State Awards Presented to Armenian Peacekeepers
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.07.2006 18:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian peacekeepers, who participated in
operations to settle the Kosovo conflict and post-war restoration of
Iraq are presented with medals and diplomas. By an order of Armenian
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan six servicemen of Armenia are awarded
Andranik Ozanyan and Drastamat Kanayan medals, sixteen got diplomas.
Sargsyan also thanked the Armenian peacekeepers in person.

MOODY ASSIGNS ARMENIA Ba2 RATING
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 25, ARMENPRESS: The governor of the Central Bank of
Armenia, Tigran Sarkisian, said today the Moody’s Investors Service
had assigned on Monday a Ba2 foreign and domestic currency ratings
to the government of Armenia.
He said Moody made its decision based on continued GDP growth rates
of around 10% per annum or above since 2001, the subdued inflationary
pressure due to the appreciation of the national currency dram and
to a cautious monetary and fiscal policy stance.
Sarkisian said the rating was given in light of the progress made by
the country since 1995, the year that marked the end of the seven-year
contraction that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union.
“We believe that over the medium term, there is sufficient scope
for further GDP growth such that it will help alleviate poverty
and reduce unemployment, both of which remain high in Armenia,”
Moody’s Vice President Sara Bertin was quoted as saying in a press
release. “Moreover, the rating is supported by the limited level and
favorable maturity structure of Armenia’s foreign-currency denominated
debt,” she said.
She said that with a 23% debt-to GDP ratio at the end of 2005, the
country compares well to its peers.
Ninety percent of the debt is owed to multilateral lenders on
concessional terms representing a long maturity and associated minimal
debt-servicing cost.
“We have also taken note of the high level of dollarization and the
country’s lack of financial depth,” said Bertin.
“Moody’s assigns a very low probability that the conflict between
Azeris and Armenians might resume over the short to medium term,”
said Bertin. “As long as a credible and sustainable solution has yet
to be found to the conflict, uncertainties remain over the countries
of the South Caucasus. Due to their borders with Iran, countries such
as Armenia and Azerbaijan are potential strategic partners for the
United States, Russia and Iran,” she said.
Tigran Sarkisian said this rating allows Armenia to have its own place
in the international financial markets and gives foreign companies and
private businessmen to have a clear idea of Armenia and its economy
and is essential in their deciding whether to invest here or not.
The governor said five local commercial banks have already asked the
Moody’s for their, possibly higher individual l ratings.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER RECEIVES PETER SEMNEBY
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Meeting
Foreign Minister of Armenia Vartan Oskanian received the EU
Special Representative in South Caucasus Peter Semneby. On a press
conference the Minister said that the main topics of the meeting
were the Armenia-EU relations, the situation in the Middle East, the
situation on the Russia- Georgia border (The Upper Lars checkpoint),
and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Emphasizing the importance of
fiar and independent elections in 2007, he promised to render any
available assistance.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTER BELIEVES MATTHEW BRYZA TO BRING NO
NEW SUGGESTIONS FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Opinion
US OSCE MG Co-Chair Matthew Bryza is not going to bring any new
suggestions for the Nagorno Karabakh settlement on his July 29 visit
to Yerevan. Vartan Oskanian, RA Foreign Minister, stated this at
today’s press conference. “Our expectations from the visit of the US
Co-Chair of the OSCE MG are linked to his ability whether he will
manage to make the Azeries return to the negotiations or not. If
Azerbaijan agrees to continue the suggestions, there will appear an
opportunity to enter a new stage of the negotiations and fix progress,”
Oskanian said. He added that if Azerbaijan again disapproves the
suggestions of the co-chairs, the situation in Nagorno Karabakh may
get complicated. According to Oskanian, the package of the OSCE MG
suggestions may be considered also in 2007, but, taking into account
the coming elections, it’s getting more complicated to achieve the
agreement. “The new package can’t be just an occasional one, there can
be slight corrections to certain points, but the main principles will
not be changed,” RA Foreign Minister emphasized. Besides he said that
Armenia, unlike Azerbaijan, has no problem with signing the agreement
about the new stage of the EU ‘New Neighborhood’ program. The Minister
said that the approximate date of the signature is already known
and that Armenia will be certainly ready for it by that moment. He
added that EU Chair-state Finland is inclined to sign the partnership
agreement with the Southern Caucasian states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PETER SEMNEBY: EU IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE BLOCKING OF UPPER LARS CONTROL POINT
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Opinion
“The Blocking of the Upper Lars control point aroused the concern in
the European Union,” Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative in the
South Caucasus, said this at today’s joint press conference with RA
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Semneby stated that EU realizes all
the difficulties that were caused after the blocking of the Upper Lars
control point. He added that in the course of his visit to Georgia,
he discussed the problems between Russia and Georgia, particularly the
blocking of the border that concerns Armenia as well. “The given issue
also caused the statement of the country in chair of EU few days ago,”
Semneby said.

HMAYAK HOVHANNESIAN CAN’T EXPLAIN ACTIONS OF SERGE SARGSIAN
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Opinion
Today, the Republican Party of Armenia follows the example of the
Communist Party that used to rule in Armenia within 70 years. Hmayak
Hovhannesian, deputy, political expert, expressed this opinion
today at “Pastark” club. He believes that the multi-party system
exists in Armenia only de-jure, while in fact, the Republican Party
rules Armenia. He stated that the latest developments in the RPA
didn’t contribute to growth of its rating. “On the contrary, Serge
Sargsian’s membership to the party, as well as that of a group of
oligarchs of half criminal character have decreased the rating of
the party, as the people hate all of them,” he said. Hovhannesian
added that one shouldn’t compare Serge Sargsian with PM Vazgen
Sargsian. “V. Sargsian realized the importance of changing his
image, isolated the oligarchs from the political processes and began
cooperating with Karen Demirchian’s party. The oligarchs wouldn’t dare
to interfere with the political developments in the times of Vazgen
Sargsian. As for Serge Sargsian, he activates the participation of
the oligarchs in the political life of the country,” he said. At
the same time, he added that he can’t find any explanation to the
illogical steps of Serge Sargsian. In the beginning he thought Sargsian
wanted to cooperate with the intelligentsia, becaming the head of
the Yerevan State University’s Scientific Council. But, at present,
Hovhannesian is bewildered why Serge Sargsian’s decision to join
RPA. Hovhannesian said that whatever goals Serge Sargsian attains,
the results may be quite negative, as the atmosphere of mistrust
and hatred may grow tenser after that. Such a hard inner political
situation is in the interests of the super powers, particularly USA,
Russia, Iran and EU. He emphasized that the membership of Serge
Sargsian and a group of oligarchs to RPA anyway strengthened the
positions of the Armenian opposition on the eve of the elections,
as the people’s hatred to the ruling political party is growing.
As for the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, He added that taking into
consideration the present geopolitical situation, Azerbaijan can
restart military actions in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in autumn 2006, expressed his
opinion on a press conference at ‘Pastark’ club Hmayak
Hovhannisian,Parliament deputy and political scientist. He also told
about the probability that the USA will help Azerbaijan because of
the situation in Middle East and the contradictions between Azerbaijan
and Iran.
By Tamar Minasian

SALE OF 90% OF ARMENTEL SHARES IS LIKELY TO COMPLETE IN LATE AUGUST
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Economy
It is expected that the sale of 90% of ArmenTel shares will be
completed in late August. OTE headquarter informed about this,
today. According to the source, the board of OTE company didn’t make
any official statements about the terms of the sale. “But there are
all grounds to suppose that the sales results will be known already
in end August,” it stated. The Russian mass media informed that 90%
of ArmenTel shares will be sold to the Russian “AFK Sistema” and VTEL
Holdings / Knightsbridge Associates the international consortium.
By Ara Martirosian

DOCUMENTARY FILM ABOUT SEA EXPEDITION OF “CILICIA” VESSEL SHIP TO BE SHOWN IN MOSCOW
AZG Armenian Daily #139, 26/07/2006
Culture
The presentation of “Travel in Seven Seas” documentary film dedicated
to the sea expedition of “Cilicia” vessel ship will be shown on
August 1, 2006, within the framework of Armenia’s year in Russia,
in Moscow based “Rolland” movie-theatre. It’s worth mentioning that
the ship is an exact copy of the Armenian Middle Age ships belonging
to the Armenian Cilicia Kingdom. The vessel ship has already arrived
from the Great Britain to St. Petersbourg to continue its voyage down
the Russian rivers.
By Tamar Minasian

DEPUTY MINISTER SAYS ONE THIRD OF ARMENIAN POPULATION POOR
Panorama.am
14:01 25/07/06
A three-day seminar on monitoring and evaluation of income generation
and employment programs in Armenia launched in Yerevan today. The event
was organized by the ministry of foreign affairs, ministry of social
security and UN economic and social commission in Asian-Pacific region.
Artsvik Minasyan, deputy minister of employment and social affairs,
informed the present that a national report is developed by a group
of experts aimed to outline the development trends of Armenia within
the context of poverty alleviation as well as programs on employment.
The report says incomes are not evenly distributed in the country. The
needy sector of the population has very limited opportunities. “Poverty
is still a major problem for Armenia with 34% of population being
poor,” deputy minister said. In other words, 1 mln people are poor
and 200 000 of them live in dire needy conditions. The experts of the
report recommend creating well-paid jobs. The report also suggests
reconsidering the program on poverty alleviation which the government
approved in 2003. In A. Minasyan’s words, social security system also
needs improvements. /Panorama.am/

AIRPORT ZVARTNOTS OVERCOMES FUEL CRISIS
Panorama.am
18:50 25/07/06
The second dispatch of fuel to airport Zvartnots has already crossed
the Armenia border and will soon arrive to its place of destination,
Gevork Abrahamyan, press spokesman of Armenia International airports,
told Panorama.am.
In his words, Mika Armenia Trading will dispatch about 2,5 thousand
tones of fuel to the airport. The airport received the same quantity of
fuel last week. G. Abrahamyan says the airport has overcome the fuel
crisis and airliners get necessary quantity of fuel. The airport had
ordered 13 tones of fuel to its main supplier, Mika Armenia Trading.
Note: airport Zvartnots faced fuel crisis in early July with airliners
not being able to make direct flights to their destinations. The plans
landed to the nearest airports to get supply of fuel./Panorama.am/