presented Baku’s position on the issue. “First, Armenians
should withdraw forces form the seized territories to escape the stain
of aggressor and create an atmosphere of trust”, Elmar Mammadyarov
said. In his words, “refugees should return to their houses and local
police should be formed in Karabakh to provide security for Armenians
and Azeris. The Karabakh Armenians should be given the possibility to
communicate with Armenia while Nakhichevan should have communication
with Azerbaijan.” “Thus the Lachin corridor should become the path
of peace used in both directions and controlled by international
peacekeepers at the initial stage,” he stated, reported RFE/RL.

Armenpress

ARMENIAN SOCIAL INVESTMENTS FUND BEST AMONG CIS NATIONS

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: Charles Griffin, World Bank social
sector development director, who is in Yerevan to participate in the 6-th
international conference of the Bank’s social investment funds, kicked off
September 13 to mark the 10-th anniversary of the Armenian Social
Investments Fund, described the Armenian Fund as one of the best among
similar structures across the CIS, saying it has contributed significantly
to development of educational, health and other infrastructures.
“We are very impressed by the performance of the Armenian Social
Investments Fund and are ready to provide another $15 million for
implementation of another program,” he said. Fund’s director Ashot
Kirakosian said the second program with a total budget of around $20 million
was nearing accomplishment. He said some 585 projects were either
accomplished or were nearing it, the bulk of which were aimed at school
building, repair, improvement of drinking water networks and health
establishments.
Kirakosian praised the Armenian Diaspora organizations for their weighty
input, around $1 million, in these projects. The conference is being
attended by 150 representatives of social investment funds from 28
countries.
World Bank resident representative Roger Robinson who was present said he
was proud of the Armenian Social Investment Fund’s performance. “Now I
understand why others want to come here to learn,” he said.

pan Armenian News

IF BAKU SUBMITS KARABAKH ISSUE TO UN DISCUSSION ARMENIA WILL BREAK
NEGOTIATIONS

14.09.2005 07:49

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In case Azerbaijan submits any issue referring to the
Karabakh problem to the discussion of the UN General Assembly Armenia will
break the negotiations and Baku will have to hold talks directly with
Stepanakert, RA MFA Press Secretary Hamlet Gasparian stated when commenting
on the fact that the issue of the `seized territories’ was included in the
UN General Assembly 60-th Session. In his words, according to the UN
regulations the items not discussed during the 59-th Session are included in
the agenda of the 60-th Session. However Azerbaijan cannot undertake any
steps to accentuate attention on this item, since it would conflict with
agreements achieved earlier between the parties, H. Gasparian stated.

HERE’S HOW TO MAKE 100 BIKE RACKS DISAPPEAR
By Michael Burke

Journal Times Online, WI
Sept 14 2005

Last time in this column, I contended that very few area businesses
bother courting bicyclists as shoppers or commuters. If you have no
bike rack, you’re essentially pulling up the welcome mat for anyone
who’d ride a bike to your shop.

Cathie Barton’s son and his friend learned a hard lesson last year at
the former Country Market grocery store on Racine’s south side. With
no bike rack there, the boys locked their bikes together, then went
in to pick up a few groceries for Barton of Racine.

You can guess what happened next. Two other teen-age boys hopped on
the two locked bikes and rode off together.

“My son’s bike was never recovered, and although the thieves were
apprehended, restitution is extremely unlikely,” Barton said.

She concluded that a future consumer learns certain lessons from that
experience, and they include: “As long as we have to get in the car,
we may as well go to a different store.”

In a related (non)development … months ago we should have seen
up to 100 new bike racks installed around the Racine community. But
we’re still waiting for the first one to see daylight; they’re all
in city storage.

Late last year Sustainable Racine put up $7,800 for 100 bike racks.
The fund is created by the annual All Saints Healthcare System
golf outing.

There was also an early effort, with a Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin
representative, to find good sites for the racks. About 30 were
designated for the Downtown area, said Jeff McDorman, Racine manager
of recreation and cultural services.

Other racks were to go along the bike paths, North Beach, parks
and golf courses, Gateway Technical College, the boat launch, the
skateboard park and numerous other sites. Up to one-quarter of the
sites haven’t yet been determined, McDorman added.

The racks were shipped to the city in about April. So far they’re
as useful as a paper bike in the rain, because they’re still sitting
there.

The first snag stemmed from the rack’s shape, an inverted U. That’s
different than the stylish kind called for in the Downtown
Redevelopment Plan. Because of that discrepancy, nothing happened,
in spring or summer.

“We had intended to roll them all out together,” said Donnie Snow,
director of the city parks department – and himself a bicyclist.

Apparently, no one in the city parks department called Downtown Racine
Corp. to discuss the divergence in rack styles. DRC Executive Director
Devin Sutherland didn’t even know the racks existed until about two
weeks ago.

“I can’t think this ought to be something we get stuck on,” he said.

“Why the city placed an order that was inconsistent with the plan,
and why they were not shipped back directly, I don’t understand,”
Sutherland added.

Nor had he seen the plan for where the Downtown racks are to go. DRC
wouldn’t mind being brought in on that, either.

Bonnie Prochaska, executive director of Sustainable Racine, wants to
see the racks put out. “We’ve lost a whole season,” she noted.

Snow said he’s given his staff an ultimatum to get some racks
installed ASAP.

As they say in pool, “Rack `em up!” New blood

for Downtown The new owner of a Downtown storefront is keeping so
mum about his plans, he hasn’t even told his wife.

In fact, Michael Kademian of Milwaukee is not so sure himself what
he’ll end up doing with 407 Sixth St.

Its former owner is Rick DiBlasio, stained-glass-window repairman
par excellence. He has built a larger wholesale repair studio outside
of Downtown.

Kademian, 58, is a former physician. “I was looking for a second home
in Racine,” he said. “I like Racine and I like the beach.”

At first he was looking for a small second home here. Instead,
Kademian wound up buying this building, whose second floor will serve
as a vacation home.

The self-described preservationist’s first task will be to refurbish
the building, to make the first floor look as authentic as possible
to its 1875 roots.

But good luck pinning him down on what kind of business it’ll house
with Kademian as owner-operator. “I sort of know,” he said, “but I
don’t have to decide right now.” He insisted his idea hasn’t even
left his head and traveled as far as his wife’s.

The idea could evolve or even change, Kademian added. But he promised
he won’t just stick something static like an office into the storefront
– it’ll be something that’ll contribute activity to Downtown.

Kademian’s Armenian great-grandfather immigrated to this country
and landed in Racine. “It’s kind of like coming full circle,”
Kademian said.

Better than average The third Average Joe’s Gym, a smallish workout
place aimed at baby boom-era men, will open soon at Shorecrest Shopping
Center, 3900 Erie St.

The first opened in Burlington and the second in Mount Pleasant on
Commerce Drive.

All are owned by members of the same family. The new one is 75 percent
owned by former Racinian Karyne Jensen Madden. It will be run by her
“ex-sister-in-law’s new husband.” Got that? Average Joe happens to
be settling in next to a Curves, which sort of caters to the same
population, but the opposite gender.

FIRST HEARING ON KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE HELD SEPT 12

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8. ARMINFO. The first hearing of the CE Bureau Ad
Hoc Committee on the implementation of paragraph 5 of resolution 1416
on the Karabakh conflict will be held in Paris Sept 12.

According to the press service of the CE, the hearing will be closed
for the press. It will be opened at 9:30 am local time by Lord
Russel Johnston, chairman of the ad hoc committee. The introduction:
historical background will be presented by Dennis Sammut, executive
director of the London Information NEtwork on Conflicts and State
Building. He will be followed by Varoujan Nersissyan, head of the
department on OSCE of Armenia’s Foreign Ministry and Araz Azimov,
Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister who will present the position of the
parties concerned.

Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on the conflict
Andrzej Kasprzyk, the Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier, OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly Special Representative on the conflict Goran Lennmarker and
representative of the Office of the Special Negotiator for Eurasian
COnflicts, Department of State, USA John Crosby will present the
efforts of the Minsk Group, while EU Special Representative for
th South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie will present the position of the
European Union.

The hearing will be finished at 5 pm local time.

PACE AD HOC KARABAKH COMMISSION TO MEET IN PARIS SEPTEMBER 12

Armenpress
Sept 7, 2005

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Deputy parliament chairman Tigran
Torosian from the ruling Republican Party and Shavarsh Kocharian
from the opposition Ardarutyun (Justice) alliance will fly to Paris
on September 12 to participate in the second meeting of an ad hoc
committee that was set up by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE) to monitor the process of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict regulation. The first meeting took place on June 23 in
Strasbourg, France.

In Paris the OSCE Minsk group cochairmen from France, USA and Russia
will present a report to Minsk group member countries on what has been
done so far to that end. The ad hoc committee is expected to submit
its first report to PACE when it convenes for its winter session in
2006 January. The report will not, however, propose conflict resolution
options but will sum up information from Minsk group member countries
about what they have done to help end the conflict.

The PACE commission includes representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Turkey, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Sweden.

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x137
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, September 6, 2005

AGBU CENTRAL BOARD DONATES $100,000 TO RED CROSS FOR VICTIMS OF
HURRICANE KATRINA

In response to the natural disaster in the Gulf States, the Central
Board of the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), through special
relief contributions, will donate $100,000 to the Red Cross in support
of Hurricane Katrina emergency efforts. AGBU has quickly responded over
the years to the plight of those who have survived warfare and natural
disasters all over the world.

The Red Cross has received over $409 million in gifts that will help
victims receive water, shelter, food, counseling and other assistance.
As a non-profit organization reaching out to individuals through
humanitarian programs, AGBU would like to offer its support to the Red
Cross so that it may continue its work in helping the victims of
Hurricane Katrina.

We encourage our worldwide membership to continue donating to charitable
organizations that are providing relief efforts.

Established in 1906, AGBU is the world’s largest non-profit Armenian
organization. Headquartered in New York City with an annual budget of
$26 million, AGBU () preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually serving some 400,000 Armenians in 35 countries.