IMPROVEMENT OF EMPLOYMENT REGISTRATION FIELD UNDERWAY
Noyan Tapan
Aug 23 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, NOYAN TAPAN. It is not ruled out that the 101.8%
increase in the average monthly nominal salary in the trade and
public catering sectors in January-May 2006 was conditioned by an
extension in the employment and payment registration field of these
sectors. This opinion was expressed by the Head of the RA National
Statistical Service (NSS) Stepan Mnatsakanian.
Responding to a question of NT correspondent, he said that it is
possible that based on the data of the researches on unregistered
employment and “shadow” payments, the respective bodies are
taking various administrative measures aimed at improving the
registration field. According to official statistics, in 2005, the
hidden employemnt made up 22.9% against 22.6% in 2001. In 2005, the
unregistered self-employed and those employed by employers engaged in
unregistered activities accounted for 6.7% of the total number of the
employed against 12.3% in 2001, while the self-employed and employers
engaged in unregistered activities accounted for 69.1% of the total
number against 91.1%. On the other hand, the hired workers employed
based on a verbal agreement accounted for 16.2% of the total number
of the employed in 2005 against 10.3% in 2001, and for 25.54% of the
total number of hired workers against 15% in 2001. It was noted that
the level of unemployment declined from 38.4% in 2001 to 31.3% in 2005.

STATISTICAL SYSTEM TO EVALUATE EXPENSES OF ARRIVING AND DEPARTING TOURISTS TO BE INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA WITHIN A YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Aug 23 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, NOYAN TAPAN. A statistical system to evaluate
the expenses of arriving and departing tourists will be introduced in
Armenia within a year. Vahe Danielian, member of the State Statistical
Council, stated this.
Responding to a question of NT correspondent, he said that with the
aim of introducing this system, the RA National Statistical Service
(NSS) will conduct in September 2006 a research at border points on
the purpose of visit of those arriving in Armenia and leaving the
country, as well as their expenses in Armenia and abroad. According
to V. Danielian, at border points, the counters of the RA NSS will
distribute questionnares to 5% of those arriving in Armenia and leaving
it in order to determine their expenses in Armenia and abroad. A
questionnare developed and guaranteed by the World Tourism Organization
will be used. Surveys conducted by using such questionnares allow to
assess the gross product created in the tourism sector.

JON HUNTSMAN PLANS TO FOUND ONCOLOGICAL CENTER IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Aug 23 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The famous American businessman,
Chairman of Huntsman Corporation Jon Huntsman, who is once again in
Armenia with some serious programs related to education and health
care, has expressesd a desire to found a modern oncological center
in Armenia. Assessing this idea as quite interesting and long-term,
the Armenian President Robert Kocharian said during the August 23
meeting with the American businessman that he is ready to assist with
its realization in every possible way. The President also attached
great importance to assistance programs in the sphere of education,
noting that in conducting its policy, the Armenian government respects
human rights.
He expressed confidence that the efficient cooperation with Jon
Huntsman that has formed over years will continue and his intentions
will be put into practice. According to the RA President’s
press service, the sides spoke about Armenian-US relations as
well. R. Kocharian presented the economic situation in Armenia,
the priorities and prospects of development of the country’s economy.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF ARMAVIA AIRLINE DISAGREES WITH IAC CONCLUSIONS
Yerevan, August 23. ArmInfo. Head of the Armenian national airline
Armavia, Mikhail Baghdasarov, categorically disagrees with the
conclusions of the International Aviation Committee (IAC) on the
results of the investigation of A- 320 crash near Sochi on May 3. To
recap, under IAC made a conclusion that the reason of the crash was
human factor, i.e. the faults of the crew.
In an interview to Haykakan Zhamanak, M. Baghdasarov says: “What
was shown to us was not right.” He says none of the Armenian party
representatives participating in the investigation have signed any
document so far. In such conditions, no final resolution is possible,
he says. The fact that IAC published its version of the resolution
is a gross violation of international aviation rules. Under these
rules, a resolution on the results of a crash investigation is made
subject to the fact that the resolution is final. While, it requires
signatures of all the parties of the investigation, Baghdasarov says.

AN ARMENIAN ENTREPRENEUR INTENDS TO SELL 30% OF VTB BANK SHARES
Yerevan, August 23. ArmInfo. Renowned Armenian entrepreneur Mikhail
Bagdasarov intends to sell 30% of VTB-Armenia bank, which belong
to him.
In an interview to ‘Haykakan Jhamanak’ newspaper he stated that at
present he considers 2 possible ways of selling the shares. By the
first one the shares will be purchased by the Russian Vneshtorgbank,
owner of the remaining 70% VTB shares. His intention Mr. Bagdasarov
explained by resigning the office of the Head of VTB-Armenia Bank
Council. Recently on that post was elected the vice-president of
Vneshtorgbank.
According to ArmInfo analysis, Mikhail Bagdasarov is rather
dissatisfied with the passive and instable stance of the VTB-Armenia
bank in the Armenian market. At the same time the Russian side has
already invested $15-20 million for the development of the former
Armsavingsbank. By the end of the first half of 2006 the authorized
capital stock of the bank equaled $18 million.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN CITIZEN ARMENIAN BY ORIGIN VIOLENTLY BEATEN UP IN KRASNODAR
Krasnodar, August 23. ArmInfo. A group of youngsters attacked an
Armenian in the center of Krasnodar, in the corner of Kommunarov and
Gorky streets, approximately at 10:00 PM on August 21.
Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia, told ArmInfo the group
consisted of about 15 youngsters at the age of 18-22, as witnesses
say. The Armenian was violently beaten up after he tried to protect
a woman from the group that attacked her shop. The man was beaten as
long as he lost consciousness. He was hospitalized with concussion
of the brain and numerous injuries.
Witnesses say the youngsters cried nationalist slogans like “Let’s
clear Kuban from the black” and “Russia is for Russians.” It is
noteworthy that witnesses applied to a nearby guard department,
which, however, made no response to their cries for help, the
newspaper reports.

