DOLLAR CAN BE BOUGHT FOR 399 DRAMS
ArmRadio.am
09.08.2006 15:30
The appreciation of the Armenian dram gathered a new speed
recently. On August 9, the dollar’s exchange rate fell below 400
drams: a US dollar can be bought for 398 drams. The exchange rates
of the Russian ruble and the euro are also declining: up to 14.5 and
512 drams respectively. The current dram/dollar exhange rate is an
unprecedented one for the past 12 months.
The price of a US dollar made about 400 drams in November 1994 and
October 1995. It was the first relatively stable exchange rate of the
Armenian currency following the dram’s rapid decline about six months
after its being put in circulation. At the moment of its putting in
circulation (November 1993), the dram’s exchange rate was set at 14
drams against one dollar, which was excessively high as was later
revealed, NT reported.
>From mid 1994, the Armenian dram depreciated against the US dollar
(with some deviations from this tendency). The tendency changed in the
first months of 2004 when the dram started strengthening slowly. The
highest price of the dollar (about 590 drams) was registered in
February-March 2004.

HEAD OF ORGANIZATION FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS PROTECTION KILLED IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2006 13:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Well-known entrepreneur, head of the Organization
for Children’s Rights Protection Alexander Givoyev was killed
on Ashtarak-Gyumri highway in Armenia. Upon receiving an alarm on
shooting the policemen found Givoyev’s body with wounds. It was found
out that the entrepreneur with his family was heading for Gyumri in
his own car. When he stopped at a shop and got off the car an unknown
fired on him out of a red VAZ-2199 car. Givoyev died immediately. Shop
assistant Gyulnara Karapetyan also died from wounds. A criminal case
was initiated and an investigation started, reported Newsarmenia.ru.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CENTER: TEMPERATURE IN YEREVAN NOT TO EXCEED +40C
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00
The temperature in Yerevan and throughout Armenia will not
change within next 3 days, senior specialist of the Armenian
Hydrometeorological Center Gagik Surenyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. In his words, the temperature will not exceed +40C in
Yerevan and the Ararat valley. In Surenyan’s words, there is no
broadcast received for the second half of August.

SIXTH SITTING OF SOUTH CAUCASUS PA INITIATIVE GROUP TO BE HELD IN DECEMBER
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2006 14:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Parliamentarians of Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan
agreed to hold the sixth sitting of the Initiative Group of the
South Caucasus Parliamentary Assembly in December 2006. Political
situation in the South Caucasus and ways of conflict settlement
will be discussed at the sitting. Besides the parliamentarians will
consider ecology, transport, banking business and expanding of ties
with European structures as well as some organization issues referring
to the activities of the structure. The fifth sitting of the South
Caucasus PA Initiative Group was held in London July 20-24 in London,
reported Interfax.

DOCUMENT DEVELOPED WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF ARMENIA-NATO IPAP PUBLISHED
Armenpress
Aug 08 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: The document developed within the
framework of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan has
been published.
The document consists of 4 chapters “Political and Security Related
Issues”, “Defense and Military Issues”, “Public Information, Science,
Environment, Civil Emergency Preparedness Issues” and “Administrative,
Protective Security and Resource Issues”.
In the first chapter it is said that Armenia is aimed at
deepening cooperation with European and Euro-Atlantic structures
and institutions, intends to intensify practical and political
cooperation with NATO in order to draw closer to the Alliance, wants
to promote regional security and stability in the Caucasus and is
determined to work constructively to develop and improve relations
with neighbors. The chapter also says that Armenia will work towards
the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and is fully
supportive of the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in this regard,
it also seeks normalization of relations with Turkey.
The chapter also says that Armenia is determined to make further
progress in democratic reform, human rights, the rule of law,
transparency, and the fight against corruption. Armenia intends
to solidify democratic institutions and processes, in particular
through constitutional, electoral, and legal reforms, with the aim of
conforming fully to internationally recognized standards. Armenia is
determined to combat corruption and intends to undertake practical
measures to institute transparent and broad-based accountability
mechanisms, and to improve training and awareness for public officials,
the document says.
According to it, Armenia also intends to review its crisis management
arrangements with the aim of improving crisis management arrangements
and procedures and is determined to strengthen its capabilities to
combat terrorism and organized crime.
Armenia also intends to enhance its capabilities to manage the
consequences caused by terrorist acts and organized crime. Building
on existing cooperation with NATO in this area, Armenia is ready
to become more actively involved in the implementation of relevant
programs and activities and in particular the Partnership Action Plan
against Terrorism, including exchange of relevant intelligence. Armenia
intends to take further legislative and practical measures to combat
organized crime.
In the second chapter “Defense and Military Issues”, it is written
that Armenia intends to develop National Security Strategy and
Defense Concept, defining the missions and roles of the armed forces
and other security institutions. PARP and PAP-DIB will be important
tools supporting the implementation of defense and security reform
objectives.
The chapter also says that Armenia intends to improve the efficiency
of its defense planning and budgeting system and develop affordable,
transparent and sustainable defense plans. It also aims at building
expertise in these fields to support the development and implementation
of its future Strategic Defense Review and to support armed force
improvements in the areas of command and control, equipment and
logistics. It also intends to review its military-industrial complex
and provide recommendations on its future employment. The Republic
of Armenia plans to review the personnel management system for the
military and civilian personnel of the Ministry of Defense.
It also says that Armenia intends to continue to develop a peacekeeping
battalion followed by a brigade using NATO standards. It also intends
to develop a team of self-assessor within the framework of OCC to
self-assess units made available for NATO-led PfP operations. It also
intends to develop a senior officer development course and review
its entire training program for every service.
According to the document, Armenia intends to review its current border
security practices and procedures to improve its border security. Using
this review, it will also determine its priority equipment needs.
The last fourth chapter says that Armenia will institute all necessary
coordination and liaison arrangements in order to ensure effective
implementation of this Action Plan. The full document is placed on
the Internet site of the Armenian foreign and defense Ministries.

