ARKA News Agency – 01/31/2005

ARKA News Agency
Jan 31 2005

2366 emergency cases registered in Armenia in 2004

US Ambassador to Armenia to make a report `Armenia in 2005′ in
California University

Arman Melikyan: NKR authorities are ready to cooperate with the
mission of OSCE

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2366 EMERGENCY CASES REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN 2004

YEREVAN, January 31. /ARKA/. 2366 emergency cases registered in
Armenia in 2004, 749 people suffered in result of them, RA National
Statistics told ARKA. Of them 179 had died, 530 wounded and 40
evacuated.. 25.9% of the cases are disasters, in result of which 43
people had suffered, three people died, 32 – wounded and 8 –
temporarily evacuated. Namely in report period Armenia registered 13
disaster cases related to strong winds, 2 lightning strikes, 42 cases
of hail, 24 cases of showers, 9 snowfalls, 16 forest fires, 17
floods. Besides Emergency Department of Armenia registered 7
earthquakes. Damage from disasters in the republic made 271603
thousand AMD ($1 – 478.48 AMD). L.D. -0 –

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US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA TO MAKE A REPORT `ARMENIA IN 2005′ IN
CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY

YEREVAN, January 31. /ARKA/. US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans will
make a report `Armenia in 2005′ in California University. UCLA told
ARKA that the visit is organized by UCLA Professor Richard
Hovannisian together with Association of Armenian Students. Evans
will be accompanied by the Head of USAID representation to Armenia
Robin Phillips. L.D. -0 –

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ARMAN MELIKYAN: NKR AUTHORITIES ARE READY TO COOPERATE WITH THE
MISSION OF OSCE

STEPANAKERT, January 31. /ARKA/. NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs
Arman Melikyan received the delegation of OSCE. According to NKR
MFA’s Press Service Department, the delegation consists of the
co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Yuri
Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven Mann (the USA) and Bernar Facie (France),
as well as the members of the mission for ascertainment of the facts
headed by Emily Haber (Germany). Greeting the members of the
delegation Arman Melikyan noted the interest of the NKR authorities
in the visit of the mission. Introducing the position of the
authorities of the republic regarding the territories under control
of NKR, the Minister emphasized that studying the real situation in
the security zone of NKR will enable the international community to
have an objective idea about the state of the refugees and
individuals moved out by force.
Melikyan noted that the authorities of NKR are ready to cooperate
with the mission of OSCE and create the necessary facilities for its
work and make it possible for the monitoring group to visit any
region it wishes.
The members of the mission for ascertainment of the facts touched
upon a wide range of issues connected with the official policy of the
authorities of NKR in respect of the territories under control of
NKR. Issues connected with the activity program of the monitoring
group during its stay in NKR were made agree.
The members of the delegation expressed their gratitude to the
Minister for a detailed conversation and readiness to support the
work of the mission. A.H. -0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKA News Agency – 02/01/2005

ARKA News Agency
Feb 1 2005

The leaders of the press-rating of ARKA for 2004 are Armeconombank,
Conversebank, Armsavingsbank, Ardshininvestbank, Anelik Bank

15TH conference of regional group of Basel committee on banking
monitoring to take place on Feb 2-4

1164 traffic accidents registered in Armenia in 2004

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THE LEADERS OF THE PRESS-RATING OF ARKA FOR 2004 ARE ARMECONOMBANK,
CONVERSEBANK, ARMSAVINGSBANK, ARDSHININVESTBANK, ANELIK BANK

