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–

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–

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–

“POET’S RETURN” FILM OF HAROUTIUN KHACHATRIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN
COMPETITION PROGRAM
YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Film director
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s “Poet’s Return” film will be shown on March
15-20 in three cities of Belgium: Antwerp, Ghent, Anderlecht, where at
the same time lectures and meetings will be held. As the Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed by the “Golden Apricot” (Voske Tsiran)
festival office, the film will also participate in the competition
program of the Italian “Infinity” festival to take place from March 30
to April 7. Later, from June 30 to July 8, the “Poet’s Return” film
will participate in the competition program of the Karlovy Vary
International Film Festival to take place in Czechia as well.
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s previous, the “The Documentarist” film was
awarded special prize in the same festival. Retrospective show of
Haroutiun Khachatrian’s films will be held in the cinematheque of
Slovenia on May 26-30. The director’s five films:
“Kond,” “White City,” “Return to the Promised Land,” “The
Documentarist” and “Poet’s Return” will be shown. It’s envisaged to
organize similar retrospective shows in the cinematheques of Uruguay
and Argentina as well. Retrospective shows of films of four directors
of the Armenian origin: Sergey Parajanov, Artavazd Peleshian, Atom
Egoyan and Haroutiun Khachatrian will take place in cinematheque of
Holland in autumn.

“MILITARY SUCCESS NECESSARY TO STRENGTHEN BY POLITICAL SUCCESS,” BABKEN
ARARKTSIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The peaceful process of the Karabakh
conflict settlement entered deadlock. Babken Ararktsian, the former
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament (1991-1998), the Chairman of the
“Armat” (root) organization stated about this at the meeting taken
place on March 10 at the National Press Club.
According to him, in the Karabakh problem the authorities of Armenia
had a goal to prolong the negotiations anyway, thus, to keep the
created status-quo, and in the case of fail of the negotiations, to
use tone of an ultimatum and state that Armenia will recognize the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.
Babken Ararktsian excluded the possibility of the international
pressure both on Armenia and on Azerbaijan: “They’ll put pressure if
they are interested, but this issue isn’t their one, and they want the
conflict sides to solve the issue.”
According to Ararktsian, the time works for Azerbaijan which actively
uses all its possibilities in different international instances and
initiates adoption of a number of new documents, which, like the new
“terms about the aggressor and the occupied territories,” are spread
in international spheres.
He expressed confidence that it’s necessary to strengthen the military
success by political success what wasn’t implemented, and the role and
influence of military successes weaken during the time.
Babken Ararktsian attached special importance to the participation of
Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiation process.

ARMENTEL FINED IN AMOUNT OF 1% OF ITS REVENUES RECEIVED IN 2005 FROM
MOBILE PHONE COMMUNICATION SERVICES

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. ArmenTel company, which has monopoly
on fixed line phone communication, has set such conditions, as a
result of which K-Telecom – its competitor in the mobile phone
communication sector – has found itseld in unequal conditions. This
was the conclusion of the RA State Commission on Protection of
Economic Competition, which on March 10 examined the complaint of
K-Telecom (VivaCell) company against ArmenTel company.
It is noted in the commission’s conclusion that ArmenTel offered a
discount, including for calls made to fixed-line phones, for a certain
group of its mobile phone contract system’s subscribers. K-Telecom,
for whose subscribers the commutation payment is higher, has no
opportunity to offer such discounts to its subscribers. As a result,
according to the commission, some discriminatory conditiones were
created between ArmenTel and K-Telecom companies.
Qualifying ArmenTel’s actions as abuse of its dominating position, the
commission made a decision to fine ArmenTel in the amount of 1% of the
revenues that the company received for providing mobile phone
communication services in 2005. The commission obliged ArmenTel to
ensure such conditions, under which its rival would be able to use
similar discounts.
In response to a question asked by NT correspondent, the commission
chairman Ashot Shahnazarian said that the commission does not know the
amount of ArmenTel’s reveues against mobile phone communication
services in 2005, and it will take into account the information to be
provided by the company itself.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CREMATORY IS REFUSABLE FOR ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH, PRIEST TER HAKOB
KHACHATRIAN STATES

