ARMENIA VISIT
ARCHBISHOP Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church of
Canada, along with four other leading Canadian clerics will visit
Armenia later this month at the invitation of His Holiness Karekin
II, supreme patriarch of all Armenians.
The Aug. 24-Sept. 1 visit to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the
centre of authority in the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church, is
being organized by the church’s Canadian diocese, according to the
church’s website Armenianchurch.ca.
The group plans to discuss future prospects for the role and mission
of Christian churches and co-operation between the eastern and
western churches, and meet with Armenian government officials.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian Nuclear Power Plant to be halted for repairs in Oct
YEREVAN, Aug 23 (Prime-Tass) — The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant will
be halted for repairs and refueling on October 1, the plant’s General
Director Gagik Markosyan told Prime-Tass Tuesday.
The repairs involve maintenance works at the reactor unit and the
high-speed generator, Markosyan said.
The last time when the nuclear plant was stopped for an overhaul and
fuel refill was July 29, 2004, Markosyan said. The plant’s fuel
reserves were replenished for USD 12 million, he said.
The nuclear plant is currently in talks on nuclear fuel deliveries
from Russia, he said. Russian fuel producers are considering
increasing the fuel price by 20%, Markosyan said.
The Russian companies had planned to raise the fuel price in 2004,
but during the negotiations decided to maintain the price, Markosyan
said.
The Armenian Nuclear Power Plant was opened in 1980, closed due to
public pressure in 1989, and resumed operation in 1995. According to
analyst forecasts the plant is able to function until 2018.
Inter RAO UES, Russian power grid monpoly UES’ subsidiary, controls a
60% stake in the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, while Russian state
nuclear power holding Rosenergoatom holds 40%. End
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Asia Pulse
August 22, 2005 Monday
IRAN CABINET APPROVES PAYMENT OF US$10 MLN GRANT TO 7 COUNTRIES
TEHRAN
Iran’s Cabinet on Sunday approved payment of a US$10 million grant to
seven states upon a proposal of the Foreign Ministry.
According to Public Relations Department of Ministry of Economy and
Finance, the grant will be provided from development credit fund.
Based on the cabinet’s approval, Iran will grant US$2.5 million to
Tajikistan, US$2 million to Iraq, US $1.5 million to Niger, US$1.5
million to Guinea, US$1.5 million to Mali, US$0.5 million to Armenia
and US$0.5 million to Georgia.
The credit will be allocated to the states for completion of Anzab
tunnel in Tajikistan, Iraq’s reconstruction, renovation of gas
transfer pipeline to Georgia and implementation of development
projects in four other countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse — English
August 23, 2005 Tuesday 1:50 PM GMT
Diplomatic efforts over Karabakh ahead of CIS summit
MOSCOW
Senior diplomats from Azerbaijan and Armenia will hold discussions
Wednesday in Moscow on the contested Nagorno Karabakh region in
preparation for the meeting of the countries’ presidents later this
week, said the Azerbijani foreign minister, Elmar Mamediarov,
Tuesday.
The diplomatic mission will come two days ahead of a summit of the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) — which groups former
Soviet republics — planned for Friday in Kazan, capital of the
southern Russian republic of Tatarstan.
“We are going to discuss the nature of the meeting between the two
presidents,” said Mamediarov, who, along with his Armenian
counterpart, Varden Oskanian, is also due to meet with Russian
diplomatic head Sergey Lavrov in Moscow Wednesday.
Asked whether he believed any progress would be made on the Karabakh
dispute, Mamediarov said he did not want to commit himself to
anything. “If the Armenians are prepared to accept our proposals,
there will be a breakthrough,” he said, before praising the efforts
of mediators Russia, France and the United States.
Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a war over the mainly ethnic-Armenian
enclave in the early 1990s, which Armenia eventually won, wresting
control of the region from Azerbaijan.
But Nagorno Karabakh’s status has never been settled and Azerbaijan,
encouraged by an international community which still recognises the
enclave as part of President Ilham Aliyev’s country, wants to take
back control.

NEWS IN BRIEF.
Interenergo, part of Russia’s UES electricity monopoly, has bought
power distributor Electricheskiye Syet Armenia for $73m. UES’ other
electricity assets in the country include the Sevan-Razdansky
hydro-power plant and Razdansky thermal power plant. The World Bank
has complained about a lack of transparency in the sale.

CEREMONIAL CLOSING OF RETRAINING COURSES FOR ARMENIAN TEACHERS FROM
DIASPORA HELD AT HOLY ECHMIAZDIN
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. A ceremonial closing of retraining
courses for Armenian teachers from diaspora has been held at the Holy
See of Echmiadzin. The press service of the Holy See reports that the
1-month courses were conducted at the Gevorgyan ecclesiastical
seminary under the patronage of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II. RA Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsyan made a
congratulatory speech at the ceremony. He pointed out new programs of
retraining diasporan teachers and organizing the rest of 500
diasporan students in Armenia. Garegin II sent his blessings to the
teachers as well. He expressed confidence in a high mission of
educating Armenian children.
After the teachers’ speeches of welcome, the RA Minister of Education
and Science and the Leader of the Armenian Church issued certificates
to them. P.T. -0–