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. ARKA published the press-rating of the
banks of Armenia for 2004. The leaders of the press-rating are 1.
Armeconombank, 2. Conversebank 3. Armsavingsbank 4. Ardshininvestbank
5. Anelik Bank. According to the analysis of the press signals,
during the reporting year less bank information was received, as a
result of which the quantity of press signals reduced by 32,9%
compared to 2003. At that, the share of negative press signals
accounted for 2,1% versus 6,3% in 2003.
In 2004, the share of information for `Banking Activities in Figures’
increased by 1,8 % up to 36,4%. By the volume of information entries
this section is followed by `General on Banks’, the information
weight share of which reduced by 1% to 31,3 %. Notwithstanding the
decrease of the information entries in the section `Bank Development
Policy’, it accounts for 23,1% in the structure of total information,
which is by only 0,2% less than in 2003. With regard to the rest of
the sections, the share of the section `Bank’s Economic Forecasts and
Opinions’ increased by 1,2% making 6%, and the information weight
share of the section `Clients and Service’ reduced by 2% to 3,2%.
During the reporting period, Armeconombank was the leader for 4 out
of 5 sections: `General on Banks’, `Bank Development Policy’,
`Clients and Service’ and `Banking Activities in Figures’. Anelik
Bank was active for the section `Bank’s Economic Forecasts and
Opinions’.
To note, the leaders of the press-rating for 2003 were: 1.
Conversebank 2. Armeconombank 3. Armsavingsbank 4. ACBA 5. Anelik
Bank and 6. HSBC Bank Armenia.
ARKA’s press- rating is based not on financial-economic indicators
but on facts on banking activity, information about which is received
through mass media. As a result, the higher is the level of the
awareness of a bank’s activity, the more effective is its
communications policy. When making up the press -rating, no
information for advertisement purposes was considered or analyzed.
For more detailed information see Banking Information Bulletin #01
(24) for 2004. A.H. -0–

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15TH CONFERENCE OF REGIONAL GROUP OF BASEL COMMITTEE ON BANKING
MONITORING TO TAKE PLACE ON FEB 2-4

YEREVAN, February 1. /ARKA/. 15th conference of regional group of
Basel committee on banking monitoring of South Caucasus, Central Asia
and Russian Federation will take place on Feb 2-4, CBA press service
told ARKA. The parties will discuss issues of prevention of money
laundry by banking system, peculiarities of monitoring over
non-banking financial institutions and the issue of use of basic
principles of Basel committee on effective banking monitoring. L.D.
-0 –

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1164 TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS REGISTERED IN ARMENIA IN 2004

YEREVAN, February 1. /ARKA/. 1164 traffic accidents were registered
in Armenia in 2004(66 – in December), which by 13,6% exceeds the
indicator of the previous year. According to the RA National
Statistics Service, 259 people were killed (27 – in December), which
is by 2,8% more than in 2003, 1492 were injured (60 -in December),
which is by 15,3% more than in January-December of 2003. As a result
of 135 undiscovered traffic accidents, 32 people were killed and 110
were injured as of January 1, 2005. As a result of 74 accidents,
which took place because of the drunk drivers, 28 people were killed
and 114 were injured.
According to statistical data, 56,7% of the overall quantity of
traffic accidents in 2004 fell to urban and rural areas entailing 93
killed and 751 injured, 42,1% accidents took place outside of rural
and urban settlements entailing death of 162 and 726 were injured.
L.V.–0–
******

ARKA News Agency – 02/02/2005

ARKA News Agency
Feb 2 2005

On Feb 7-9 Serge Sargsian to leave for Iran

On Feb 3-4 RA MFA to leave for Tbilisi

Russian Foreign Minister to arrive in Armenia on February 17

RA President conducts working meeting with RA Minister of Urban
Development

On February 11, the first seminar `Frenchizing as a way for the
development of SME’ to be held in Armenia

15-TH conference of Basel committee on Banking Supervision regional
group opens today in Yerevan

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ON FEB 7-9 SERGE SARGSIAN TO LEAVE FOR IRAN

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. On Feb 7-9, RA Minister of Defense Serge
Sargsian will leave for Iran on the invitation of the Secretary of
Supreme Council of National Security of Iran Hasan Rohani, RA
Ministry of Defense press office told ARKA. Sargsian will meet with
the President of Iran, Foreign Minister and Minister of Defense. L.D.
–0 –

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ON FEB 3-4 RA MFA TO LEAVE FOR TBILISI

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. On Feb 3-4 RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian will leave for Tbilisi with a working visit, RA MFA told
ARKA. Oskanian will meet with the administration of Georgia. On Feb
4, he will take part in international conference `South Caucasus in
XXI Century. Challenges and Opportunities’. L.D. –0 –

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RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA ON FEBRUARY 17

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s
visit to Armenia is scheduled on February 17. As Armenian Foreign
Ministry Press and Information Department told ARKA, discussion and
exchange of views on the agenda of mutual relations of two countries
are planned n the frames of the visit. During the meeting of two
Foreign Ministers, they will touch issues of bilateral relations and
regional problems.
It is planned that Lavrov’s visit to Armenia will be held within his
regional visits, particularly, his visit to Georgia is scheduled on
February 18. T.M. -0–

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RA PRESIDENT CONDUCTS WORKING MEETING WITH RA MINISTER OF URBAN
DEVELOPMENT

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian conducted
working meeting with RA Minister of Urban Development Aram
Harutyunian. Harutyunian represented the President the package of
changes envisaged by the law on urban development.
The parties discussed strategy in the field of apartments’
construction, namely construction of new apartments on state budget
assets, completion of construction in rural communities, issues
related to realization of program of provision of order for
apartments in Shirak region. L.D. –0 –

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ON FEBRUARY 11, THE FIRST SEMINAR `FRENCHIZING AS A WAY FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SME’ TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. On February 11, the first seminar
`Frenchizing as a Way for the Development of SME’ will be held in
Armenia. According to the Centre of Exhibition Projects `EXPOMEDIA’,
representatives of some large companies will participate in the
seminar, including Jean Claude Biguine (a net of beauty centres),
Baskin Robins (catering), EXPOFAR (organization of exhibitions),
Jakitoria (Japanese fast food), Star Galaxy (children entertainment
centres), etc. The following subjects will be discussed at the
seminar: the peculiarities of frenchizing relations in CIS, purchase
of frenchize from `A’ to `Z’, purchase of frenchizing in the sphere
of catering, peculiarities of frenchizing in Russia, the experience
of application frenchizing in the services sector, advantages and
shortcomings of franchising, problems of a and owner and user.
The seminar was organized by Trade -Commerce Chambers of Armenia and
Russia, Centre of Exhibition Projects `EXPOMEDIA’, EXPOFAR Moscow
company and the National Centre for SME Development. A.H. – 0–

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15TH CONFERENCE OF BASEL COMMITTEE ON BANKING SUPERVISION REGIONAL
GROUP OPENS TODAY IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 2. /ARKA/. 15th conference of the Regional Group of
Basel Committee on Banking Supervision of countries of Transcaucasia,
Central Asia and Russia opens today in Yerevan. As stated Tigran
Toirosyan, the Chairman of CBA addressing the conference, the work of
the conference has a principal importance, as the perfection of the
banking system `may play a decisive role in carrying out economic
reforms for our regional group’. He noted that quite interesting
discussions are carried out in the countries of the region concerning
the priorities in the area of reforms and order of steps in the
financial sector as well. `Exchange of views is always very useful
and the practice of reform implementation helps to a great extent to
figure out which mechanisms and forms of supervision are applicable
on this stage’, said Sargsyan.
In his turn, the President of the Regional Group on Banking
Supervision of countries of Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Russian
Federation, the Deputy Chairman of National Bank of Tajikistan Juma
Eshov noted that such meetings allow exchanging views on current
issues for the implementation of the tasks put before the group and
also help to identify the future direction of its activities. `Today,
we can say that we managed to achieve a lot in our work exactly
thanks to the experience and knowledge we obtain in our cooperation’,
noted Eshov.
15th conference of the Regional Group of Basel Committee on Banking
Supervision of countries of Transcaucasia, Central Asia and Russia is
being held in Armenia on February 2 -4. Within the framework of the
conference, it is planned to discuss the situation in the banking
system of each country, steps to prevent the use of the banking
system for money laundering, peculiarities of supervision over
non-banking financial institutions, as well as issues of an efficient
banking supervision implementation. The procedure of handing over of
the authorities of the President and the Secretariat of the Regional
Group will be held, Armenia being one of the main candidates.
Regional Group of Basel Committee on Banking Supervision was
established in 1995 to solve the problems on the way to bank
formation and coordination of common efforts. The National Bank of
Tajikistan was the President of the Group during the last two years;
the term of office expires in 2005. The election of the next
President of the Group is carried out on the rotation principle.
L.V.–0–

