UAF’S 138TH AIRLIFT DELIVERS $ 12 MILLION OF AID TO ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 06 2006
GLENDALE, CA, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The United
Armenian Fund’s 138th airlift arrived in Yerevan on June 3, delivering
$ 12 million of humanitarian assistance. The UAF itself collected $
10.8 million of medicines and medical supplies for this flight, most
of which were donated by AmeriCares ($ 9.9 million); MAP International
($ 481,000); Health Partners International of Canada ($ 298,000) and
Catholic Medical Mission Board ($ 150,000). Other organizations which
contributed goods for this airlift were: Pfizer Inc. ($ 445,000);
UMAF from France ($ 309,000); Armenian Eyecare Project ($ 74,000);
Armenian International Ophthalmic Association ($ 50,000); Nork Marash
Medical Center ($ 44,000); International Academy of Telepathology
($ 38,000) and Howard Karagheusian Commemorative Corporation ($
36,000). Also contributing to this airlift were: Foundation Semra
($ 28,000); Armenian American Health Association of WA ($ 20,000);
Armenian American Cultural Association ($ 20,000).
Since its inception in 1989, the UAF has sent $ 441 million of
humanitarian assistance to Armenia on board 138 airlifts and 1,312
sea containers. The UAF is the collective effort of the Armenian
Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent Union, the
Armenian Missionary Association of America, the Armenian Relief
Society, the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, the Prelacy
of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America and the Lincy Foundation.

WORKING MEETING DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS AND SITUATION IN JAVAKHK HELD IN AKHALKALAK
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 06 2006
AKHALKALAK, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A working meeting
on the subject “Format of Dialogue on Problems of Samtskhe-Javakhk
in the Context of Armenian-Georgian Relations” was held on June 4 in
Akhalkalak. The meeting was organized by the Caucasian Media Institute
(Yerevan), Caucasian Institute of Peace, Development and Democracy
(Tbilisi) and the Yerkir Union of NGOs (Yerevan). According to the
A-Info agency, the following persons took part in the meeting: Gia
Nodia and Marina Elbakidze from the Caucasian Institute of Peace,
Development and Democracy, Dia Andguladze (Akhaltsikhe) from the Union
of Democratic Meskhetians, Andrei Khanzhin from the European Center on
Issues of National Minorities (Tbilisi), Armen Darbinian from the Civil
Forum of Javakhk, Alexander Iskandarian and Sergei Minasian from the
Caucasian Media Institute, as well as Zhirayr Shalian and Ani Jafalian
from France, Khachatur Stepanian from the Union of Armenian NGOs,
representatives of Javakhk NGOs, Levon Zurabian from the International
Crisis Group, Sevak Artsruni and Robert Totoyan from the Yerkir
Union of NGos, RA MP Shavarsh Kocharian and ethnographer Hranoush
Kharatian. The meeting participants first of all tried to estimate the
situation in Javakhk and the prospects of Armenian-Georgian relations.
Almost all Armenian participants emphasized the hard situation
formed in Javakhk and considered autonomy to be the most right way
for coming out of this situation, as autonomy, in their opinion,
can become a guarantee for security (demographical, language,
political, cultural-educational, economic, social) of the Armenians
of Javakhk. The Georgian participants, including Gia Nodia, Dia
Andguladze, also emphasized the necessity to improve the situation,
but did not suggest any real ways for this. It was decided to convene
a conference on this problem in autumn and to submit the respective
consultation on solving the issue to the proper bodies.

ARMENIAN ADVOCATES OF JAVAKHK DEPRIVED OF RIGHT TO BE ENGAGED IN THEIR BUSINESS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 06 2006
AKHALKALAK, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Since June 1 2006,
the inhabitants of Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda regions have been
deprived of the possibility to use the services of local Armenian
advocates as the Georgian Advocates’ Association did not give the
respective powers to the Armenian advocates of Javakhk motivating this
by the circumstance that they do not master Georgian. Reporting this,
the A-Info agency mentions that this change will abruptly change
the conditions of the Armenians of Javakhk for the worse: they will
have to spend much more money for inviting an advocate from other
Georgian regions.

STATE MACHINERY MAINTENANCE FINANCING ENVISAGED BY 2005 STATE BUDGET EXECUTED BY ALMOST 100%
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The preliminary discussion of the
report on implementation of the law on the 2005 state budget was
continued at the joint sitting of the RA National Assembly standing
committees on June 6. The main speaker – RA Deputy Minister of Finance
and Economy Atom Janjughazian presented issues of financing of state,
local self-government and judicial bodies.
According to him, the sums envisaged by the state machinery maintenance
program were fully financed, and a lower than 100% index in some cases
was due to saving. In addition to budget allocations, extra sums
were allocated to local self-government bodies under governmental
decisions to solve urgent problems. He said that as in the previous
years, no debts of equalization subsidies were accumulated and the
financing was done by 100%. According to a written report submitted
by the government to the National Assembly, the expenditures on the
legislative body and state governance expenditures made about 7.8 bln
drams in 2005, which is 99.4% of the programmed expenditures. These
expenditures grew by 10.3% compared with 2004, which was mainly
conditioned by an increase in salary, representative and capital
expenditures. The state financial governance expenditures amounted
to 12 bln drams in the year under review. The deviation was mainly
due to underimplementation of two World Bank-financed grant programs
and to the saving of expenditures on resettlement servicing of the RA
treasury system. The growth in these expenditures compared with 2004
made 17.4% or 1.8 bln drams and was mainly conditioned by an increase
in salary and capital expenditures. 5.1 bln drams was allocated from
the 2005 state budget for maintenance of the judicial system, as a
result of which the program was implemented by 97.5%. The deviation was
mainly due to underimplementation of the WB-assisted program on court
and legal reforms.1.8 bln drams was spent by this program, 1.7 bln
drams of which were credit resources – against the programed indices
of 2 bln and 1.9 bln drams respectively. In the year under review,
transfers to local self-government bodies were fully financed in the
amount of 14.9 bln drams, which exceeded the 2004 index by 39.1%. The
subsidies to local self-government bodies with the aim of financial
equalization amounted to 13.8 bln drams. Funds were allocated to
Yerevan Mayor’s Office in order to finance expenditures on demolition
of real estate considered as unauthorized buildings at the expense
of revenues from the legalization and sale of these buildings. These
indices made 1.06 bln drams and 63 mln drams respectively.

YEREVAN-BATUMI PASSENGER TRAIN TO RUN FROM JUNE 15
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting June 15, a passenger train
will run from Yerevan to Batumi and in the opposite direction. The
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental commission on economic
cooperation made this decision last year with the aim of organazing
the population’s recreation at Black Sea resorts this summer. NT
correspondent was informed at the RA Ministry of Transport and
Communication that the train will have 6 carriages with 2- and 4-seat
comfortable compartments and a restaurant car. The Yerevan-Batumi
train will depart from Yerevan Station at 9:10 pm on odd days of
a month and arrive in Batumi at 1:40 pm. The train will run in the
opposite direction – from Batumi to Yerevan at 8:35 am on even days
of a month and arrive in Yerevan at 5:35 am.
The train will stop at Yerevan, Armavir, Gyumri, Vanadzor and Sanahin
stations in the territory of Armenia. The price of a single ticket in
a 2-seat compartment for traveling by a train of the Armenian railway
will make 18,703 drams, that in a 4-seat compartment -9,297 drams. The
prices for traveling by a train of the Georgian railway will make
21,256 drams and 10,542 drams respectively. Taking into account that
the ticket prices for interstate communication in passenger trains
are in Swiss francs, prices may change depending on the exchange
rate of the Armenian dram set by the Central Bank of Armenia for a
given month. The management of the company Armenian Railway informs
citizens the availablity of a identity document is mandatory for
adults and children when purchasing a ticket and boarding the train.

FIRST NATIONAL ATLAS OF ARMENIA TO BE PUBLISHED THIS YEAR
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The Center of Geodesy and Cartography
of the State Committee of Real Estate Cadastre adjunct to the RA
government will publish a two-volume National Atlas of Armenia in
2006. Executive director of the center Hovsep Petrosian told NT
correspondent that the list of geographical names to be included in
the atlas is currently being clarified. An atlas of Armenia was last
published in 1961. According to H. Petrosian, the work on preparation
of an atlas started as far back as 2002, for which purpose about 45 mln
drams (about 100 thousand USD) was allocated from the state budget. A
tender for printing the atlas will be announced. The estimated cost of
printing is 22 mln drams. He said that the first volume will contain
maps of the population, nature, physical and economic maps, while the
second one – maps on history, culture and the Diaspora. The center
has already drawn maps of 70% of Armenia’s territory at a scale of
1:10 000. The taking of space photos will be completed in 2006. Among
the work done by the center is preparation of an electronic map of
all communications of Kanaker-Zeytun community. It is envisaged to
draw such maps for another 4 communities of Yerevan. Besides, the
center has published a tourist map of Yerevan (a scale of 1:25 000)
and a map of routes of Yerevan minibuses. A series of thematic maps
includes a tourist map of Gegharkinik marz, the Armenian Genocide Map,
the map of 1988 Spitak earthquake, as well as an atlas of motorways
of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. The Center of Geodesy and Cartography
is an authorized state body in the sphere of cartography of Armenia.