ARGENTINEAN SENATE RE-CONDEMNS TURKEY FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN 1915
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. On July 27, 2005, the Argentinean
National Senate re-adopted a statement condemning Turkey for the
Armenian Genocide committed in 1915, the press and information
department, RA Foreign Office, reports. On April 20, 2005, the
Argentinean Senate condemned the Turkish authorities for persistent
denial of the irrefutable fact of the Armenian Genocide. The Turkish
Foreign Office sent a note of protest, regarding the Argentinean
Senate’s statement as “irresponsible.” On May 5, 2005, the country’s
Senate declined the protest as ungrounded. P.T. -0–

ARKA News Agency
Aug 22 2005
ARMENIAN PREMIER EXTENDS CONGRATULATIONS ON 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF
DECLARATION ON ARMENIA’S INDEPENDENCE
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan has
extended his congratulations on the occasion of the 15th anniversary
of the Declaration of Armenia’s independence. In his message, the RA
Premier pointed out that the adoption of the Declaration on August
23, 1990 inaugurated a new stage in Armenia’s modern history. The
expression of the people’s common will inaugurated the formation of
independent statehood. “A year later, in September, independent
Armenia became reality substantiated by the results of a nation-wide
referendum. For 14 years our country has confidently been moving
forward, consolidating its statehood and confirming its commitment to
panhuman values,” the message says. The message also says that after
Armenia gained independence, it has ample opportunities for
integrating into civilized world, establishing equal relations with
other nations, preserving national identity, realizing national
aspirations and handing down powerful and prosperous Armenia to
future generations.
Margaryan expressed the confidence that Armenia “will able to retain
the achievements of the past hard day way, add new ones, meet all the
challenges and continue its march of independence without hindrance.”
P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BTA INVEST BANK PRESENTATION HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. BTA Invest Bank presentation took place
in Yerevan on Monday. Rasul Kosanov, Chair of the BTA Invest Bank’s
Board, said at the presentation that the bank intends to make its
contribution in the development of Armenia’s financial sectors, to
introduce innovative banking products, to advance Armenian companies
and Armenia as a whole in the international investment community,
stimulating offshore investments flows into the country. In his
words, one of the most important directions in the bank’s activity in
Armenia will be mortgage lending and small- and middle-scale business
crediting. In particular, the bank is planning to create joint
co-branded and discount program implementation (offering discounts in
the best restaurants and shops of Yerevan to BTA Invest plastic cards
owners). The bank will offer its clients to make their payments for
utilities and cellular communication services through cash machines.
The bank also intends to offer one of advanced banking technologies
for regional internet-banking network development.
Yerik Sultankulov, Chairman of the Bank’s Council and Financial
Director of Bank TuranAlem, said presumed amount of BTA Invest Bank
investments for 2005 will make about $ 30mln. Mortgage lending is
planned to total $10mln.
Bank TuranAlem, one of Kazakhstan’s biggest banks, acquired 48.9%
shares in authorized capital of International Investment Bank later
renamed into BTA Invest Bank. The bank’s other shareholders are ZRL
Austrian company (31.1%) and MOBILEX Kazakh-Armenian company (20%).
According to the bank’s regular reports, BTA Invest Bank’s assets
totaled AMD 1118.9mln as of June 30, 2005, total capital made AMD
878.8mln and authorized capital AMD 1105mln. Credit investments made
AMD 181.7mln as of June 30, 2005.
TuranAlem is a system-making bank of Kazakhstan and the leader in
creating banking network in CIS member countries. The bank’s assets
reach $5.5bn and own capital exceeds $600mln. The network of the
bank’s strategic partners includes Slavinvestbank, Omsk-bank,
Agroincombank, BTA Kazan (Russia), BTA Transbank (Ukraine),
Astana-Eximbank (Belarus), BTA Silk Road Bank (Georgia) and BTA
Investbank (Armenia). M.V. -0–

CBA CHAIRMAN: THERE IS QUITE HIGH COMPETITION IN THE BANKING SYSTEM
OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, August 22. /ARKA/. There is quite high competition in the
banking system of Armenia, as CBA Chairman Tigran Sargsyan stated at
the BTA Investbank presenting ceremony. In his words, new bank’s
entering Armenia and having quite serious ambitions testifies to even
higher competition in this sector. “It’s very important that the
rules adopted in the banking sector of Armenia proof to be stable,
and the new bank could organize in new conditions profitable
business”, he said. He emphasized that in any case strivings of CBA
to canonize banking relations has exactly this goal. “We welcome
toughening of competition, since clients will profit from it”, he
said assuring the Kazakh colleagues that strivings of CBA are to
create equal conditions for all banks in Armenia.
In May 2005 one of the largest banks of Kazakhstan – TuranAlem Bank
purchased 48,9% of shares of International Investment Bank CJSC,
lately renamed into BTA Investbank. The rest shareholders of the bank
are ZRL Austrian company (with 31,1% stock) and Kazakhstan -Armenian
MOBILEX company (20%). Currently 21 banks operate in Armenia. A.H.
-0–