49 ISSUES AND 10 INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS TO BE DISCUSSED AT COMING
NA 4-DAY SESSION
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Draft decision on making additions
to the agenda of the 8th session of RA NA of third convocation and
draft agenda of October 23-26 NA four-day session were discussed at the
October 20 working consultation presided over by RA NA Speaker Tigran
Torosian. As NT was informed from NA Public Relations Department, 12
issues were included in the additions part of the session agenda. 49
issues, 10 international agreements are placed on the agenda of NA
coming four-day session. The draft decision on making additions to
the agenda of the 8th session of NA of third convocation and the
draft agenda of October 23-26 NA four-day session will be approved
at the October 23 NA sitting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EXHIBITION OF WORKS OF STUDENTS AND GRADUATES OF YEREVAN STATE
UNIVERSITY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION OPENS IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. 180 paintings and drawings of
students and graduates of Yerevan State University of Architecture and
Construction were presented at the exhibition that opened on October
20 at Armenian Union of Architects. As professor Henrik Mamian said,
Painting is taught at the University’s Architecture faculty, for art,
drawing and creative abilities to develop among students. In his
words, this exhibition is the first one in the University’s history
and includes works created in the last 20-25 years that had been shown
and were highly estimated in many foreign countries. H.Mamian said
that it is planned to organize such exhibitions every year.

AUTHORITIES OF UKRAINIAN CITY OF SUM ALREADY FOR 5th YEAR PROMISE
ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO ALLOT TERRITORY FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CHURCH
KRASNODAR, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The “Sumstroi”
OJSC will build a many-storied building in the territory that was
beforehand promised to the Armenian community of the city of Sum for
construction of an Armenian church. According to the “Yerkramas”
(country) newspaper of Armenians of Russia, Mayor Genadi Minayev
promised the Armenian community to find soon an equivalent plot in
the center of the city. This is already not the first attempt of the
Armenian community to get a lot for a church. In words of Slavik
Alexanian, the head of the Armenian community of the city, the
authorities has promised to allot territory for the church since 2001.

GDP GROWS BY 12.5% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-SEPTEMBER 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-September 2006,
Armenia’s GDP made 1 trlillion 720 billion 63 million drams
(about 4 billion USD), exceeding by 12.5% the respective index
of last year. According to the RA National Statistical Service,
GDP index-deflator made 105.1%. The industrial production made 468
bln 10.6 mln drams, declining by 1.6% on the same pertiod of last
year, that without diamond production – 465 bln 902.8 mln drams,
growing by 1.5%. The gross agricultural output made 370 bln 568 mln
drams, remaining unchanged compared with January-September 2005,
and construction volume amounted to 393 bln 803 mln drams, growing
by 39.6%. In January-September 2006, Armenia’s foreign trade made
2 bln 208.2 mln USD or by 12.1% more than in the same period of last
year. The same indices without diamond trade made 1 bln 861 mln USD and
19.5%. Exports made 699.4 mln USD, declining by 0.9%, exports without
diamonds – 522.4 mln USD, growing by 3.4%. Imports made 1 bln 508.7 mln
USD, growing by 19.4%, imports without diamonds – 1 bln 338.6 mln USD,
grwoing by 27.3%. Retail trade amounted to 536 bln 273.5 mln drams, or
by 10.9% more than in the same period of last year, while services –
to 338 bln 472.5 mln drams, or by 22% more. The consumer price index
made up 102% in January-September 2006 on the same months of 2005,
the index of prices of manufacturers’ production – 97.2%. The average
monthly nominal salary in January-September 2006 made 61.320 thousand
drams, growing by 22.1% on the same months of last year.
The same indices with respect to employees of budgetary institutions
made 42.684 thousand drams and 22.6%, with respect to employees of
non-budgetary institutions – 75.074 thousand drams and 20.5%. Monetary
incomes of the population made 1 trillion 142 billion 572.2 million
drams, growing by 19.8%, monetary expenditures – 1 trillion 114
billion 915.6 million drams, growing by 20.3%.
The average exchange rate of the Armenian dram against the US dollar
was 430.04 drams in January-September 2006 compared with 457.69 drams
in January-December of last year.

CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST ROYAL ARMENIA’S MANAGEMENT SENT TO COURT
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The preliminary investigation of the
criminal case against the management of Royal Armenia Ltd was completed
and the case has been sent to court. Gevorg Minasian, the company’s
lawyer, said this at the October 20 press conference. To recap, the
case started on March 10, 2005. On the 7th month of the investigation,
the company’s co-owner Gagik Hakobian and deputy director Aram
Ghazarian were arrested. They were accused of smuggling, non-payment
of taxes, document forgery, legalization of financial resources in
an illegal way, and G. Hakobian – also of fraud. During the press
conference, representatives of Royal-Armenia expressed discontent that
by the investigator’s decision, a 38,400-kg and 76,800-kg shipments
of green coffee that the company received from abroad continue to be
under arrest. They are not customs-cleaned, as a result of which 2
trucks and 6 containers of the foreign transporter have been under
“customs arrest” since September 27, 2006, for which Royal-Armenia
will bear property responsibility to the foreign transporter.
“This action with respect to the company is a previously planned
damage which has no bearing to justice and law,” the application
sent to the RA president, prime minister and prosecutor general
reads. According to the application, the company was forced to stop
the process of production and to dismiss 48 employees. Representatives
of Royal-Armenia believe that the investigator’s decision and the
inaction of customs employees are not justified.
According to them, Ltd is not a civil defendant in this criminal
case, and as a legal entity and a independent subject of the law
is not responsible for the liabilities of its participants. “Even
if we admit that the Ltd participants committed an offence, it is
not a reason to put an arrest on the raw material imported by the
company,” the company representatives stated. According to them,
in such a case sanctions may be used with respect to the defendants’
property and their shares in the company’s capital.

HAYPOST TRUST TO ASSUME MANAGEMENT OF HAYPOST NOT OWNED BY DUTCH
COMPANY ING
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Haypost Trust OJSC, which will assume
soon management of Haypost company for 5 years, is owned not by the
Dutch company Ing, as the RA Minister of Transport and Communication
Andranik Manukian stated recently, but by the international investment
company Postfinance. NT correspondent was informed about it from
a reliable source. According to the same source, the preparation
for Haypost’s trust management was done on the advice of Ing. NT
correspondent failed to get any official explanation, as an answering
machine always responds to calls made to the PR Department of the RA
Ministry of Transport and Communication.

STARTING NOVEMBER 1 PASSENGERS OF ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT TO BE CHARGED
SAFETY PAYMENTS
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting November 1, a new safety
payment of 2 euros will be charged from leaving, arriving and transit
passengers at Zvartnots Airport. Gayane Davtian, spokeswoman for the
RA Civil Aviation Main Department, told NT correspondent that this
decision was made based on ICAO rules. According to the same source,
ICAO and other aviation organizations proposed that airports use new
passenger and plane safety technologies in connection with the fight
against terrorism. Particularly, fingerprint identifying devices
will be used at Zvartnots Airport from November 1. It was noted that
the airport manager took an obligation that from January 1, 2007,
Zvartnots Airport will have a rescue and a firefighting detachments
on duty with all necessary modern equipment.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSWOMEN DO NOT YIELD TO MEN BY THIER ACTIVITY, USAID
OFFICIAL SAYS
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian businesswomen do not yield
to men by their efficient activities, and there are no problems of sex
discrimination in this respect. Gary Kilmer, USAID DAI-ASME director,
said this during the discussion of Armenian businesswomen “Along
the Path of Success” on October 20 held within the framework of the
national exhibition “Armenian Businesswoman 2006”. In the opinion of
experienced businesswoman Tagui Chenterechian, the shortest and most
efficient way to win recognition, enter the competition field and find
means of selling production is to participate in such exhibitions. She
noted that “Armenian Businesswoman” provides with an opportunity to
present new products, as well as to find new partners and develop
new programs of cooperation.

3985.2 TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID BROUGHT TO ARMENIA IN JANUARY-AUGUST
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. 3985.2 tons of goods of general
cost of 33.7 mln U.S. dollars were brought to Armenia as humanitarian
aid in January-August of the current year. 4650.4 tons of goods of
general cost of 24.8 mln U.S. dollars were brought in the same period
of 2005. According to data of the RA National Statistical Service,
products of chemistry and industrial branches connected with it made
44.4% of the got assistance, devices and apparatuses made 22.9%,
textiles made 6.7%, machines, equipment and mechanisms made 6.5%.

AVERAGE MONTHLY DUST DENSITY EXCEEDS PERMITTED NORM 3.8 TIMES IN
AUGUST IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Air basin was observed in RA
towns of Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Hrazdan, Alaverdi and Ararat in
August. According to the data of RA National Statistical Service,
density of contaminants was determined with 3356 samples of air taken
in the above mentioned populated areas.
So, in August, average monthly dust density in Ararat exceeded the
permitted norm 4.8 times, in Yerevan 3.8 times, in Hrazdan and Gyumri
2.8 times and in Vanadzor 1.3 times.