INTERNATIONAL ARMENIAN-ITALIAN BUSINESS FORUM TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 10:33
International Armenian-Italian business forum will be held today
in Yerevan.
The event has been organized by the Union of Manufacturers and
Entrepreneurs of Armenia, the Italian “Olston” Company and the Embassy
of Italy in Armenia.

ANCA WELCOMES ADOPTION OF AMENDMENT TO BLOCK US SUBSIDY FOR ARMENIA RAILROAD BYPASS
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 11:03
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) welcomed the
vote by a powerful Congressional panel to block US taxpayer funding
for an unnecessary and costly proposed railroad between Turkey and
Georgia that would, if built, circumvent Armenia and, in the process,
undermine the economic viability of the existing Caucasus railroad
route through Armenia.
With a unanimous voice vote earlier today, the House Financial
Services Committee adopted the amendment offered by panel member Joe
Crowley. The measure prohibits the Export-Import Bank from providing
any assistance “to develop or promote any rail
connections or railway-related connections that traverse or connect
Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars, Turkey, and that
specifically exclude cities in Armenia.”
“We thank Congressman Crowley, his colleagues Ed Royce and Brad
Sherman, and all the members of the Financial Services Committee for
protecting American taxpayers from subsidizing an ill-advised and
over-priced railroad project that – at the insistence of Turkey and
Azerbaijan – has been proposed solely to exclude Armenia,” said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

SERGO YERITSYAN APPOINTED ADVISER TO RA PRESIDENT
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 12:00
With President Robert Kocharyan’s decree of 14 June, Sergo Yeritsyan
has been appointed Adviser to RA President.

VLADIMIR KARMIRSHALYAN APPOINTED RA AMBASSADOR TO CHILI AND URUGUAY
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 12:12
According to President Robert Kocharyan’s decree dated June 14,
Ara Ayvazyan has been dismissed from the position of RA Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Chili and
the Eastern Republic of Uruguay. RA Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Argentina Vladimir Karmirshalyan
(seat in Buenos Ayres) has been appointed to the position.

DELEGATION OF RF SOUTHERN FEDERAL DISTRICT TO VISIT ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 12:30
June 15-16 the delegation of RF Southern Federal District headed by
Plenipotentiary Representative of RF President will be in Yerevan. The
delegation comprises the Governor of Rostov region V. Chub, Commander
of RF North-Caucasian Military District, Army General A. Baranov.
During the stay in Armenia the Russian delegation will have meetings
with RA President Robert Kocharyan, Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
and the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II.
At 09:30 June 16 the delegation will visit the Genocide Museum.

IT’S EARLY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REASONS OF THE A-320 CRASH, ARMAVIA COMPANY SAYS
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 12:44
“All comments of anonymous sources about the reasons of the crash of
the A-320 jet near Sochi are void,” “Arminfo” correspondent was told
at the press service of Armavia Company.
The Company informed that it is not correct to speak about the
reasons of the tragedy, unless the decoding of the black boxes is
completed. The official results will be made public by the Interstate
Aviation Committee.
The press service denied the suggestion that such “anonymous”
information may pursue certain objectives. However, sources close
to aviation circles of Armenia are concerned that some of these
“anonymous” information may be paid for to expel the national
transporter of Armenia from the market.

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN BUSINESS FORUM POSTPONED
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 13:48
The Armenian-Russian business forum scheduled June 30, 2006 has been
postponed till November, President of the Union of Manufacturers and
Entrepreneurs of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan told “Arminfo.” According to
him, the delay of the forum is connected solely with organizational
reasons, since the period of summer holidays is ahead. Arsen Ghazaryan
said it is early to tell what issues of importance for Armenia will
be discussed during the forum.

ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN PARTICIPATING IN THE EUROPEAN YOUTH BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 14:00
The European Youth Boxing Championship started in Tirana,
Albania. Eight sportsmen from Armenia, led by chief trainer Fedya
Alexanyan, are participating in the tournament. The Armenian youth
boxing team comprises Hrant Sargsyan (46 kg), Karen aylazyan (48 kg),
Vladimir Margaryan (50 kg), Zaven Kankaryan (52 kg), Arsen Hovhannisyan
(54 kg), Gor Harutyunyan (57 kg) and Tigran Armenakyan (70 kg).

ANTI-SMOKING MEDIA CAMPAIGNS IN THREE MARZES OF ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 14:53
A presentation describing anti-smoking media campaigns, implemented
in three marzes of Armenia, will take place on June 16, 2006 in the
Golden Tulip Hotel in Yerevan.
In August 2005, three international cancer charities — the American
Cancer Society (ACS), Cancer Research UK, and the International
Union Against Cancer (UICC) — awarded an advocacy fellowship to
Dr. Narine Movsisyan. The intent of this fellowship was to facilitate
anti-smoking media projects in Armenia. D r. Movsisyan is a leading
Armenian tobacco control advocate and a Project Coordinator at the
Center for Health Services Research and Development at the American
University of Armenia. Dr. Movsisyan’s efforts have also been supported
by an IREX/ECA social marketing training grant.
An intensive one-and-half day training session on tobacco control
issues took place in Tsakhkadzor in December 2005, followed by
a competition open to all marz TV companies. A professional jury
selected four winning proposals for the implementation of anti-smoking
media campaigns in three marzes of Armenia. The companies selected
were: Lori TV (Vanadzor), Fortuna (Stepanavan), ALT (Armavir), and
Khustup TV (Kapan). The on-site training provided by the Internews
experts facilitated the creation of anti-smoking media campaigns in
these marzes.
According to Dr. Narine Movsisyan, “The heavy burden of smoking to the
Armenian society is yet to be largely recognized in Armenia. Smoking
is the primary risk factor for the leading causes of death in Armenia,
namely cardiovascular disease and cancer. We are loosing about 2000
human lives due to smoking each year in Armenia and these premature
deaths are totally preventable. We should spread the knowledge
about risks of smoking and the risks of exposure to tobacco smoke
to everyone, especially to people in rural areas of Armenia, who are
already disadvantaged in terms of access to information”.

ANTI-ARMENIAN HYSTERIA IN AZERBAIJAN CONTINUES
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 16:16
NKR Ministry of Defense has rejected the statements of Baku on firing
Azeri villages and destruction of cultural monuments on territories
under the control of Nagorno-Karabakh Armed Forces. Head of Press
Service of NKR Ministry of Defense, Deputy Colonel Senor Asratyan
informed that “by spreading apparently false information Azerbaijan
tries to neutralize the negative attitude of the international
community connected with the destruction of the ancient Armenian
cemetery in Nakhijevan.”
Senor Asratyan noted that after every unsuccessful round of
negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement Baku undertakes
measures to defame the Armenian side.
“Azeri authorities are not ready for concessions. Therefore, they
try to stiffen the settlement process in every possible way by
strengthening the anti-Armenian propaganda,” Senor Asratyan underlined.