Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

"INTERPRINT" 4TH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MARCH 21-24

Noyan Tapan

M arch 16, 2009

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The 4th international exhibition
"Interprint – Printing, Advertising, Design and Packing EXPO-2009" will
be held at the show-room of the Union of Artists of Armenia on March
21-24. It has been organized by LOGOS EXPO Center company with the
assistance of the RA ministry of economy, the Union of Manufacturers
and Businessmen of Armneia and the Union of Writers. More than 30
producers, printing houses, advertising and information agencies,
publishing houses and design studios will participate in the
exhibition.

The purpose of the exhibition is to encourage innovatory ideas in
Armenia, efficiently use information technologies, improve the quality
of design at publishing houses, and to strengthen the links of design
studios with producers. The participation of foreign producers and
suppliers will provide local organizations with the opportunity
to familiarize themselves with new technologies and innovations in
the sector.

Members of Congress remind US president about his election promises

2009-03-13 14:39:00

ArmInfo. Congressman Adam Schiff, joined by Representative George
Radanovich and the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. and Mark Kirk, sent a letter
to President Barack Obama thanking him for his strong record in support
of Genocide
affirmation and urging him to remain steadfast in his commitment.

As the Armenian Assembly of America reports, yhe letter comes after a
recent announcement that President Obama plans to visit Turkey next
month. Whether it is today’s Sudanese government or yesterday’s Ottoman
Empire, the perpetrators of genocide, as well as the victims, must know
that the United States will not shrink from confronting the truth.

PresidentObama’s upcoming trip to Turkey presents a unique opportunity
to address the consequences of genocide and its denial. We, therefore,
applaud the initiative of Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone
and Kirk," stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers highly assess bilateral relations

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YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 13 joint press conference
Armenian and Iranian Foreign Ministers Edward Nalbandian and Manouchehr
Mottaki highly assessed the bilateral relations.

Issues regarding the bilateral relations, regional stability were
discussed at the meeting preceding the press conference. E. Nalbandian
presented the latest developments in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement
process to his Iranian counterpart.

M. Mottaki expressing satisfaction with the Armenian-Iranian relations,
meanwhile noted that in consideration of the current possibilities,
nevertheless he does not consider sufficient the current level of
relations. According to him, if the bilateral agreements are fulfilled,
the Armenian-Iranian relations will further develop.

In connection with the Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement M. Mottaki
said that Iran has presented its position to the Armenian and Azeri
authorities. In his words, Iran is ready to assist to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict’s peaceful settlement, which was approved by both
Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is one
of the problems, which, according to M. Mottaki, can be settled only
"by laying one brick on another to make a complete building."

The Iranian Foreign Minister also said that the Assembly of Economic
Cooperation Countries was held lately in Iran, and Azerbaijan also took
part in it. The Assembly adopted a declaration on conflicts, which
mentions that regional conflicts should be settled in a peaceful way
and through negotiations.

The Iranian-American relations were also touched upon at the press
conference. The Iranian Foreign Minister said that Iran expects a
practical manifestation of the new policy from the new American
administration. As to the question of whether Iran is ready for direct
negotiations with America, M. Mottaki said that they "are waiting to
see what practical changes will be made in the U.S. policy."

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge launched in Yerevan
10.03.2009 21:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 3rd Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge organized
by Writers Union of Armenia and Iran Embassy Cultural center launched
in Yerevan on Mar.10. Armenian-Iranian Literature Bridge aims to
familiarize the counties with their literary heritage. Round table
participants, the writers from both countries, will be discussing
issues and future collaboration perspectives in literary sphere.

According to Levon Ananyan, the Head of Writers Union of Armenia,
there’s a great gap to be bridged in Armenian `Iran cultural
relations.

Previous meetings of Armenian and Iranian writers were held in Isfahan
in 2004 and 2007. Several works of Armenian writers including Karine
Khodikyan and Susanna Harutyunyan, were translated into Farsi. Among
Armenian translations were Koran, as well as works of Iranian poetess
Parvin Ethesami and dramatist Tchista Yasrebi.

It is more realistic to create tourism, health and educational centers
in Armenia

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YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The purpose of the National
Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia (NCFA) is to ensure economic
development and promote competition in the country. The director of
NCFA Bekor Papazian stated at the March 10 press conference that with
this aim the Foundation is developing strategic programs. "After the
end of the global financial and economic crisis, many countries will be
in a sad state but Armenia should be able to get out of the crisis with
higher competitiveness bases than it has today," he said.

B. Papazian informed those present that the NCFA is working out
anticrisis measures that will mainly include 3 sectors: health, tourism
and education. In his opinion, it is more realistic to create tourism,
health and educational centers in our country. "Armenia has great
potential in the tourism sector, but it is not used. Our aim is to use
this potentail and turn Armenia into a center of tourism," he
underlined, adding the government has already approved the programs on
restoration of the Tatev Monastery Complex, installation of a
Cyclone-30 isotope production unit at Alikhanian Physics Institite, and
creation of a Nuclear Medicine Center.

The NCFA has also developed the Tumanian Garden educational program
that envisages creating a number of educational centers as well as IT
and innovation organizations in Yerevan’s Tumanian Garden.

The NCFA is a nonstate organization which operates by the state-private
sector cooperation principle. Its Board of Trustees is headed by the
prime minister Tigran Sargsyan. The Foundation will cooperate with
ministries, implementing priority programs of the government.

A session of RA government’s charitable project coordination commission
took place, chaired by commission head Simon Ter-Simonyan.

/
Friday, 6 March 2009

A session of RA government’s charitable project coordination commission
took place, chaired by commission head Simon Ter-Simonyan.
12 projects have been discussed, including 4 programs carried out by
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, referred to as `Creation of a website for
the NKR National TV and Radio Company,’ `Printing of certificates for
the donors of Telethon-2008,’ `Design of capital repairs for the
right-hand block and sports building of the secondary school of Togh
village of Hadrut region of theNKR’ and `Rehabilitation of water supply
system in Aknakhpyur village of Tavush marz.’
The National Research and Advanced Technology Foundation will finance a
project entitled `Support for the maintenance and development of
scientific infrastructure in the Republic of Armenia during 2009-2010.’
The meeting has also endorsed a number of Hole See of St
Echmiadzin-implemented projects, including `Boiler-house reconstruction
for St Gayaneh monastic complex,’ `Site improvements at the Holy See of
St. Echmiadzin,’ `Heating system rehabilitation activities for the
holiday home by the Kotayk Diocese of Holy See in Tsakhkadzor,’
`Improvement of living conditions for the pupils of Hayordatz Tun of
Vanadzor’ and `Construction of Serbotz Hreshtakatz Church.’
World Vision International will carry out a project referred to as
`Construction of play grounds in the forecourts of kindergartens in
Khot and Ashotavan villages of Synik marz.’
The second leg of the program realized by Matenadaran Foundation will
provide for the construction of a new block for Matenadaran, the
Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mahtotz SNCO.
The meeting has also discussed and approved several sub-programs under
the standing ones, as well as projects on import of charitable freight
destined to various organizations operational in Armenia.

Mekhitarian Confirms Tashnaq Allied with Aoun’s Bloc and Murr

ils.aspx?id=77050&language=en

10/03/2009

88 days ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Lebanese seem
prepared to all types of surprises as the electoral lists are being
produced and alliances fixed¦

Meanwhile, questions are raised day after day concerning the position
of the Tashnaq Armenian group in the upcoming elections, mainly in the
Metn district, the district that seems to engage into one of the
fiercest electoral battles all over Lebanon.

However, the Tashnaq party doesn’t seem hesitated at all. "The decision
has been taken and our alliance declared," the party’s chief Hovig
Mekhitarian told Al-Manar on Monday. He explained that the party was
allied with the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP
Michel Aoun and his political line, but also with the person of MP
Michel Murr.

Mekhitarian ruled out any possibility of entering any coalition against
Aoun’s bloc. Moreover, he noted that if Murr chooses to include an
Armenian in the list he’s preparing with the Phalange party, "then, we
won’t give MP Murr our votes."

The Tashnaq leader was denying false reports that claimed that he was
surprised by MP Agope Paqradounian’s stance in asserting Tashnaq’s
alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement. He denied any conflict in
opinions within the Tashnaq party, stressing the unified opp
osition was the official one.

Mekhitarian met with Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri on Saturday
night in Qoreitem along with MP Murr and emphasized after the meeting
the importance of maintaining communications between Tashnaq and
Future. However, Mekhitarian denied to Al-Manar any electoral meaning
for the meeting. He said that the Armenians would not accept any seat
in Beirut that would be considered a "gift."

PanARMENIAN.Net

Goharyan went onfield as Bate team member
09.03.2009 18:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Team forward, Lokomotive reserve Hovhannes
Goharyan is on probation at Byelorussian Bate.
Goharyan has already played as Bate team member against Spartak,
having been beaten 3-0 by the latest. The game was held in Belek,
Turkey, where the Byelorussian team had participated in a
training. Goharyan spent 60 minutes onfiled, Bate official site
reported.

