ARMENIAN, LATVIAN DEFENCE MINISTERS SIGN COOPERATION AGREEMENT
Arminfo
7 Sep 05
Yerevan, 7 September: The Armenian and Latvian defence ministers, Serzh
Sarkisyan and Einars Repse, signed a military cooperation agreement
in Riga yesterday, the press service of the Armenian Defence Ministry
told Arminfo today.
Einars Repse said at the meeting that Latvia has doubled its attention
to the South Caucasus since it joined NATO and it is high time to
intensify military cooperation between Armenia and Latvia, the press
release said. Informing his opposite number about the pace of reforms
in Armenia’s defence sphere, Sarkisyan said that the Armenian armed
forces do not meet NATO and EU standards due to insufficient funding,
however, Armenia aims to achieve this.
He said that Armenia plans to completely reform its armed forces
by 2015, and therefore, Armenia is interested in cooperation with
Latvia as a country with great experience. The Armenian defence
minister expressed his wish to learn about the structure of the
Latvian Defence Ministry, its international experience and the sphere
of civil defence. The two defence ministers spoke out in favour of
intensifying political contacts between Armenia and Latvia in the
military sphere. Sarkisyan invited his counterpart to pay a return
visit to Armenia.

NKR PRESIDENT: RETURN TO DISCUSSION OF PHASED TALKS SCENARIO HARDLY POSSIBLE
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6. ARMINFO. The return to the so called phased talks
scenario that is to what was discussed in 1998 is hardly possible,
NKR President Arkady Ghoukassyan said after his Monday meeting with
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel.
He said that it is unacceptable for the Armenian side to first settle
Azerbaijan’s problems and only then its own ones which is what the
phased scenario says. If Azerbaijan is ready to discuss the status
of Karabakh what phased resolution are we talking about, Ghoukassyan
wonders noting that it is impossible to discuss the status of Karabakh
implying just a little of independence like it is impossible to be
a little pregnant. Any solution should be accepted in a the context
of Karabakh’s security.
Commenting on Ilham Aliev’s recent belicose statements Ghoukassyan
said that thereby the Azeri president is solving his internal problems
but such statements are not good for the peace process.

ARMENIA EXPECTS RECORD HIGH GRAPE CROP
Armenpress
Sept 8, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: Experts from Armenian agriculture
ministry predict that vine-growing farmers will gather this year
around 190,000 metric tons of grape from some 150,000 hectares. If
their forecasts come true Armenia will collect this year 40,000 tons
more than in 2004.
They also say this year’s crop is healthy with no traces of disease.
Local wineries are ready to procure as much of grape as will come at
an average price of 150 drams per kilo. Last year Armenian wineries
bought a total of 79,000 tons of grape, of which 20,000 tons were
bought by a French-owned Yerevan Brandy Company (YBC). This year YBC
plans to buy 25,000 tons more

3,545 ARMENIANS GIVEN US VISAS IN 8 MONTHS OF 2005
Armenpress
Sept 7, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7, ARMENPRESS: The consular section of the US
embassy in Armenia said 8,218 Armenian citizens asked for permission
to travel to the USA in the first eight months of this year, but
only 3,545 were given non-immigrant visas, the rest of applications
were rejected.
It also said the number of Armenians who were allowed to travel to the
USA in the first 8 months of this year grew 10 percent from a year ago.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MET WITH ARMEN JIGARKHANYAN
Pan Armenian News
08.09.2005 06:47
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
head of the Moscow Dramatic Theater, actor Armen Jigarkhanyan, reported
the Press Service of the Armenian leader. The President appreciated
the contribution of A. Jigarkhanyan to the cinema. Having noted
Jigarkhanyan’s role in the development of Armenian-Russian cultural
relations, R. Kocharian considered actor’s participation in events
on the occasion of the Year of Russia in Armenia and Year of Armenia
in Russia scheduled in 2006 desirable.

OSKANIAN MET WITH THAI DEPUTY FM
Pan Armenian News
08.09.2005 06:21
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian met with Thai
Deputy FM Virachai Virameteekul, reported the Armenian MFA Press
Service. In the course of the meeting the parties appreciated the
dynamics of development of the Armenian-Thai relations and noted the
importance of mutual visits at high level within past years. It was
noted that the visits stimulate strengthening economic, scientific,
educational, cultural ties. Besides, the interlocutors exchanged
opinions over a number of issues of mutual interest. Proposals were
made to fully use the potential of expansion and strengthening
of mutual ties. Today Virachai Virameteekul also met with Armenian
Deputy FM A. Bayburdyan. The parties discussed the provisions of the
Joint Program of Actions of the Armenian and Thai Governments and
noted that the Program includes all bilateral cooperation directions.
Specifically, it is a stimulus for strengthening agricultural, trade
and economic cooperation. Within that context the interlocutors
discussed the matter of the legal framework.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW ARMENIAN CHURCH TO BE BUILT IN WASHINGTON
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7. ARMINFO. The construction of a new Armenian
church will be started din Washington in 2006.
This issue was discussed during the meeting of Armenian Parliament
Speaker Artur Bagdassaryan and members of the Council of the St
ariam-The Mother of God Church in Washington.
The project is estimated at $8 mln. The sides also discussed the
problems of the Washington Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church.

ARMENIAN-US CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE IN YEREVAN IN SPRING 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 7. ARMINFO. Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur
Bagdassaryan continues his official visit to the US.
The press service of the Armenian Parliament reports that Bagdassaryan
and the leadership of the Sister Cities International have discussed
the development of the cooperation between Armenian and US cities. The
sides agreed to hold a join conference in Yerevan in spring 2006 with
the participation of representatives of various US regions. Inter-state
relations executive of the organization Colebreaker said that the
establishment of inter-regional ties between Armenia and the US will
open up good social-economic and cultural development prospects for
Armenian cities.
During Bagdassaryan’s meeting with Vice President of the Habitat for
Humanity Thomas Jones the sides discussed the organization’s programs
in Armenia aimed to provide housing to the country’s poor. The sides
stressed the importance of the program carried out in Harbert, Ararat
region jointly by the Armenian Parliament and Habitat for Humanity.
Similar programs will be carried out in Maralik and Gyumri.
Bagdassaryan has also met with President of the Transparent House
association of the blind Peter Demayo. The sides discused the prospect
for developing cooperation with the Union of the Bind of Armenia and
agreed to organize training courses for Armenian blind students in
the US.

NKR PRESIDENT: THERE IS CERTAIN PROGRESS IN KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6. ARMINFO. There is certain progress in the
Karabakh peace process, President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady
Ghoukassyan said Monday commenting on his Yerevan meeting with OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel.
The fact that the meeting turned out longer than planned proves that
OSCE is interested in the process while OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s
visiting the region for the second time is unprecedented at all. Such
issues cannot be resolved in one meeting, says Ghoukassyan noting
that it is hard to speak about success yet but some progress is
evident. Particularly Azerbaijan is already speaking about the status
of Karabakh, is ready to acknowledge NKR’s self-determination right
and is discussing the issue of referendum. Azerbaijan’s position has
obviously become more constructive, says Ghoukassyan. But one should
hardly expect resolution this year – this is a very long process
as there are many issues that remain unsettled exactly because of
Azerbaijan’s position, says Ghoukasyan.

SUGAR IMPORTING ARMENIA MAKES EXPORT PLANS
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 5. ARMINFO. In 2005 the Sevan Sugar Plant has sold
1,500 tons of sugar in the home market against 650 tons in 2004.
The company’s director general Armen Arakelyan says that their
production is sold to 5-6 local producers – Zovq, Artashat Cannery,
Euroterm (producers of Noyan juice). Arakelyan notes that by the
end of this year the company is planning to start sugar export but
refuses to say whereto.
He says that the plant buys raw materials in Brazil. In 2005 the
company has imported 2,000 tons of raw materials against 900 ton in
2004. Arakelyan says that the production growth is due mainly to the
plant’s continuous operation.
The State COmmission for Economic Competition Protection reports
that the 97.% of the Armenian sugar sales are in the hands of the
Astghatsolq Ltd owned by MP Samvel Aleksanyan. The Sevan Sugar Plant
is the only sugar producing company in Armenia. The Customs Service
reports that 100,000-120,00 tons of sugar is imported into Armenia
each year.