Press Conference Cancelled Due to Zhvania’s Death

A1 Plus | 14:55:44 | 03-02-2005 | Politics |

PRESS CONFERENCE IN ARMENIA CANCELLED DUE TO ZHVANIA’S DEATH

his morning Chairman of the Armenian-Georgian Business Association, NA
deputy Vladimir Badalyan was taking in demulcents instead of taking
part in the press conference scheduled for today, as he was shocked by
Zurab Zhvania’s death. Badalyan and Zhvania last met several days ago
and today’s press conference should have been devoted to the work
carried out by Vladimir Badalyan.

Upon completion of the sitting of the Armenian-Russian Business
Cooperation held January 19-28 in Rostov-on-Don the Armenian deputy
paid a call to Georgia and discussed the Armenian-Georgian economic
relations with Zurab Zhvania. It is known that the Armenian-Georgian
relationships are partly connected with the exploitation of ferries to
relieve the cargo transportation with Armenia under the conditions of
blockade. Vladimir Badalyan is absolutely sure that Zhvania was
interested in the resolving of the above-mentioned problems. By the
way, according to the program schedule, 5 ferries were to start
functioning between the port of Poti and Caucasus before this August.

RA officials perceive that Zurab Zhvania’s death will reflect on
Armenia. However, at the moment the members of the Association prefer
not to forecast the further development of Armenian-Georgian
relations. Association Chairman Vladimir Badalyan is to depart for
Georgia to be present at the Prime Minister’s funeral. Only after that
the further activities of the Armenian-Georgian Business Association
will be clarified.

BAKU: Paper questions OSCE fact-finding mission itinerary change

Azeri paper questions OSCE fact-finding mission itinerary change

Ekspress, Baku
2 Feb 05

An Azerbaijani newspaper has quoted Armenian sources as saying that
the US and French co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group would leave an
international mission investigating Azerbaijani allegations of illegal
Armenian settlement in occupied areas of Azerbaijan before its task
was complete. Ekspress daily also said the itinerary of the OSCE
mission had been changed and speculated that either the Armenians had
refused to allow it into the occupied district of Lacin or the mission
experts were not taking their responsibilities seriously . The
following is the text of Alakbar Raufoglu report by Azerbaijani
newspaper Ekspress on 2 February headlined “‘A stroll’ in the occupied
area” and subheaded “Why didn’t ‘the fact-finders’ visit Lacin?” and
“The US and French co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group are leaving the
investigating mission”; subheadings are as published.

The US and French co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group, Steven Mann and
Bernard Fassier, will not remain to the end with an international
mission investigating illegal settlements in Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories, Armenian sources quoted an expert of the fact-finding
mission as telling a meeting of Armenians in Kalbacar [District].

Mann’s early withdrawal from the mission is explained by the fact that
he has been invited to an international event in Georgia. The
co-chairman will be in Tbilisi on 3-6 February and will travel to
Yerevan and then to Baku to join the mission. French diplomat Fassier,
for his part, prefers watching the fact-finding mission “more from the
side”. The co-chairman attributes his position to the fact that he is
just “starting to know the region”. Thus, unlike other mediators
Fassier is not fully familiar with “the conflict and the peculiarities
of the region where it has occurred”. That is why he wants to hold
“familiarization meetings” outside the fact-finding mission and
independent investigation.

Baku does not have any information about the plans of the
co-chairman. “We have not been informed that any of the members of the
OSCE Minsk Group will withdraw from the investigation in the occupied
territories ahead of time. None of the co-chairmen said in Baku that
they would leave the fact-finding mission at a particular stage,” the
head of the press service of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, Matin
Mirza, told Ekspress yesterday evening [1 February]. The reports that
the US and French co-chairmen will not complete their work in the
occupied districts “are contradictory” and should be investigated, he
said.

At the same time, Baku does not believe that it is a “big deal” if the
mediators leave the fact-finding mission at any stage, because “the
report to be prepared is important to us”.

Some sources say that Mann knew that he would take part in the
international event in Tbilisi, but it was scheduled for 4 February,
the day when the mission was to investigate in Fuzuli [District]. This
district is the last on the list of cases of illegal settlements
compiled by the Azerbaijani side according to the “scoping document”.

Why was the itinerary changed?

Contrary to expectations, the mission continued its investigations
yesterday not in Lacin [District], but in Fuzuli and Cabrayil. Under
the itinerary agreed during the mission’s briefing discussions in
Baku, Lacin was to be visited before those two districts. Moreover,
the documents presented to the co-chairmen indicate cases of
settlement in places between Kalbacar and Lacin.

It is very interesting to see that the mission covered a long distance
(roughly the Lacin-Qubadli-Zangilan-Cabrayil-Fuzuli route) to appear
in Fuzuli and Cabrayil after Kalbacar.

Armenian sources provide no information about the reasons for this
“tactical” change in the itinerary of the experts. It is just reported
that the mission investigated only the parts of both districts (Fuzuli
and Cabrayil) bordering Iran yesterday. There is no information about
the results so far.

Some reports say that the Armenians have been predominantly settled in
Lacin. It seems that either the Armenians did not want to let the
mission into that district because they did not manage to cover the
traces or, to put it mildly, the “fact-finders” are taking a stroll in
the region.

“Our investigations are being accompanied by interesting
events. Although the mission could not fully clarify the information
it has, we have plenty of facts here,” the head of the “fact-finders”,
German expert Emily Margarethe Haber, told journalists yesterday
morning before leaving Kalbacar. She said that the mission met many
Armenians settled in that district during the investigation. The
Armenian community said that they used to live in various Azerbaijani
cities and districts.

“We asked them how they got there, if they live in the region
permanently, what they do and what their citizenship is,” Ms Haber
said. But she did not comment on the observations of the mission. “We
are compiling what we see, comparing and sharing.”

At the same time, the OSCE expert said that it was “striking” that “so
many” Armenians were able to live in the occupied districts, as living
conditions in that region are inadequate.

Settlement initiators

“It is normal that Armenian citizens live temporarily or permanently
in the occupied territories. But I did not see any conditions or
grounds for permanent settlement,” the Russian co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, said in Kalbacar.

The main issue for the mission is the initiators of settlement, he
said. “It should simply be understood if people come here of their own
accord and live in these conditions.”

“We will visit Fuzuli and other districts, too. The situation may be
different there. These peculiarities are in the information provided
to us. I think settlement is a broad issue and can be approached from
the viewpoint of the specific conditions of the occupied districts,” a
Swedish expert said.

The mission needs “enough” time to fully investigate the information
it has in Baku, the expert said.

Azerbaijan has provided the international experts with video and audio
materials as well as maps confirming illegal settlements in the
occupied districts. Baku has reported the settlement of 23,000
people.

Armenians do not leave “fact-finders” alone

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani side is investigating whether the
fact-finding mission is visiting the occupied districts with a
representative of the Karabakh separatists.

“This is not accurate information yet and we are trying to clarify
it,” Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told journalists yesterday.

Armenian sources reported that the “so-called deputy foreign minister”
of the separatists, Masis Mailyan, is accompanying the visit of the
OSCE experts. Under the official mandate of the mission, the personal
envoy of the OSCE chairman, Andrzej Kaspizyk, and his assistants
should have guided the mission.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has said that if the OSCE experts are
found to have violated the terms, they will be required to provide an
official explanation.

