“SHEN-CONCERN” CJSC INTENDS TO ATTRACT CREDIT FROM EUROBANK TO SUM OF
$5-6 MLN Yerevan, May 20. ArmInfo. The “Shen-Concern” CJSC intends to
attract credit from the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development to the sum of $5-6 mln to build a plant in Armenia for
plasterboard production, the Concern’s President Samvel Beglaryan told
ArmInfo.
According to him, plasterboard is not produced in Armenia at present
and is imported mainly from Iran and partially from Russia. According
to Beglaryan’s assessments, Armenia imports about 1-1,5 mln sq.m of
plasterboard per year to the sum of $5 mln. To organize this
production, “Shen” intends to start development of a plaster deposit
in Armenia. As to Beglaryan’s estimations, the Eurobank’s credit means
will be enough to operate the quarry and to build a plant. This
project will be probably considered at the Eurobank’s general meeting
of shareholders to be held in London June 20-26, 2006. Then the
project will be discussed at the regular annual meeting of the “Shen”
shareholders in Yerevan on July 9. According to the President of
“Shen”, the year 2005 was successful for the Company in the whole, as
compared to the previous year. Thus, according to preliminary
estimations, the volumes of sales increased by 20-25% or by $300-400
thsd. as compared to 2004.
Besides, Samvel beglarian stated that “Shen-Concern” has attracted
1.250 million euros to construction of a new plant producing color
cement blocks in Yerevan. The plan will be unique in the South
Caucasus, he said.
He said the concern gained the sum invested in the construction from a
deal with the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development. Specifically, EBRD acquired 24% of the enterprise’s
shares for 850,000 euros at the end of 2004, and another 15% shares
for 400,000 euros in 2005, hereby becoming the holder of 36% stake in
“Shen-Concern.” The plant was put into operation in March 2006. The
production capacity of the plant is 13,000 standard cement blocks per
8-hour shift. The plant capacity fully satisfies the needs of the
internal market, Beglaryan says. The plant can produce 17 types of
cement products, specifically, borders for highways and streets, color
blocks etc. He assures that European special hydraulic-press
technology, which is unique in the South Caucasus, is used in the
production of the cement blocks. It secures high atmosphere resistance
and durability. The new plant has 30 employees, but the growing
production will lead to opening of new jobs. The average monthly wages
is some 100,000 AMD. At present the plant uses 40% of its capacities
because of some technical problems with adjustment, however, these
problems will be settled in a month, Beglaryan believes.
According to Beglarian, the “Shen-Concern” CJSC intends to expand its
presence in the Georgian market of building materials in 2006.
According to him, it has been two year already as the “Shen”-produced
paints, which are distinguished by high quality compared to the
now-used Turkish analogues, are supplied to the Georgian market. The
Concern is going to supply colored concrete blocks and borders to
Georgia since 2006. Beglaryan noted that the Georgia’s deputy Minister
for Economic Development, Genrikh Mouradyan, has recently visited
Yerevan and the newly-built “Shen” plant for concrete blocks
production. Mouradyan came interested in the Armenian production as
large-scale road-building is carried out in Georgia. A preliminary
agreement was reached during the visit concerning delivery of the
whole assortment of the plant’s production to the Georgian market. The
management of “Shen” will visit Georgia in the midst of July, 2006, to
sign contracts. The transport scheme of supplies and the price policy
are discussed at present. Other more distant countries are also
interested in the Armenian products. Delivery proposals came from
Rumania and the United Arab Emirates, in particular, Beglaryan said.
To be noted, the “Shen-Concern” CJSC was created in 1995. Thirty-six
percents of the Concerns’ shares belong to the EBRD, the rest part –
to the Armenia’s residents. The Concern owns a network of firm shops,
where 114 employees are engaged.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO AZERBAIJAN RESPONDS TO SEN. BOXER’S
CONCERNS ON DJULFA CEMETERY DESTRUCTION
WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan Anne Derse
responded to concerns raised by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) regarding
Azerbaijan’s destruction of the over millennia old Djulfa Armenian
cemetery in Nakhichevan, this week, but refrained from pledging any
concrete commitment to investigate the matter, reports the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA) Submitting a written response to
questions by Sen. Boxer relayed during her May 12th Senate Foreign
Relations Committee confirmation hearing, Derse noted that the
Department of State is “urging the relevant Azerbaijani authorities to
investigate the allegations of desecration of cultural monuments in
Nakhichevan and take appropriate measures to prevent any desecration
of cultural monuments. Armenia and Azerbaijan are both members of
UNESCO (and OSCE), and Azerbaijan has raised these issues in those
organizations. We have encouraged Armenia and Azerbaijan to work with
UNESCO to investigate this incident. If I am confirmed, and if such
issues arise during my tenure, I will communicate our concerns to the
Government of Azerbaijan and pursue appropriate activities in support
of U.S. interests.”
In December of 2005, approximately 200 Azerbaijani soldiers were
videotaped using sledgehammers to demolish the Armenian cemetery in
Djulfa, a sacred site of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The cemetery
dates back to the 7th Century and once was home to as many as 10,000
khatchkars (intricately carved stone-crosses). An on-line video of the
destruction can be viewed at:
_ p04.htm_
( htm)