A 20-year old forward was named top goal-scorer of the last season,
scoring 22 goals during 24 matches.

Last month Goyaryan expressed a wish to join another club to gain
practice. At the same time, Russian media circulated rumors about
Goharyan being invited to join Bate. Yet, Bate general manager Mikhail
Dementsevich denied the information, adding that Goharyan’s
candidature was being considered, yet not settled on.

A1+

Did the HHK fling down the gauntlet?
[05:44 pm] 09 March, 2009

`The Coalition forces will gain more votes than others. The struggle
will be rather tense,’ the leader of the Republican Party of Armenia
(HHK), Galust Sahakyan said regarding the upcoming election of the
Yerevan City Council. The HHK Leader advised the opposition `not to be
that passive and take the posture of a loser.’

`The opposition says they will score good results if a parliamentary
election is conducted in the country. They had better prove their
ideology,’ says Galust Sahakyan.

With regard to Gagik Beglaryan’s appointment to the post of Yerevan
Mayor, the HHK Leader said: `If we announce that Beglaryan is the
first on the list it means he will be appointed to the post otherwise
the City Hall’s activity would become passive.’

Asked whether the HHK threw down the gauntlet to other forces with
Beglaryna’s designation, Galust Sahakyan said: `I must say that the
Republican Party has more levers in upper echelons as Armenia’s most
top officials are HHK members.’ He also added that the HHK is on good
terms with the Coalition forces.

`No need to become panic-stricken’

`The global economic crisis will end in the autumn,’ says Galust
Sahakyan. He also predicts economic growth in Armenia. `I think many
countries will end the year with losses but that won’t be a great
tragedy,’ he says. Asked whether the state budget might be reviewed
after the floating currency swap, the HHK Leader said: `The budget
will likely be curtailed if the crisis further deepens.’ I think it is
too early to make any predictions. The financial market is fully
liberalised today and I think it will promote to the liberalisation of
the commodity market. Some expenses can be reduced,
others-ignored. People should not panic. The farther we stay from it,
the easier the crisis can be surmounted.’

Deputy finance minister: no precipitous changes in exchange rates
expected in Armenia

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. No precipitous changes in exchange rates are
expected in Armenia in the nearest future, Armenian Deputy Finance
Minister Vardan Aramyan said.

`Today exchange rate of the dram corresponds to the economic fundament.
I don’t think that the dollar can surge again’, he said.

This Tuesday the CBA Board took into account the gradually worsening
trade conditions amid the present global economic and financial crisis,
as well as lower capital flow rates, and decided to restrict its
interventions in the currency market thereby reverting to its floating
exchange rate policy. CBA experts believed the dollar average exchange
rate would be 360-380 AMD/$1 this year.

As a result, the dollar leapt to AMD 380/400 per dollar driving food
and fuel prices up and triggering panic. Ordinary people rushed into
supermarkets for butter, sugar and flour.

State Commission on Protection of Economic Competition says prices for
vegetable oil, butter, petrol and sugar immediately soared.

Aramyan said that the return to floating exchange rate policy was
prompted by objective factors, such as declining trade, dwindling
inflow of money transfers and reducing reserves of the Central Banks of
Armenia.

He said that Armenian specialists have studied the experience of many
countries, such as Russia, where the authorities implemented a gradual
transition to floating exchange rate policy.

They have also discussed the matter with IMF and WB experts.

Aramyan said that Armenian authorities have chosen precipitous turn to
floating policy, since it needs little expenses, minimizes public
pessimism and leaves less room for speculative manipulations.

In his opinion, the exchange rate is already steady. He pointed out
margin in deals with currency as evidence of that.

`If demand/supply margin was AMD 20 on March 4 and 5, while now it is
five to six drams’, he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that the authorities are
correcting the exchange rate in favor of the national currency.

`Now, correction runs toward revaluation of Armenia dram and the range
calculated by the Central Bank, IMF, WB and independent experts, who
agreed that the exchange rate ranges from AMD 360 to 380 per dollar’,
Sargsyan said then.

On March 3, the Central bank of Armenia announced the return to
floating rate policy.

As a result, the dram plunged 66.36 percentage points against the
dollar, compared with March 2, to AMD 372.11 per dollar.

The dram’s downward motion continued also on March 4 ` it slipped 0.84
points against the dollar.

In recent two days, the national currency started strengthening.

It climbed 12.74 points against the dollar on March 9, compared with
March 3, and reached AMD 359.3
7 per dollar. M.V.-0–