MISS CAUCASUS 2006 BEAUTY CONTEST TO BE CONDUCTED IN ARMENIA AND KARABAKH
Armenpress
Aug 09 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: “Miss Caucasus 2006” annual beauty
contest will be conducted this year in Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia.
The main event will take place September 2 in Yerevan Opera and
Ballet National Academic Theatre after Spendiarian under the “Peace
in Caucasus” slogan.
Arman Antonian, the head of the “Miss Caucasus 2006” organizational
committee, told Armenpress that the sole goal of the contest is to
gather the peoples of Caucasus “under one general roof and propagate
the beauty and present the culture and coloring of each nation”.
Beauties of South Caucasian and other countries will participate
in the contest. In 2003 the contest was held in Nalchik, in 2004 in
Vladikavkaz, and in 2005 in Yerevan.

NEW RED BOOKS TO BE PUBLISHED IN ARMENIA
Armenpress
Aug 09 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 9, ARMENPRESS: The government of Armenia approved the
2007-2009 program on protection and study of the species of animals
and plants included in the Armenian Red Book. For the implementation
of the program the government has released 31 million drams from the
state budget.
As part of the program specialists from the relevant establishments
of the Armenian National Academy of Sciences will study the flora
and fauna of the whole country. On the bases of their study new Red
Books will be published.
Tatyana Danielian, the head of the department at the Armenian
Environment Protection Ministry, told Armenpress that in the books
the conditions necessary for preserving the species which are on the
edge of disappearance and steps which are necessary to undertake for
their preservation will be described.
Besides, the books will include the new species of animals and plants
which have also been endangered during the recent years.
The present Red Books existing in Armenia were published in
1989-1990. Danielian said that it is mainly the human factor which
causes the disappearance of species of animals and plants.
At present 3,500 species of plants, 500 vertebrate and 17,000
invertebrate animals are registered in Armenia. In the Red Books 387
species of plants and 99 species of animals are included.

PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS AZERIS ‘LOSE THE HOPE RETURNING KARABAKH’
AZG Armenian Daily
09/08/2006
“As years pass the hope of returning Karabakh vanishes away with
the pain of losing it,” concluded Azerbaijani psychologist Azad
Isazade. According to Day.az the psychologist thinks that though it’s
hard to say about every one for an average statistical representative
“the occupation of lands by the Armenians was a serious trauma for us.”
Azad Isizade finds that in 90s the Azerbaijani people had a hope of
returning Nagorno Karabakh, and the people pinned their hope either
on Russia, Turkey, Heydar Aliyev or petrodollars. “In general, our
nation is getting used to this state of things and keeps on living
with not that sharp pain for the lost.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI ARMY IS NOT THAT STRONG TO GUARANTEE VICTORY
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
09/08/2006
Azerbaijani “curiosity” has gone so far that despite the summer heat
they are looking for comparisons between what is going on in Kodor
gorge and Nagorno Karabakh issue. Talking to Day.az Gia Areshidze, head
of the Georgian center for Strategy and State Security Studies, touched
upon Kodor-Karabakh parallels saying that if Armenia does not change
its policy over the conflict a military solution will be inevitable.
Meanwhile, in the words of Alimamed Nuriev, president of the Foundation
of Constitutional Study, Azerbaijani functionaries more often state
that if diplomatic efforts fail Azerbaijan will have the right of
retuning the so-called occupied lands militarily. As to the military
capacity of Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan, Nuriev thinks
that though the Azerbaijani army is developing “there is not a clear
advantage for a sure victory over the Armenians.”
President of Nagorno Karabakh, Arkady Ghukasian stated on his part:
“Artsakh has to continue its socio-economic development and has to be
always ready to withstand any encroachment against its independence
and the security of its people.”

GARNI WAITS FOR JACQUES CHIRAC
By Ani Baghdasarian
AZG Armenian Daily
09/08/2006
The village of Garni is undergoing renovation that will be over by
the visit of President Jacques Chirac of France in September.
In the words of Ashot Vardanian, a community leader in the village,
the renovation is being carried out by local budget. Central streets
of the village are being paved and old litterbins are being replaced
by new ones. The pagan temple is also being reconstructed.
The roads will have new illumination, new green zones spring up. The
community leader says that they are endeavoring to finish all works
by the visit of the French president.