56 COUNTRIES TO TAKE PART IN 3RD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL GOLDEN APRICOT
Yerevan, May 19. ArmInfo. The organizational committee of the 3rd
international film festival Golden Apricot, to be held in Yerevan July
10-15, has received applications from 257 film directors from 56
countries.
The honorary guest of the festival will be the world renowned
documentary film director Artavazd Peleshyan, who will get a special
award for outstanding contribution in the world
cinematography. Similar awards will be given to the well-known Italian
film director Marco Bellocchio and his Iranian colleague Mohsen
Makhmalbaf.
The leitmotif of the festival will be the Crossroads of Cultures and
Civilizations. 50 films will be shown during the festival. The
chairman of the jury of feature films will be the ex director of the
Berlin Film Festival Moritz de Hadeln, of documentary films – US film
director Godfry Reggio.
There will be one grand prix and special award in each category and
special award for Armenian documentary and feature films. This year
there will be no animation films.
Film Directors Without Borders, a new project approved by European
Cultural Parliament and comprising almost 60 film directors from
around the world, will hold its first seminar in the framework of the
festival.
The artistic director of the festival Susanna Haroutyunyan says that
the budget of the festival is the same as last year and is provided by
the Armenian Government – $300,000.

Armenian president to stand down in 2008, adviser says

AP Worldstream; May 20, 2006
Armenian President Robert Kocharian is to step down at the end of his
second term in 2008, a top adviser said Saturday.
Kocharian, who has ruled his impoverished, landlocked Caucasus
Mountain nation since 1998, could hand the reins over to his defense
minister, said the president’s national security adviser, Garnik
Isagulian.
“One of those who is most experienced and ready to be the next
president of Armenia is the defense minister Serzh Sarkisian,” he
said.
“In this case, Armenia’s current political course will be pursued,”
Isagulian added.
The opposition in Armenia claims that Kocharian is preparing to change
the Constitution to allow him to be re-elected for a third consecutive
term. But the presidential adviser said that Kocharian did not want to
harm the legitimacy of the presidency.
“A person who has given so many years of his life to important state
affairs would never take such a step,” he said.
However, Kocharian will retain major political influence in the
country even after he leaves office, said Isagulian.
“Kocharian after he finishes his second term will continue to wield
influence over the political life of the country, even greater than
that of the prime minister,” he said.

Azeri students urge Tehran to sever ties with Armenia

Azerbaijani news agency APA, Baku
20 May 06
Baku, 20 May: The students of Zanjan University who staged a protest against
the publication of a cartoon insulting Azeris in Iran newspaper today urged
Tehran to sever ties with Armenia, the Baku bureau of the National Revival
Movement of Southern Azerbaijan has told APA.
The protesters, who demanded the restoration of their national rights, said
they view the cartoon as Iran’s official position. They urged Azeri students
to stage protests in all of southern Azerbaijan [northern Iran].
Unidentified people attacked the editorial office of Iran newspaper and
tried to set it on fire yesterday evening.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANOTHER IMMORAL VICTORY
Lragir.am
20 May 06
The recent `great migration’ in the political sphere of Armenia,
witnessed by the entire society, became, in fact, the threshold of a
new political event. At the moment it is difficult to predict who and
how will step pastthis threshold, and what awaits them after they take
this step. This is politics, and what happened is, though important,
but merely part of it. The disaffiliation of the businessmen from the
Orinats Yerkir Party, and generally, apart from all, the appearance
and disappearance of businessmen in any political party has an
economic importance. The environment that causes rats to abandon the
ship shatters politics the way it threatens the country’s
economicstate.
In economy there is a notion of business reputation, which is almost a
belief in business; at least this is so in developed and developing
countries.
Business reputation is earned through behavior, working style, dignity
of a businessman. How can a businessman have a reputation at all if he
is constantly sent from one party to another? How will his efforts to
involve foreign investors with huge financial capacities to expand,
develop his business, in other words, to prosper, be met? What serious
businessman will agree to cooperate with a businessman who appears
inside this or that political force on an instruction of the
leadership, ready to secede from it on a another instruction at a
necessary moment, serving the political aims of the government?
Whereas in civilized countries the political leadership normally
serves the interests of businesses. Usually, businessmen `hire’
politicians, whofollow the ideology that favors their interests, who
serve the interests of these businessmen in the political sphere. Even
the Armenian children age 1-7 have perceived this durable pattern
practiced in civilized countries with a successful political system,
whereas most businessmen in Armenia would not perceive it. At best
they would set up their own political party, but again following an
instruction from the government. And this does not differ essentially
fromthe phenomenon of creeping into party tickets. In this case,
however, they aregoing to dismantle their own party, not that of
others.
And if the one who has assumed to direct this business `migration’
thinks that the potential foreign partners of the businessmen of
Armenia overlook this phenomenon is bitterly mistaken. Perhaps this is
the reason why investments in Armenia are made by Russian businessmen,
involved in criminal stories in their countries, or companies with
anonymous owners in offshore. It does not make a difference to them
which businessman the government will attach to them, for they
directly deal with the leadership. Maybe this is the reasonwhy the
government deliberately discredits businessmen. For the foreign
investors to deal with the government rather than businessmen, knowing
that the government is the chief of the businessmen. At any rate, if
they do not get billions, they are sure to get millions.
What prospects can an economy have if its main players are discredited
on the will and knowledge of the political leadership of the country?
And also their own ignorance. At least, it is a chance if the
businessmen become engaged in this dangerous game without knowing,
without realizing the dangers of this situation for the country and
for themselves. Because getting used to entering and exiting they may
come into the habit of it. What is a businessman going to do if there
is nowhere else to enter or to exit, and if there is no instruction?
And generally what is a businessman supposed to do later if he is used
to work under someone else’s protection, receiving privilegesfor
service and obedience? What is a businessman going to do if one day
instead of a political party or another he is ordered to give up his
own company, house or country? Are the businessmen ready for this?
Whereas they should know better the `business rule’ of Armenia: one
day another person willshow up who will offer better service and they
may lose the competition.
HAKOB BADALYAN

AMERICAN SCHOOLCHILDREN PREFER KARABAKH, KARABAKHIS PREFER CYPRUS

Lragir.am
20 May 06

The graduating class of Ferrahian High School is in Karabakh. For
seven years now several Armenian schools of the United States travel
to Karabakh in May. Presently there are 40 children in Karabakh. In
three days another group will arrive in Karabakh, reported the Artsakh
Agency for Development of Tourism.
40 children from Karabakh left for Cyprus to spend their summer
vacations there. This is another tradition: for the third year now the
children of soldiers killed in the Karabakh war travel to Cyprus. On
May 27 another group will arrive in Cyprus. In September children from
Karabakh will spend a holiday in Greece.