AS OF DECEMBER 31 2005 ARMENIA’S STATE FOREIGN DEBT MAKES 1 BLN 99 MLN USD
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Discussions of the report on execution
of the law on the 2005 state budget started at the joint sitting of
the RA National Assembly standing committees on June 5. RA Deputy
Minister of Finance and Economy Atom Janjughazian was the principal
speaker. According to the governmental report, in 2005, the economic
growth made 14%, exceeding the programmed index by 6%. GDP in nominal
expression made 2 trillion 244 billion drams, per capita GDP –
697,421 drams or 1,524 USD. In 2005, the state budget revenues made
374.7 bln drams against the programmed index of 375.2 bln drams,
the budget expenditures – 417.5 bln drams or 97.1% of the specified
annual program, while the deficit made 42.8 bln drams or 78.3%. The
underfulfilment of expenditures by about 12.3 bln drams and of deficit
by 11.8 bln drams is mainly conditioned by underfulfilment of credit
and grant programs implemented with foreign financing. Particularly,
the World Bank has not provided a tranche of 10 mln drams of its
Poverty Reduction Assistance Credit. In 2005, credit resources of 22.7
bln drams or 59% of the programmed index was received from foreign
donors. As of December 31, 2005, Armenia’s state foreign debt made
1,099.2 mln USD or 22.4% of GDP against 1,182.9 mln USD and 33.1%
in 2004. Out of this sum, 919.7 mln USD is credit liabilities of
the Armenian government, 176.4 mln USD – credit liabilities of the
Central Bank of Armenia, and 3.1 mln USD – guarantees provided by the
government. The net current value of Armenia’s foreign debt declined
from 735.1 mln USD in 2004 to 701.8 mln USD in late 2005.
In terms of this index, Armenia is among countries with small burden
of debt.

DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN PROJECT ON CHARENTSAVAN RECONSTRUCTION UNDER DISCUSSION
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Ministry of Urban Development
and the Building Guild of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI)
of Moscow are discussing the issue of developing a project on complex
reconstruction of the city of Charentsavan (Armenia). Alexander
Zhuravlev, Chairman of the Building Guild, Deputy Director General
of the Avtobaninvestcenter interregional administrative company
(chairman Arsen Aghajanian) stated this. Reconstruction will be
carried out by a project envisaged for a city with a population
of 40-70 thousand. The current population of Charentsavan is 25
thousand. In response to a question of NT correspondent, A. Zhuravlev
noted that cooperation between Russia and Armenia in the speres of
urban development, production of building materials and exchange of
technologies is developing dynamically. In his words, the interest
that Russian construction businessmen take in Armenian productive
forces is constantly increasing. Chairman of the Building Guild
expressed an opinion that the most promising sphere of cooperation
is the production and export of dry construction mixtures for various
Armenian building stones. The export of mixtures will allow to reduce
transport charges compared with cost of transportation of worked
building stones. According to him, these mixtures can be used in
production of stone and concrete building materials and structures
with various properties.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MONUMENT TO HOVHANNES TUMANIAN UNVEILED AT PARK OF STONE-MONUMENTS OF ARAGATSOTN REGION
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
ASHTARAK, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Unveiling of the “Tumanian and
His Heroes” monument took place in the territory of Park of
Stone-Monuments of Aragatsotn region on June 3. The unveiling was
initiated by the Hanun Gugarats Ashkarhi (For the Sake of Gugarats
Land) charity organization in the person of RA MP Vahram Baghdasarian,
organization’s Chairman. It is the second one in the park, the first,
monument to Anania Shirakatsi, was erected by the administration
of Shirak region. Delegates of Spitak, Tashir, Stepanavan, Alaverdi,
different NGOs of Lori region, students collectives, representatives of
intelligentsia and art figures took part in the unveiling of monument
to great Armenian writer Hovhannes Tumanian. As RA Prosecutor General
Aghvan Hovsepian, Nig Aparan compatriot NGO Chairman, mentioned in
his greeting speech, the dream of creating a park of stone-monuments
begins to fulfil, and the monuments will reach the foot of Aragats
mountain. The honor of unveiling the monument to Hovhannes Tumanian was
given to Vahram Baghdasarian, Chairman of the Hanun Gugarats Ashkharhi
charity NGO, and poet Hrachya Sarukhan, Chairman of the Lori branch of
Writers’ Union. The ceremony of anointment was conducted by Ter Artak
Archimandrite Tigranian, deputy leader of Gugark Diocese. The author of
the sculpture is Varpet Sevo (Sargis Gharibian). Song “Anmah Loretsi”
(“Immortal Lori Inhabitant”), fragments from “Anoush” opera were
sung, Vanadzor “Horovel” state ensemble of song and dance performed
during the event. Verzhine Vardanian, Director of Yerevan Museum of
Hovhannes Tumanian, Roza Ghazumian, Director of Dsegh House-Museum,
and others spoke. Again sounds of the round dance invited everybody
to dance at the end of the event.

500 HECTARES OF SOWING AREA NOT USED BECAUSE OF LACK OF IRRIGATION IN ARAGATSOTN REGION
Noyan Tapan
Jun 06 2006
ASHTARAK, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. 500 hectares of sowing area of two
communities of Aragatsotn region are not irrigated. As Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed by Gurgen Zakarian, Head of the community
of Suser, Aragatsotn region, the reason of this is lack of funds for
launching the pumping-station ready for exploitation. The community
has repeatedly applied to the Union of Water Users of Talin, to the
union’s higher organization for giving a solution to the problem, but
has not received any answer by now. As a result, it is two years 500
hectares of sowing area of the village of Suser and its neighboring
village of Nor Artik have not been used.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress