CBA REDUCES ANNUAL BANKING INTEREST RATE TO 17%
YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) decided to reduce the annual banking interest rate by one per
cent to 17% on August 18, 2005, the CBA reports. The last change in
the banking interest rate was on June 28, 2005, when it was raised
from 17% to 18%. A.A. -0–

SPIRITUAL INSPECTOR OF “NORAVANK” MONASTERY COMPLEX DIES IN TRAFFIC
ACCIDENT IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. Spiritual inspector of the “Noravank”
monastery complex, priest Zaven Hakobyan died in a traffic accident in
Armenia, the Press-Chancellery of the Holy See of Echmiadzin
reports. Hakobyan was born in Echmiadzin in 1977. He graduated from
the Gevorgyan theological seminary in 2000; in 2000-2001 he
participated in the management courses at the American University of
Armenia. He had been studying at the Department of Law, Yerevan State
University. He was consecrated into deacon in 2002 and into priest in
2004. Hakobyan was appointed spiritual inspector of “Noravank”
monastery complex on February 1, 2005 by the decision of the
Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II. “The Catholicos of All
Armenians and the Congregation of the Holy See of Echmiadzin mournes
about the untimely death of the young, faithful and devoted priest”,
the press-release says. A.A. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SECOND ROUND OF PROGRAMMING CONTEST OF YOUNG SPECIALISTS HELD IN
YEREVAN
YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The second round of the programming contest
of young specialists was held in Yerevan, Director of the “Enterprises
Incubator” Foundation (EIF) Bagrat Yengibaryan told journalists. He
said that the most participants are the students, but the pupils also
participate in this contest. He reported that 200 participants
registered this year, including participants from Georgia and
Russia. The winners of the 1st round went to the Summer School in
Karabakh, where they were trained by the lecturers of the Yerevan
universities and higher educational institutions. 10 teams, each
including three members were formed after the training. Award ceremony
of the winners is expected to be held on August 10, 2005.
Yengibaryan said that popularity of the contest is accounted for by
the continuous growing interest to IT technologies in Armenia.
The contest is organized by the EIF, Pan-Armenian Youth International
Center and the Union of the IT Enterprises of Armenia (UITE). The
contest is sponsored by Synopsys, Unicomp and CIT companies, which
have provided additional awards for the participants.
This is the 3rd contest of young people interested in programming. The
first contest was held in Yerevan in 2002. A.A. -0–

TURKEY FUNDS RECONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN CHURCH
09.08.2005 05:02
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Resulting from downpours biblical frescos at Surb
Khach church in Akhtamar Island gradually disappear. After a
century-long indifference and decades of political variance, Turkey
has decided to lend an ear to EU calls to protect national minority
rights in Turkey. This May the Turkish Government provided 2 million
Turkish liras ($1.5 million) to repair Surb Khach church. The move
gives careful hope for the warming of Armenian-Turkish relations. In
late July Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Mesrop Mutafyan met with
representatives of the construction company that is restoring the
church. Planned restoration works and participation of Armenian
architects were discussed at the meeting. «Surb Khach church is
important both to Armenians and Turks,» noted Zeydanli company
head. In his words, Patriarch Mesrop Mutafyan has advised to contact
Armenian architect Zakaria Mildauoghlu, reported RFE/RL.

Armenia: Development
Davit Lokian
Minister of Agriculture of Armenia
Dear readers,
Between July 18 and 25, 2005, you had an opportunity to address your
questions on the Yerkir’s website to DAVIT LOKIAN, Minister of
Agriculture of Armenia.
Below are the answers to your questions. See the full version of the
interview in Armenian.
Thank you for your active participation: Spartak Seyranian,
editor-in-chief of “Yerkir” Weekly.
Mrav – Dear Mr Minister. For 2 years now, thanks God, all the dams of
Armenia are full of water. Specially the Akhourian dam. But most
villagers in dry Aragatsotn do not have the water on time, and the
employees of water administration prefer to let the water go to the
Turks, rather than to giveto the peasants. Same thing was reported in
the Tchoghas dam basin recently. Why can’t we fix this existential
question? Do you have new irrigation plans for Shirak, Aragatsotn dry
lands?
Davit Lokian – Thank you for appreciating the work that has been done
in the past two years. However, there are still lands where we have
problems. Thatis why the government is directing $170 million to
fixing the irrigation system. The Aragatsotn and Shirak regions are
included in the Millennium Challenge program of the US
government. Besides, the Armenian government in cooperation with the
World Bank is implementing local projects in Gehgarkunik, Shirak,
Aragatsotn and Lori regions. I believe the irrigation problem will be
wholly resolved in Armenia in the coming 3-4 years. The water we lose
because we give it to neighbors will be much less since it is going to
stay in the reservoirs currently under construction or directed to the
irrigation system.
Eric – You worked as a Minister of Urban Development for couple of
years before being nominated as a Minister of Agriculture of
Armenia. In both cases you did not have any experience in the fields
you were/are in charge of. What if next time Dashnaktsutyun party
receives a vacant post of the Minister of Health or the Minister of
the Education? Will you agree to become a Minister in one of those
Ministries? Do not you think one should know what he/she does before
seating on a ministerial chair and expect foreign consultants to
literate them in the work they were supposed to know before agreeing
on the Ministerial posts? Do not you think that appointment of
`strangers in the fields’ as Ministers in current Government holds
back the development of Armenian economy? Unfortunately, there are
many cases of `strangers’ occupying the ministerial chairs in the
current Government, don’t you think. Anyways, I will appreciate your
honest and open answer. Thanks
Davit Lokian – Let me state first that the Ministry of Health is
headed by one of our party members; the Ministry of Education was
headed in the past by Levon Mkrtchian. I have no much of a desire to
change ministries but if there are serious problems in a ministry in
terms of governance or clarifying of general principles and when the
government and my party had deemed necessary, I have tried to work and
resolve the problems. It is the head of the country and my party
comrades that are to evaluate my performance. Eric, let me assure you
that I have no intention to head the Education or Health Ministries. I
suggest we could meet if Eric finds it possible to understand what his
criteria are when evaluating a minister’s performance, and how much he
knows about the ministers’ work.
Vazgen – Is it true that the Lebanon-based branch of the ARF has
rejected the socialist doctrine and instead endorsed capitalism? if I
am not mistaken, that’s the largest branch of the ARF and so why is
the ARF a member of the socialist international?
Davit Lokian – I am not aware, and I believe that no such thing is
possible.
See the full version of the interview in Armenian.