YEREVAN, MARCH 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Crematory is refusable for the Armenian
Apostolic Church, this is inadmissible from the viewpoint of national
traditional thinking and moral and psychology. Priest Ter Hakob
Khachatrian, spiritual serviceman of the Surb Sargis Church stated
about this at the March 7 discussion organized in the “Hayeli”
club. According to him, crematory is impossible for an Armenian’s
thinking and Armenia usually don’t make use of this service in those
countries where it’s a normal event. According to the priest, it’s a
law defined by the God: “you’re land and will become land.”
To recap, the article concerning the crematory is fixed in the
Febraury 27 law “On Organizing Burials and Usage of Graveyards and
Crematoria” adopted by the RA National Assembly.
NA Deputy Vladimir Badalian, the author of the law, mentioned that the
city of Yerevan is surrounded by graveyards which occupy the 7-8% of
the territory of the capital. And, according to rough calculations,
those territories will make the 30-40% in 2050 in the case of keeping
the present order of burials.
Reasoning the necessity of using crematory, V.Badalian mentioned that
crematory is justified in sanitary-epidemic, ecological and other
senses. Besides, according to the law, crematory may be implemented
only “with the written expression of the will of the man died or those
undretaken the burial.” The Deputy also mentioned that crematories
will start to operate in Armenia from 2008.
Responding the law author’s reasonings, priest Ter Hakob Khachatrian
expressed confidence that the lands may be kept by implementing burial
on another grave what is allowed by the same law. Besides, according
to him, it may be prohibited to build capital constructions on
graves. “In this case, on the one hand, our lands will be kept and on
the other hand, our national and Christian picture won’t be
distorted,” priest Ter Hakob Khachatrian mentioned.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WORLD BANK CONFERS “1993-2002 COUNTRY PROGRAMS BEST PRACTICE AWARD” ON
ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, the World Bank (WB) conferred
the 1993-2002 Country (Armenia) Programs Best Practice Award on
Armenia. Armenia has become the first country to receive this award of
the World Bank.
According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Finance and
Economy, an annual meeting-discussion on assessment of the WB-financed
programs’ package took place in Yerevan on March 10. The purpose of
the discussion was to examine the overall situation regarding the
programs’ implementation in Armenia, assess efficiency of their
implementation, identify problems related to these programs and
propose their solutions, etc.
It was noted that the annual study of the 2005 package of programs
showed that they continue to be low-risk. The index of expenditures
is considerably higher than the average regional index of Europe and
Central Asia, which creates positive trends in terms of invsetment
activities and programs’ implementation.
41 programs of a total of 920.9 mln USD have been approved by the
World Bank in Armenia, with the programs of 749 mln USD being already
implemented. The total amount of the currently opertaing programs
makes 280.4 mln USD.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UPCOMING ELECTIONS WOULD BE CRUCIAL TO ARMENIA’S FUTURE, INTERNATIONAL
WORKING GROUP ON ELECTIONS CONVINCED

YEREVAN, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The international working group on
elections was established in 2002 to provide a forum for the exchange
of information and experience among representatives of international
organizations and Embassies in Armenia that have been involved in
election assistance. The group meets regularly and is chaired by the
OSCE Office in Yerevan.
Ambassadors and the heads of intergovernmental organisations involved
in the working group met on March 9 and exchanged information about
Armenia’s progress in preparing for Parliamentary and Presidential
elections that will be held in 2007 and 2008.
According to the statement adopted by the working group, provided to
Noyan Tapan by OSCE Yerevan Office Press and Public Relations
Department, the participants took note of the steps that have already
been initiated by the Armenian authorities, including efforts to
update the voters list, the beginning of training for members of
electoral commissions, and preliminary steps to review the existing
electoral code.
The participants noted that the elections scheduled to take place next
year and the year after would take place in new circumstances
following the Constitutional referendum which modified the system of
governance in the country. The participants welcomed these changes as
constituting, on the whole, progress for Armenia and correcting a
number of shortcomings in the constitution as it existed.
At the same time, the shortcomings of previous elections were recalled
and the participants noted that those international observers who were
invited to witness the voting related to the Constitutional referendum
in November concluded that the process was marked by serious abuses. A
number of Armenia’s leaders have acknowledged that numerous
shortcomings were evident and that for this reason a shadow had been
cast on the voting process itself.
With these circumstances in mind, the participants agreed that the
upcoming elections would be crucial to Armenia’s future. They are of
the view that a government that is, and is perceived by its population
to be, fairly chosen by the people, is not only essential to a just
society, but is also a significant factor in political stability,
national security, and economic development. A fair and open electoral
process is also one of Armenia’s international commitments. The
participants welcomed statements by a number of Armenian officials
that the Government of Armenia was taking steps to ensure that the
shortcomings of the past would not be repeated.
Several participants of the meeting have indicated their willingness
to provide appropriate assistance. They noted, in particular, the
importance of assisting with the training of election commission
members, the provision of expertise in connection with possible
revisions of the electoral code, improvements in the voters list, and
the promotion of popular awareness of the procedures that must be
followed in order to produce a free and fair election. The meeting
stressed the importance of the earliest possible engagement of foreign
governments and international organisations in providing requested
assistance, having in mind the complexity of electoral processes and
the time often required to develop and mobilise assistance programs.
The participants expressed the hope that the Government of Armenia
would engage civil society in ensuring that the forthcoming elections
constitute a unifying process between the people and those who govern
them.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CE SECRETARY GENERAL SENDS LETTERS TO FOREIGN MINISTERS OF 37 CE
MEMBER STATES, INCLUDING ARMENIA

STRASBOURG, MARCH 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The Secreatry General of the
Council of Europe (CE) Terry Davis sent letters to the foreign
ministers of the 37 CE member states, reminding, in the context of
secret arrests and transportation of prisoners in Europe, about
honoring the commitments of the CE member states within the framework
of the European Convention of Human Rights.
These countries are Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland,
France, Georgia, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania,
Luxemburg, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania,
Russia, San Marino, Serbia and Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, “the Former Republic of Macedonia Jugoslavia”, Turkey, Ukraine
and the UK. The letter to Albania was sent on February 22.
According to the CE press service in Armenia, the governments of the
above mentioned countries were requested to make additions to or
explain the responses given during the November 21, 2005 survey. The
deadline for providing answers is April 7.