SOYA EAST CONTRIBUTES TO WIDER USE OF SOYA IN FOOD INDUSTRY
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Soya East Ltd, a company set up
in Yerevan a year ago, produces milk, condensed milk and cheese,
as well as meat and cheese surrogates from soya, with all these
products being certified and corresponding to state standards of
Armenia and Russia. The company produces 80 kg of condenced milk and
20-30 kg of meat surrogates daily. The company’s director Doctor
of Technical Sciences Anahit Beglarian told NT correspondent that
over ten foodstuffs produced by Soya East have both preventive and
curative properties. For example, soya milk is a rare foodstuff of
plant origin and does not contain lactose and cholesterol. According
to her, the use of 25 grams of soya protein each day reduces the risk
of cardiovascular and renal diseases and helps prevent such diseases as
diabetes, diathesis and cancer. A. Beglarian said that Soya East is the
only Armenian company that tries to use soya in food industry. The
company provides part of the raw materials imported from Russia
to the local meat half-finished product manufacturing plants and
confectionery factories. “Soya is in great demand in many foreign
countries, whereas in Armenia only first steps in this direction are
being taken. Our purpose is to contribute to the spread of products
made from soya in the domestic market,” A. Beglarian noted.

ITB STARTS PROVISION OF “MULTICURRENCY” DEPOSIT SERVICES
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Since October 1, the International
Trade Bank (ITB) has provided a service of new kind – “multicurrency”
deposit service. Noyan Tapan was informed from ITB that the peculiarity
of this type of depositing is that by signing one contract with the
bank, the customer has the opportunity to deposit his/her savings in
one or three currencies (Armenian dra ms, US dollars and euros) at
the same time. This allows to protect one’s savings from devaluation
and inflation thanks to exhanging the money saved in one currency
for another. There are three types of multicurrency deposits at the
bank: time, cumulative and cumulative with the opportunity of partial
repayment. The term of time deposits is 365 days, the term of two
other deposits is 365-730 days.

ITB’s ASSETS MAKE 5.1 BILLION DRAMS AT END OF FIRST HALF OF 2006
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. As of June 30, 2006, the assets
of the International Trade Bank (ITB) made 5.1 bln drams (about 11.5
mln USD), its credit portfolio – 1.6 bln drams, and overall capital
– 2.98 bln drams. NT was informed from the bank that ITB has four
branches in Armenia. To recap, ITB was founded in 1992 on the basis
of Menatep-Yerevan Bank CJSC – the Yerevan branch of Menatep Bank
(Russia). In April 2000, several foreign companies acquired ITB’s
shares and later united in Makarious (MG) Holdings GMBH, and the bank
was renamed “International Trade Bank” (ITB). Since 2005, Makarious
(MG) Holdings GMBH has owned 99.91% of the bank’s shares. Makarious
unites about 60 companies registered in Austria, Great Britain,
Ireland, Switzerland, Cyprus and several CIS countries. The group
is composed of banks, leasing, investment and consulting companies
that implement big investment programs in construction, mining,
wood working, textile industry, precise technologies and trade.
In Armenia, the economic interests of Makarious Group are not limited
to the banking sector: the group has invested 22.5 million dollars
in construction of North Avenue in Yerevan.
From: Baghdasarian

SIXTH INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION ARMPRODEXPO TO OPEN IN YEREVAN ON OCTOBER 31
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. More than 60 companies from Armenia,
Russia, Ukraine and other countries will participate in the sixth
international exhibition “Armprodexpo” to be held in Yerevan on
October 31 – November 3. Armen Davtian, Director of the Agribusiness
Development Center, told NT correspondent that soft and alcoholic
drinks, confectionery, meat and milk products, juices and other
foodstuffs will be on display at the exhibition. According to him,
the purpose of the exhibition is to promote the export of local
products. During the event, an international competition-degustation
of soft and alcoholic drinks will take place, while the companies
recognized as best production manufacturers will be awarded medals
and other prizes.

AUTO-FOCUSING SYSTEM FOR LASER CUTTING AND ENGRAVING AUTOMATED CONTROL SYSTEMS DEVELOPED AT YSU OPTICS DEPARTMENT
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. A group of scientists of the
Optics Department of Yerevan State University (YSU) developed an
auto-focusing system for laser cutting and engraving automated control
systems. Artur Galstyan, a scientist of the department laboratory,
stated this. According to him, the auto-focusing system will solve
the problem of surface cutting without leaving burning marks. It can
be used during development of material of organic origin, as well
as metal surfaces with some initial curvature. Besides, the system
can be used in machine-tools with laser lamps which were produced in
the Soviet time and are not produced now. Their current price is 150
dollars, whereas only six months ago they cost 100 dollars. It was
noted that the cost price of the laser focusing system developed at
YSU makes 600 dollars and it can be sold at 1,000 dollars, while new
foreign machine-tools with an auto-focusing system cost as much as
50-150 thousand dollars. A. Galstian said that the Optics Department
of Yerevan State University has developed the laser auto-focusing
system in cooperation with Rubin Ltech CJSC (Armenia).

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “ROLE OF POLICY OF COMPUTER PROGRAMS WITH OPEN CODE IN DEVELOPMENT OF INFORMATION SOCIETY” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. International conference “Role
of Policy of Computer Programs with Open Code in Development of
Information Society” will be held from October 31 to November 1 in
Yerevan. The conference is organized by Internews’ Information Right
and Policy Center, Institute of Open Society and Bulgarian Internet
Society organization ( and ). As Noyan
Tapan was informed from Internews Armenian office, the main goal of the
conference is to acquaint representatives of the Armenian government,
representatives of the civil society and production of information
technologies with application of computer programs with open code and
policy of this sphere. Experts of the sphere from Armenia, Russia,
Bulgaria, Macedonia, Tadzhikistan have been invited to the conference.

MIGRATION AGENCY IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS OF REINTEGRATION OF RA CITIZENS WHO HAVE RETURNED FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Currently the Migration Agency of
RA Territorial Government Ministry carries on negotiations with the
respective structures of ten countries in the direction of signing
agreements on organizing return of RA citizens irregularly residing in
these countries. Agency Head Gagik Yeganian said this at the October
30 seminar on the subject Problems of Dual Citizenship and Migration
in the Light of Integration Processes. The seminar was organized by
the European Integration NGO. G.Yeganian said that such agreements
have been already signed with Denmark, Lithuania and Switzerland.
Besides, the agency implements programs with France, Holland and
Switzerland aimed at reintegration of RA citizens who have returned
from these countries.
G.Yeganian also said that growth of passenger flows was registered in
2001-2006 in Armenia. In his words, in 2001-2003 the migration negative
balance gradually decreased and in 2004 and 2005 a positive balance
was registered, which made 2000 and 12500 people, respectively. Narine
Solomonian, chief specialist of RA Constitutional Court’s Staff, said
that approach towards dual citizenship has changed in some states
in the recent years. Armenia is also among these countries. Dual
citizenship was stipulated by the amendments introduced to RA
Constitution. However, in N.Solomonian’s words, “the provision on dual
citizenship does not clarify who should be granted dual citizenship,
will only dual citizenship or multi-citizenship operate in RA, how
will dual citizenship be granted, etc,” she mentioned.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CENTER OF ONCOLOGY DEVELOPS NEW METHOD OF BRAIN TUMOR TREATMENT
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Center
of Oncology has developed a biodegrable polymeric film (BPF) to
deliver local chemotherapy agents for the brain tumor treatment
purposes. Levon Harutyunyan, Deputy Director of the center, stated
this. According to him, about 350 people are diagnosed as having a
brain tumor in Armenia annually, and about 200 die of this disease. In
the US, these indices make about 17.5 thousand and 12 thousand people
respectively. L. Harutyunyan said that the three-layer film developed
by their center is put at the place of the tumor removed from the brain
and is absorbed, thus securing the effective impact of the medicine
contained in the film (without any undesirable results). In his words,
the use of such methods for brain tumor treatment has just started in
international practice: particularly, the polymeric sponges developed
by the medical center of Baltimore University are not for market sale
and have been used in 500-600 patients.
Attempts to use polymeric films for brain tumor treatment have also
been made at John Hopkins Clinic, but, in the words of L. Harutyunian,
without much success, because these films tend to become active in
the liver, from where the intended substance reaches the brain with
difficulty. He said that films developed by their center have been
tested on animals and are now being used in the treatment of four
patients. It was mentioned that the cost price of a film developed
by the center makes 40 dollars, which is much lower than the prices
of similar ones used abroad. L. Harutyunyan noted that in case of
creating a laboratory with modern equipment in the center’s area
of 60 square meters, it will be possible to synthesize 12 thousand
organic polymeric films and make a net profit of 300 thousand dollars
a year. The center plans to cooperate with Nairit-2 OJSC for production
of the film’s polymeric components.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ONLY 50 OUT OF 195 YEREVAN COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS PROVIDED WITH LOCAL HEATING PRIVATE BOILER-HOUSES
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Only 50 out of 195 Yerevan
comprehensive schools are provided with local heating private
boiler-houses. As Deputy Yerevan Mayor Kamo Areyan said at the October
30 press conference, the rest of 155 schools will be heated with
electric heaters, 120-130 of which will be given to schools by Yerevan
Mayor’s Office. K.Areyan also said that autumn and winter holidays
of 2-10-form pupils will be united and will last from December 25 to
January 21.

MEDICAL SERVICES OF 4.1 MLN USD RENDERED WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF STATE ORDER AT YEREVAN HOSPITALS IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER
Noyan Tapan
Oct 30 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2006 January-September, medical
services of 1 bln 799 mln drams (about 4.1 mln USD) were rendered
within the framework of state order at hospitals and services of 2
bln drams at polyclinics within the jurisdiction of Yerevan Mayor’s
Office. As Deputy Yerevan Mayor Kamo Areyan said at the October 30
press conference, during the above mentioned months the number of
population’s visits to district doctors made 435368, which exceeds the
index of the same period of 2005 by 23.4%. 548656 visits to narrow
specialists were registered (growth 42%). The number of instrument
examinations also increased by 42% in the same period. In K.Areyan’s
words, in January-September, 18362 people received free treatment at
4 clinics within the jurisdiction of Yerevan Mayor’s Office and 7013
people received paid treatment.
6241 people were operated on, which exceeds last year’s index by 12%.
K.Areyan said that the number of ambulance calls also increased:
106558 calls were registered in 2005 January-September, whereas their
number was 114 thousand in the 9 months of this year. Yerevan Deputy
Mayor reported that 35 brigades of Ambulance CJSC show first aid
to Yerevan population. K.Areyan said that company’s 35 cars are not
enough to immediately respond to the calls and currently some steps
are being taken to increase their number. Besides, it is planned to
introduce a new communication system to the service.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress