MOODY’S RATING COMPANY CONFERRED CURRENCY EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL RATING Ba 2 TO ARMENIA
Yerevan, July 25. ArmInfo. The Moody’s Rating Company (USA) conferred
a currency external and internal rating Ba 2 to Armenia, the Chairman
of the RA Central Bank Tigran Sarkissyan said at the press-conference.
According to him, the rating, conferred to Armenia, is a good indicator
enough for the country. He added that Armenia stands at one level with
Azerbaijan by its rating, it passes ahead of Georgia by two points
and Turkey – by one point. Sarkissyan added that the conferred rating
will allow Armenia to take its place on the “financial map of the
world” and will enable the foreign investors to properly assess the
financial risks and to develop a strategy of work in RA. Moreover,
the rating enables the country’s Government to issue bonds and to
distribute them in the international market.
Sarkissyan noted that according to the new method of Moody’s, the
management subjects and commercial banks of Armenia are given an
opportunity to receive an individual rating which can be higher than
the country’s rating. Thus, this method allows the local companies
to independently enter the international currency market and to
establish business contacts with international organizations. T.
Sarkissyan said that 5 Armenian companies, including the commercial
banks, have already addressed to receive the individual rating, the
process of conferring of which will be finished in September- October.
To be noted, the Fitch Rating Agency had conferred a sovereign credit
rating (Issuer Default ratings, IDR) “BB” to Armenia in the beginning
of June, 2006, with a stable forecast.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Baroness Caroline Cox concerned with the demolition of Armenian khachkars in Nakhijevan
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 12:16
Baroness Caroline Cox raised the question of the destruction of
Armenian khachkars in Old Jugha in the UK House of Lords, “Armenpress”
reports. The baroness officially declared that Azerbaijan has destroyed
about 1 000 Armenian khachkars and churches. In an eight-minute
speech she presented the facts, urging the British Government to
exert pressure over Azerbaijan and demand permission for different
organizations and individual researchers to visit Nakhijevan to study
the real situation. “The Government of Great Britain is concerned with
the fact that Armenian khachkars are being demolished by Azeris. What
Azerbaijan is doing is a vicious crime, I’ll do my best to tell the
truth to the world,” Baroness Cox said.

Carpets unite peoples
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 13:53
Gita Elibekyan (Yerevan)
Irina Badalova (Stepanakert)
Leila Mirijavadova (Baku)
There is a carpet shop at Sanapino Street in Tbilisi, which belongs
to Ilgar Mamudzadeh, Azerbaijani in origin, who is continuing the
work of his father and grandfather. Ilgar Mamudzadeh says that with
their national peculiarities the Caucasian carpets are both alike
and diverse. The shop owner himself does not discriminate between
Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian or Abkhazian carpets. Moreover,
he sincerely confesses that he likes the Armenian rugs most of all.
“Here I have Azerbaijani, Georgian and Armenian carpets. I like the
Armenian rugs, particularly “Lori-Pambak,” which is very beautiful
and therefore rather expensive,” Mamudzadeh says.
In Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s shop the Armenian “Karabakh” carpet costs
400 Laris, which makes about US$ 220. The owner says the Azerbaijani
“Shirvan” is cheaper, it costs 350 Laris. Ilgar has thoroughly studied
the history of carpets. He says that having old carpets at home is
a tradition. According to him, Caucasian carpets have the greatest
demand in the world. Generally, carpets comprise an indispensable part
of the dowry of Caucasian girls. For instance, in the past when an
Armenian girl married a Georgian, she started knitting carpets with
Armenian ornaments and in Georgian colors. The specialists call such
rugs “Caucasian carpets. A girls could not marry if she was unable
to knit carpets ot had no rugs in her dowry.”
“Girls have been weaving these carpets day and night. I have been to
distant villages of all Caucasian countries, and I can say that this
tradition has been preserved in Azerbaijan only,” the Azerbaijani
carpet seller says.
The owner of the carpet shop notes that tourists are most interested
in Caucasian rugs. The carpets brought from motherland are dear
also to Hovik Grigoryan. The latter is Ilgar Mamudzadeh’s friend
and works as salesman in the shop. The Georgian-Armenian says with
regret that at home he has only carpets of factory production. While
Azerbaijani Ilgar’s home is full of different carpets, and not only
Azerbaijani ones.
Carpets unite peoples. “I am an Azerbaijani and I work with an
Armenian. We are friends and nothing prevents us from living in peace,”
Ilgar says.

Armenia to provide humanitarian assistance to Lebanon
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 17:08
Acording to RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan’s instruction,
consultations dedicated to the possibility of providing humanitarian
assistance to Lebanon were held in the Government. In the rsult of
teh discussions it was decided to provide medicine, equipments and
tents to Lebanon.
It was noted during the consultations taht up to now 550 Armenians
have arrived from Lebanon and 54 from Israel. It is expected that
another 120 will arrive tomorrow with a charter flight. Most of the
emigrants are Armenian citizens.

RA Ambassador to Lebanon Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan: Armenian districts did not
suffer in the result of the war
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 16:30
Armenian districts did not suffer in the result of the war, the
Ambassador of Armenia to Lebanon Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan said in an
interview with “Radiolur” correspondent Tatul Hakobyan. According to
the Ambassador, the military actions are launched particularly in the
South of the country at the Lebanese-Israeli border. Bombardments
executed by the Israeli army occur predominantly in some Southern
districts of Beirut, where Hezbollah bases are situated.
The Ambassador underscored that foreign media exaggerate the
facts. They show the ruins of the same building for dozens of time,
which creates an impression that whole Beirut has been destroyed. This
does not correspond to the reality. The reports that there is
starvation in Lebanon are also false. The people are really in a
difficult situation, but things are not that bad.
Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan noted that the Armenian Embassy in Lebanon
is working day and night. Working in such a regime is necessary to
help Armenians willing to leave Lebanon resolve the problems with
documents and guarantee safe transportation. The Ambassador noted
that the Embassy is assisted by the Armenian Embassy in Damascus
and the Chief Consulate in Aleppo, as well as Armavia Company. Up to
now 400 people have been conveyed to Armenia. Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan
underlined, however, that it should not create an impression that
they are endorsing the migration. The Embassy helps only those who
apply for help, and it first of all refers to Armenian citizens.
The Ambassador urges Armenian media to be cautious in their expressions
and to retrieve from publication, which do not correspond to reality.
The crisis will be overcome, and we’ll see a peaceful Lebanon. We just
need to be patient. Lebanon is a friendly country for every Armenian,
it hosted thousands of our compatriots after the Genocide. However,
a powerful Armenian community existed here even before that. “We want
to see this country flourishing, united, free and happy,” Ambassador
Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan concluded.

4th pan-Armenian youth conference to welcome the Education and Science Minister
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 11:18
The 4th pan-Armenian youth conference in Tsakhkadzor will welcome
today RA Minister of Education and Science Levon Lazarian.
100 Armenian young people from 10 countries of the world are
participating in the conference. They represent different youth,
student and charity organizations, parties and cultural-educational
unions.

Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received IMF Permanent Representative
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 17:48
July 26 RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received IMF Permanent
Representative to Armenia Nienke A. Oomes.
Congratulating the guest on appointment, Minister Oskanyan wished
success to Mrs. Oomes in her responsible mission.
The parties exchanged views on the successful cooperation between IMF
and Armenia. IMF Permanent Representative to Armenian James McHugh,
who is completing his mission in our country, highly assessed the
cooperation with the Government of Armenia, underlining that mist of
the joint programs have been successfully implemented.
At the guests’ request Minister Oskanyan concisely presented the
process of settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

RA President signs new Laws
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 17:57
July 26 RA President Robert Kocharyan signed the Laws on implementing
amendments in RA Civil Trial code and RA Law on Insurance, President’s
Press Office informs.

Crew blamed for Armenian airbus crash in southern Russia
Centre TV, Moscow
26 Jul 06
Text of “Sobytiya” news report by Russian Centre TV on 26 July
The crash of the A-320 airbus over the Black Sea was caused by a crew
mistake, according to the results of an investigation by an interstate
aviation committee published today. The technical commission, which
included French experts, has established that while operating the
plane manually the crew failed to control the bank angle and height
in time while landing. The airbus fell, with control having been
lost. The commission determined that failure of the engine or other
systems of the plane had not been registered.
The A-320 airbus of the Armenian Armavia company crashed on 3 May
near Sochi. All 113 people aboard were killed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Will Garry Kasparov return to big chess?
ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 17:35
On the 22nd of August 13th World Chess Campion Garry Kasparov will
participate in the quick chess tournament dedicated to the 150th
anniversary of the ” Credit Suisse” bank of Zurich. According to the
Russian “Komersant” newspaper, Kasparov’s rivals will be outstanding
chess players Anatoli Karpov, Viktor Karchnoy and Yudith Palgar.
After winning in the Linares international tournament in March, 2005
the World Champion had declared he was leaving chess to concentrate
on a political career.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress