AMD 50mln targeted for child and youth sports development in Armenia

Tatoyan Vazgen

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

AMD 50MLN TARGETED FOR CHILD AND YOUTH SPORTS DEVELOPMENT IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. Armenian Government allocated AMD 50mln
for child and youth sports development. The Government’s press
service says the money is to be given to Government-affiliated State
Sport Committee for passing it on to Armenian Football Federation.
($1 = AMD 453.13). M.V. –0 –

Photo and artworks exhibition of Armenian Women to open in Yerevan

Nalbandian Eduard

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

PHOTO AND ARTWORKS EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN WOMEN TO OPEN IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. An exhibition of photo and artworks
exhibition of Armenian women, dedicated to the International Women’s
Day, will open in the UN Yerevan Office. The UN Yerevan Office’s
Press Service reported that the exhibition will show 30 paintings and
tapestries of Armenian female artists under the common name of
`Creative Synthesis’, with the support of the `Gender and Politics in
South Caucasus: Georgia and Armenia’, the UNDP. According to the
press-release the exhibition is aimed at reflecting the historical
struggle for improvement of women’s lives.
In the frameworks of this event, 60 best photos of Armenian, Georgian
and Azerbaijani women-photographers on the topic `Women of South
Caucasus’ will also be exhibited. Particularly, the exhibition was
organized by the UN Yerevan Office and the Association of diplomats’
wives. The UN Yerevan Office was founded in 1993, and 15 specialized
UN agencies currently work in Armenia. R.O. –0–

4.3 billion euros invested by EBRD in 2005

Badalian Vardan

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

4.3 BILLION EUROS INVESTED BY EBRD IN 2005

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development invested 4.3 billion euros in 2005under under 151
projects made, the EBRD press service told ARKA News Agency.
According to the press service, this amount exceeds the bank’s
previous investments and targets 27 South-Eastern Europe, Caucasus
and Central Asia countries as well as Russia.
The press release says 2.46bln euros or 58% of total amount of
investments are sent to transition-economy countries (in 2004
1.93bln), 1.12bln euros or 26% were given to Russia (1.24bln euros in
2004) and 699mln euros or 16% to successfully developing transition
countries (in 2004 964mln euros).
The EBRD investments are focused on encouraging market economy in the
region where the bank runs its activity. 85% of the bank’s new
projects were qualified in 2005 as having good and excellent
potential impact, the press release says.
The EBRD attracted 2.6bln euros from commercial banks export credit
organizations and other international financial institutions as
co-financing. Donors gave 75mln euros for preparation and
implementation of projects. The money was also given for
strengthening investment environment.
The EBRD works in 60 countries and 2 non-governmental organizations.
Its activity is focused on promotion of transfer from central
planning to market economy in Eastern and Central Europe and CIS
countries.
Armenia with its share of 10mln euros became EBRD member in 1992.
The bank allocated 39.3mln euros for 24 programs implementation in
Armenia. M.V. -0—

1st session of “Union of Participants of Mortgage Market of Armenia”

Tambiyan Samvel

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

FIRST SESSION OF “UNION OF PARTICIPANTS OF MORTGAGE MARKET OF
ARMENIA” TO TAKE PLACE ON MARCH 17

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. The first session of the “Union of
Participants of Mortgage Market of Armenia” will take place on March
17. Such decision was made today during the constituent assembly of
the Union in Yerevan.
One of the founders of the Union, Executive Director of the
“Armeconombank” Ashot Osipyan stated that elections of the Executive
Director of the Union will be held during the first session of the
Union as well as structural issues will be discussed.
Besides that, in his words, they intend to discuss the working
program of the activities of the Council of the “Union of
Participants of the Mortgage Market of Armenia”.
The founders and the members of the Union are 8 commercial banks
(“Armeconombank”, “Areksimbank”, “Yunibank”, “Ararat bank”,
“Arminvestbank”, “Armenian Bank for Development”, “Armswissbank”), 4
insurance companies (“Sil Insurance”, “Private Insurance”, “Nairi
Insurance”, “Prime Insurance Brokers”), 2 financial organizations
(universal credit organizations “Washington Capital” and “First
Mortgage Company”) and 4 real estate agencies (“Alta VIP”, “M&M”,
“Premier Realty”, “Elephant Realty”). S.P. –0–

Court hearing of Armenian CEC policy at constitutional referendum

Toneyan Mark

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

COURT HEARING OF ARMENIAN CEC’s POLICY AT CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
TO BE HELD ON MARCH 13

YEREVAN, March. 10. /ARKA/. On March 13, 2006, the minor court of
Yerevan’s Kanaker and Nor Nork communities is to hold a hearing of a
claim concerning the inaction of the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) during the constitutional referendum in Armenia. The Public
Commission formed to supervise the legality of the referendum reports
that about 70 claims lodged by the Commission Coordinator Ruben
Torosyan are to be considered. According to the press-release, the
claims contain the information on violations committed by the RA
President, Vice-Speaker of the RA Parliament, RA Foreign Minister,
Rectors of Armenia’s higher schools, a number of TV companies and the
RA Academy of Sciences.
The constitutional referendum was held in Armenia on November 27,
2005. P.T. -0–

198 participants register to the International Bank Conference

Chilingarian Babken

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

198 PARTICIPANTS REGISTER FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE INTERNATIONAL BANK
CONFERENCE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. 198 participants, more than half of them
are foreigners, registered for participation in the International
Bank Conference on the subject of foreign commerce financing in
Armenia, according to the Executive Director of “Armeconombank” Ashot
Osipyan.
“We hope that within the framework of this conference rather
interesting discussions will be conducted”, Osipyan stated.
The main themes of the International Bank Conference, on the subject
of foreign commerce financing, which will be held on March 28-30,
2006, are the role of banks and banking instruments for stimulation
of international trade as well as cooperation between banks and
exporters in the sphere of trade financing in Armenia.
Within the framework the conference issues of control over credit
risks, balance of payment of Armenia, evaluation of risk of
documentary operations and development perspectives of the
international trade in Armenia will be discussed.
The main organizers of the conference are EBRD and Armeconombank.
Among media-sponsors of the conference are “ARKA” Armenian News
Agency, “Armnews” TV-channel and “Republic of Armenia” newspaper.
S.P. –0–

Armenia, MCA to sign $235.6mln agreement on March 27

Khoyetsian Rose

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

ARMENIA, “MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES” CORPORATION TO SIGN $235.6MLN
AGREEMENT ON MARCH 27

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. An agreement between Armenia and the
“Millennium Challenges” corporation is to be signed in Washington,
USA, on March 27, 2006.
The press service of the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy reports
that the $235.6mln 5-year agreement is to be signed by RA Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and Director of the
corporation John Danilovich.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to attend the signing the
ceremony.
On March 10, 2006, RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan made a
decision under which an Armenian delegation headed by the RA Minister
of Finance and Economy is to leave for Washington on May 25-30 to
sign the agreement.
The Armenian delegation is to include Chief Presidential Economic
Advisor Vahram Nersisyants, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. The
Armenian program “Millennium Challneges” was prepared by an
interagency group chaired by the RA Minister of Finance and Economy
under the patronage of the trustees of the Armenian program of the
“Millennium Challenges” corporation headed by the RA Premier.
The goal of the program is rural poverty reduction through ensuring a
stable increase in agricultural output. P.T. -0–

Kocharyan gives rank of extraordinary envoy to Amb. in Argentine

Karabekian Emil

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 10 2006

RA PRESIDENT GIVES RANK OF EXTRAORDINARY ENVOY AND PLENIPOTENTIARY
MINISTER TO THE ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR IN ARGENTINE

YEREVAN, March 10. /ARKA/. The RA President Robert Kocharyan gave
diplomatic rank of extraordinary envoy and plenipotentiary minister
to the Armenian Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary in
Argentine Vladimir Karmirshalyan. According to the Press Service of
the RA President, Kocharyan signed the corresponding decree on March
10.
Vladimir Karmirshalyan was appointed Armenian Ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Argentine (residence is in
Buenos-Aires) by the RA President’s decree on February 18, 2006.
Before the appointment Karmirshalyan was Armenian Ambassador
extraordinary and plenipotentiary in Dania, Sweden, Norway and
Finland. S.P. –0–