‘ASTARAK-KAT’ COMPANY ACTIVATES CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAM
Yerevan, August 23. ArmInfo. At the ‘Caucasian Center of Study
Resources – Armenia’ was held a seminar dedicated to corporate social
responsibility (CSR). Employees of the Center, representatives of
social organizations and Armenian businessmen took part in the
seminar. Methods of CSR application in foreign states and other
important issues were considered. On the event were represented the
terms of CSR application at ‘Ashtarak-Kat’ CJSC.
It should be noted that in July 2006 the Shareholders’ Council of
Ashtarak-Kat approved the principles of corporate management of the
company. According to the adopted document, corporate management
principles provide for the moral and ethical norms of business
behavior. The corporate management principles are based upon the CSR
terms, the 1994 Swiss declaration by the major entrepreneurs of the
world and the UN Global Agreement.

EXPEDITION OF THE ARCHEOLOGY AND ETHNOGRAPHY INSTITUTE OF THE ARMENIAN NATIONAL SCIENCE ACADEMY STARTED EXCAVATIONS IN KARABAKH
Stepanakert, August 23. ArmInfo. By the initiative and financing of
‘Yerkir’ NGO Union, the expedition of the Archeology and Ethnography
Institute of the Armenian National Science Academy August 3-18 held
excavations of a settlement founded by king Tigran II the Great
(95-55 B.C.).
Member of the expedition Vardges Safarian told ArmInfo special
correspondent in Stepanakert that this was the first phase of the
excavations, preceded by preparation works in March 2005. During the
excavation the Acropolis of the ancient town, the terrace walls and a
church of 5-6 centuries A.D. were discovered. Hundreds of minor items
were also found. The expedition is also studying a church complex
on the outskirts of the ancient settlement, delved in a rock. The
preliminary study of the discovered artifacts showed that the town,
named after its founder Tigranakert, existed from the 1-st century
B.C. to 13-14 centuries A.D. In the Middle Ages the settlement became
one of the cradles of the early-Christian civilization. All of the
artifacts found on the site are of worldwide cultural importance and
of absolutely Armenian identity and origin.
This settlement is the most renowned settlement of the Artsakh province
(of which a part is modern Nagorno-Karabakh) of the Greater Armenia
of the pre-Christian period. It was found in the 90’s B.C.
and was the first of a number of settlements found by the great ruler
of Asia and named Tigranakert after the founder.

G. GUDKOV: FLIGHT SAFETY SYSTEM IN RF DOES NOT MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
Moscow, August 23. ArmInfo. The flight safety system in the Russian
Federation does not meet international standards, said Gennady Gudkov,
a member of the State Duma Commission for Security, commenting on the
Tuesday crash of Tu-154, Rosbalt correspondent reports. “It is not a
separate tragedy, it is already a system crisis the Russian aviation
suffers today. We have recently had three large scale air crashes in
Sochi, Irkutsk and Donetsk, which killed over 400 people. Although
the airbus that crashed near Sochi belonged to Armenian airlines, it
was the same Russian catastrophe given the close relations of Russia
and Armenia and common principles of flights,” Gudkov said. European
states and the USA make several times more flights than Russia,
however, there are almost no such large-scale tragedies there. One
can only guess what could happen to a trig plane with a professional
crew at the 11,000 meters height.
“If the reason of the tragedy was the storm, so the crew was not
prepared enough or there were problems with the navigation services.
Why there was no connection with the crew? Even laymen have
many questions which are still without answers,” he said. If the
responsibility for the last tragedy is also laid on human factor,
it would mean that those who are to provide flight safety to the
Russian people just avoid responsibility, Gudkov said.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY: PLACE AND DATE OF MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIANI FOREIGN MINISTERS NOT KNOWN YET
Yerevan, August 23. ArmInfo. No specific data on the place and date
of the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaiani foreign ministers has
been determined yet. Vladimir Karapetyan, Acting Press Secretary
of Armenian Foreign Ministry, informed ArmInfo commenting on the
statement of Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammedyarov that he
is ready to meet with Vardan Oskanyan.
“At present the date and the place of the meeting are discussed,” V.
Karapetyan said. Azerbaijani media report E. Mammedyarov had a meeting
with the French Co- chair of OSCE Minsk Group. “The Co-chairs made
several proposals to us regarding the date and the place of the
meeting. In our turn, we gave our agreement,” E. Mammedyarov said.