NEW REFERENDUM SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION NEW REALITIES
Lragir.am
20 May 06
This opinion was expressed by the representatives of two major
political parties in Karabakh, considering the idea of a new
referendum for KarabakhOpen.
The OSCE Secretary General had spoken about the opportunity of the
people of Karabakh to express their will during his visit to Yerevan.
Gagik Petrosyan, Azat Hayrenik Party, said a referendum was held in
the Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh and the region of Shahumyan
on December 10, 1991. `If another referendum is held, taking into
consideration the new realities, and if the results of this referendum
is recognized by the international community and Azerbaijan, we think
it would be useful,=80=9D said Gagik Petrosyan.
Arthur Mosiyan, Armenian Revolutionary Federation, thinks that the
referendum would have sense if the liberated areas were also
involved. `Although the question of territories must not necessarily
be solved in a referendum. We have called the parliament for
recognizing the dominance of NKR over these areas. After 1991 and the
war imposed on us the realities changed, and every step that is taken
must take into consideration the new realities.’

FORUM OF INTELLIGENTSIA URGES DEBATES ON THE STATE OF ARMENIAN AVIATION
Lragir.am
20 May 06
On May 18 the Board of the Forum of Intelligentsia of Armenia issued a
news release, which runs: `The crash of A320 in Sochi on May 3 and the
loss of 113 passengers and the crew is not only great sorrow for the
Armenian people, but also a deep concern. So far the officials have
offered suggestions, which contradict to one another, as well as the
well-known facts and professional opinions. The impression is that
this is intended to create an atmosphere of despair and, why not,
indifference.
The society is still hopeful that the discovery of the black boxes
will bring a number of obscure questions to light. However,
independent from all, one can discern the ailing home political
environment between the causes of the crash, which has emerged from
the corrupt system established by the government of Armenia. This
atmosphere has had its negative impact on the system of air
communication in Armenia.
Considering the demand of the society, the board of the Forum of
Intelligentsia of Armenia proposes holding professional debates on the
state of the Armenian aviation and the crash. These activities are
necessary to avoid other crashes.’
Board of the Forum of Intelligentsia of Armenia

OF `ROUTINE’ OF ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
Lragir.am
20 May 06
`It should be noted that businessmen normally stand beside the
government and the state. Take any historical period, any
country. This is a regular thing, and maybe they had an inner feeling
how things would develop, and made a decision relying on talks between
them,’ stated Garnik Isagulyan, adviser to president, May 20,
commenting on the step of the businessmen who quit the Orinats Yerkir
Party. He says there was no pressure on these businessmen, and there
is no evidence to it either. `If there were pressure, there would be a
leak to the press. There is no such thing,’ says Garnik Isagulyan,
adding that he meets with everyone, and would know if there was
pressure. Garnik Isagulyan says if someone who remain in Orinats
Yerkir asserts the opposite, he is ready to apologize in the presence
of reporters. This is to confer.
WITNESSES OF THE QUEST
Garnik Isagulyan, adviser to president, said he can see no danger of
having a parliament of oligarchs. The parliamentary election in 2007
is concerned, and the entire company of oligarchs is preparing for it
at full, at full and with all its political parties. Garnik Isagulyan
considers the establishment of political parties by oligarchs because
we do not have an established sphere of political parties. `A quest is
underway in Armenia, and I thinkthis phenomenon is normal in the
context of this quest,’ says the adviser to the president. He says
Armenia is a small country, and even a man with a small property is
referred to as an oligarch. Garnik Isagulyan says oligarchs enter
parliaments in different countries, and this should be accepted
normally.