“These reports could also be disruptive,” Matin Mirza told
Ekspress. The list of those who accompany the mission was broadly
discussed in Baku last week and the final mandate was achieved “with
the consent and assurance of the co-chairmen as well”, he noted.

The mission’s investigation is expected to end late this week. A
factual report will be prepared at the end of the visit and forwarded
to Vienna.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia one of leading states in Eurasia, US state dept. considers

PanArmenian News
Feb 2 2005

ARMENIA ONE OF LEADING STATES IN EURASIA, US STATE DEPARTMENT
CONSIDERS

02.02.2005 16:06

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Thanks to political and economic reforms Armenia is
occupying one of the leading positions among the Eurasian states, US
Aid to Armenia in Fiscal Year 2004 report published by the European
and Eurasian Bureau of the US State Department says. The report
mentions that Armenia has been chosen one the states eligible for
grants awarded by Millennium Challenges program. Though US assistance
to Armenia made $89.7 million last year and despite obvious economic
growth the report notes that the income of average Armenian citizens
should be increased.

Committee on meeting provisions of PACE report on NK to be formed

PanArmenian News
Feb 1 2005

COMMITTEE ON MEETING PROVISIONS OF PACE REPORT ON NK TO BE FORMED

01.02.2005 18:38

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
Bureau has passed a decision to form a special committee to realize
the provisions of the PACE report on Nagorno Karabakh. The committee
will be formed this March. It will be composed of heads of the
delegations of the three OSCE member countries, which are also part
of the OSCE Minsk Group. In January 2006 the PACE is going to address
the Karabakh settlement issue again.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE mission visited Fizuli & Jebrail

PanArmenian News
Feb 2 2005

OSCE MISSION VISITED FIZULI AND JEBRAIL

02.02.2005 15:16

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday OSCE fact-finding mission visited the
Fizuli and Jebrail regions of the security belt situated near the
Iranian border, south of the NKR territory. As reported by Azg daily,
contrary to Karvachar (Kelbajar), the mission members visited the day
before, only a shepherd, a farmer and some people were found in
Fizuli and Jebrail. According to the daily, Azerbaijan provided the
mission members with maps, which however do not correspond to
reality. When answering a journalist’s question whether PACE is going
to send a similar mission to Shahumian, Northern Mardakert and
Getashen, the Armenian settlements occupied by Azerbaijan, one of the
members said they do not rule out such possibility in case Armenia
makes a corresponding appeal to the UN.

Religious procession on Vardanants Day to take place in Yerevan

PanArmenian News
Feb 2 2005

RELIGIOUS PROCESSION ON OCCASION OF VARDANANTS DAY TO TAKE PLACE IN
YEREVAN

02.02.2005 15:44

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As reported by the press service of the Armenian
Diocese, tomorrow the youth of the Diocese are to march in a
religious procession along the central streets of Yerevan. The
procession is dedicated to the Day of Commander Vardan (Mamikonian)
and his 1036 fellow-fighters celebrated by the Armenian Apostolic
Church tomorrow. They were killed by the Persian soldiers in the
battlefield in year 451, during the period when the Persian governors
tried to force Armenians to renounce Christianity. The Armenian
clergy blessed the soldiers just on the battlefield during the war of
450-451. The procession is to start February 3 at 12.30 local time,
after the saint liturgy in the Zoravar Church where the St. Vardan
icon is placed. On their way the marchers will deliver booklets
describing the meaning of the holiday to the passers-by.

Armentel tries to fulfill obligations

PanArmenian News
Feb 3 2005

ARMENTEL TRIES TO FULFILL OBLIGATIONS

03.02.2005 13:33

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armentel Company has put in commission a new
digital automatic telephone exchange – number 66, which will serve
subscribers of Yerevan Nork district and Jrvezh settlement. Armentel
Commercial Director Zacharias Kotsimpos assured that by the end of
February the recurrent lot of mobile communication Easy Cards will
come into market. He also reported that the company intends to offer
qualitative and available IP-telephone communication to the
consumers.