BOARD OF CBA DECIDES TO REDUCE ANNUAL INTEREST RATE ON REPO CONTRACTS
FROM 3.75% TO 3%
YEREVAN, June 13. /ARKA/. The Board of the Central Bank of Armenia
(CBA) decided to reduce the annual interest rate on REPO contracts
from 3.75% to 3%, the press-service of the CBA reports. The annual
interest rate on the attracted deposits was also reduced from 1.75% to
1%. The interest rates on Lombard credits were not unchanged (16%
annually). A.A. -0–

D. VANYAN: LAST “BAZE” FESTIVAL TO CONTRIBUTE TO UNITY OF ARMENIAN YOUTH
YEREVAN, August 9. /ARKA/. The last “Baze” Festival will contribute to
the unity of the Armenian youth, member of the NKR “KWN” Association,
participant in the “Baze” Festival from Karabakh David Vanyan told
ARKA News Agency. He said that about 2,000 young Armenians have
participated in “Baze” Festival, including a 15-member delegation from
Nagorno Karabakh.
Artsakh in this Festival was represented by the “Hayki Serund”
(“Generation of Hayk”) organization. Various round tables on the youth
policy and issues of uniting the Armenian youth of the world were
organized during this Festival. Song and dance contests, visits to
the Holy See of Echmiadzin, Khor Virap, Tsitsernakaberd and Yerablur
were also organized during the “Baze” festival. A.A.
-0–

ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO VISIT SVERDLOVSK REGION AUGUST 22
09.08.2005 07:50
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ August 22-24, 2005 a delegation of Ararat region of
Armenia headed by Governor Alik Sargsyan will visit the Ural capital.
The guests will meet with representatives of the Sverdlovsk region
Government to discuss prospects of cooperation between the regions.
Armenians will also visit Pervouralsk. According to the Press Service
of Pervouralsk Administration, they will get acquainted with town
infrastructure, as well as will visit Pervouralsk New Pipe Factory
Public Corporation and Europe-Asia Border memorial, reported IA
Regnum.

TURKISH PRESS ACCUSES FRANCE IN LYING IN ARMENIAN ISSUE
09.08.2005 08:36
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish press accuses France in lying and asserts
the country that comes against Turkey’s accession to the EU «lies to
the world in the issue of the Armenian Genocide.» According to the
Zaman newspaper writes that there are documents in French sources
allegedly proving the opposite «just Armenians had organized massacre
of thousands of Muslims in Ottoman Turkey.» Naturally, the newspaper
does not cite any facts.

EXHIBITION DEVOTED TO ARMENIAN DIPLOMAT OPENS IN ROMANIA
09.08.2005 03:36
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday an exhibition devoted to famous Armenian
Romanian merchant of 18-19th centuries, diplomat, political figure
Manuk bey Mirzayan opened in Bucharest City Museum, reported the Press
Service of the Armenian MFA. Manuk bey is a famous person in
Romania. His activities actively displayed during the Russian-Turkish
war in 1806-1912. He was awarded noble titles, state ranks on behalf
of the Russian and Ottoman Empires. Using his ties, Manuk bey played
an important role in the Russian-Turkish talks as a mediator and the
Russian-Turkish peace treaty was signed in his estate in 1812. The
Bucharest City Museum Director, Armenian Ambassador in Romania,
Romanian Senate member, Chairman of the Armenian Union of Romania and
others addressed the opening ceremony. The exhibition to last a year
presents documents of Manuk bey, handwritten documents, everyday life
items, as well as clothes and other things. The Museum has also
published a book about Manuk bey Mirzayan’s activities.