IT IS EXPECTED THAT THREE LARGE-SCALE INVESTMENT PROGRAMS TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AT “MARS” ENTERPRISE

YEREVAN, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). Investments of a total of 200 mln
drams (about 364,000 dollars) were made in the Yerevan “Mars” CJSC
after its assignation to the Russian government within the framework
of the “Property for Debt” program. The sums are mainly directed at
the marketing researches, the reconstruction of the heating system and
the increase of salaries about two-fold. Radik Vanunts, Director
General of “Mars”, reported during the August 5 press conference that
“Mars” is one of 30 enterprises of the military-industrial sphere of
Russia. According to Radik Vanunts, in the past production depended on
orders, that’s why “Mars” hasn’t turned out basic output up to now. At
present the new owners of the company work in this direction. Three
large-scale investment programs will be implemented at the enterprise
in the future. It was noticed that till the end of this year the
company will prepare five experimental models of radio stations worked
up by the Voronezh Institute of Communications. 2.5 years and the
investments of 4.7 mln dollars are necessary for the implementation of
another investment program. The third investment program concerns the
sphere of high technologies. It was also noticed that it is expected
that the certain funds will be allocated to the enterprise by the 2005
state budget of Russia for the performance of the orders. To recap,
“Mars” is the most expensive entity among the five enterprises given
to Russia against the debt. It is estimated at 56 mln dollars. The
Moscow “Radioexport” state-owned enterprise is appointed by the
Russian government plenipotentiary manager of the Yerevan “Mars” CJSC.

ACCEPTANCE OF GREEN MASS OF TOBACCO BEGINS IN TAVISH

YEREVAN, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). It’s already 5 days that the
“International Masis Tabak” company has begun acceptance of green mass
of tobacco of the “Virginia” sort in Tavush. 1 kg of the mass is
accepted at the price of 55 drams (about $0.1) in the acceptance point
situated 8 km far from Ijevan and the payment for the stored
raw-materials is made within 10 days. The accepted raw-materials are
dried with hot air in 4 rooms with a capacity of 5-6 tons within a
week. This year it’s planned to accept about 200 tons of green mass of
tobacco. To recap, at present 300 hectares of tobacco are processed
in the Tavush region, and tobacco of the “Virginia” sort makes 14
hectares out of them.

SHARE OF SPHERE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN RA GDP MAKES 40% IN
FIRST HALF-YEAR

YEREVAN, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). According to the preliminary data,
the share of the sphere of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) in
RA GDP made about 40% in the first half of 2004. Over 4,700 new
entities of SME with about 11,000 jobs were registered during the
indicated period. RA Minister of Trade and Economic Development Karen
Chshmaritian said during the August 6 press conference that a total of
over 70 mln drams of guarantee sums (about 127,000 dollars) were
allocated to 2,500 companies with the purpose of contribution to the
sphere of the small and medium enterprises. 60% of these sums fell on
the regions, which is explained by the fact of the absence of the
subject of security under credit. The RA Minister also said that the
SME Coordination Council was established with the purpose of the
coordination of programs on the improvement and development of the
policies in the indicated sphere. Representatives of the World Bank,
USAID, UNDP, OSCE are within this Council.

RA MINISTER OF NATURE PROTECTION CALLS ON ECOLOGICAL NGOs TO COOPERATE

YEREVAN, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). RA Minister of Nature Protection
Vardan Aivazian during his August 6 meeting with representatives of
the leading ecological NGOs suggested that the Public Council should
be established with the purpose of cooperation of the Ministry and
NGOs. It was mentioned that the Ministry should be notified about the
activities carried out by the NGOs, in particular, on grants given by
the international foundations. According to the RA Minister, NGOs,
dealing with the allocated funds, often replace the state structures
though they don’t have sufficient information and specialists. In
their turn representatives of NGOs agree that the Ministry should be
notified about their activities, but at the same time they mentioned
that the Ministry isn’t always interested in cooperation with
NGOs. They reminded the RA Minister that the issue of the restoration
of the Public Relations Department in the structure of the Ministry
was arisen many times, and the Ministry should provide ecological
information in accordance with the demands of the Orhusk convention,
and wide public should participate in the processes of making
decisions. Vardan Aivazian suggested that participants of the meeting
should assume the discussion as a basis and prepare the draft
Memorandum on cooperation. Gennady Kojoyan is appointed Coordinator of
the draft.

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
06 août 2004

Danses et musiques d’Arménie

Dans le cadre du festival de Confolens Monts-sur-Guesnes vient
d’accueillir l’ensemble folklorique arménien « Bert » d’Erevan,
groupe constitué en 1963 pour conserver et restituer de façon vivante
le folklore de son pays.

Fougueuses danses des hardis montagnards ou évolutions gracieuses des
jeunes filles, danses paysannes, danses des pêcheurs, chansons
exprimant la peine et les combats du peuple ou la nostalgie de
l’exilé, instruments de musique aux sons étonnants, superbes
costumes, sans oublier le talent des danseurs et musiciens… Une
nouvelle fois, les quelques 2000 personnes qui s’étaient rassemblées
sur la place du Chteau ont pu apprécier un spectacle d’une grande
qualité, a tel point que les quelques gouttes de pluie qui sont
venues se mêler à la fête lors du final, n’ont en rien diminué les
longs et chaleureux applaudissements qui ont salué la prestation de
cet ensemble.

Après ce spectacle, un grand feu d’artifice musical illuminait le
ciel montois de milliers d’étoiles multicolores, véritable bouquet
final à cette soirée concoctée de main de maître par toute une équipe
composée essentiellement de bénévoles.

DWELLERS OF AKHALKALAKI HAVE TO CONDUCT CHECKUP OF CARS IN AKHALTSIKH

AKHALKALAKI, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). The State Motor Licensing and
Inspection Department was liquidated as a result of the reforms
carried out by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia. The Road
Patrol Service with more limited number of employees will be
established instead of it. In Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda the Office
on Cars Registration was also liquidated as a result of these
changes. As a result one should go to Akhaltsikh, the regional center
of Samtskhe-Javakheti, for conducting the checkup of cars and
receiving the driving licence. According to the “A-Info” Agency, the
order of maintenance and registration of cars wasn’t changed in other
regions of Georgia. Such a change took place only in the Akhalkalaki
and Ninotsminda regions. In addition, it is expected that the
registration office in Akhaltsikh will move in November.

LEBANESE DEPUTY PRESENTS HIS POLITICAL PROGRAM TO CATHOLICOS OF GREAT
CILICIAN HOUSE

ANTELIAS, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). Lebanese MP Rober Ganem presented
his political program in the upcoming presidential elections during
his meeting with the Catholicos of the Great Cilician House held at
Bikfaya temple on August 3. Ganem presented his approaches to
different spheres of the life of Lebanon. Catholicos Aram I stressed
the necessity of the respect of the rights of national communities
along with the observance of their obligations especially in the
political circles, as well as the importance of the strengthening of
the democratic direction. According to the press service of the Great
Cilician House, the meeting became a reason for the discussion of the
problems of the region, especially of the latest events in
Iraq. Catholicos Aram I expressed his concern on the occasion of the
terrorist acts committed at the Christian churches, mentioning them as
a phenomenon unworthy of neither Islam nor Christianity.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOS OF GREAT CILICIAN HOUSE INVITED TO ERITREA

ANTELIAS, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). The newly appointed Patriarch of the
Orthodox Church of Eritrea sent a message to His Holiness Aram I,
Catholicose of the Great Cilician House, to pay an official visit to
Eritrea. The head of the sister-church of Eritrea that recently joined
the family of the Eastern Churches in his letter highly estimated the
inter-church activities of Supreme Patriarch Aram I. He expressed his
gratitude to the Supreme Patriarch for his work carried out in the
direction of the membership of the Orthodox Church of Eritrea in the
World Council of Churches. According to the press divan of the
Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House, the church of Eritrea
became a member of the World Council of Churches at the sitting of the
Central Board of the World Council of Churches last August.

NKR GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKES STEPS FOR REALIZATION OF PROVISIONS OF LAW
ON NATIONAL CURRENCY

STEPANAKERT, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). The NKR government undertakes
steps for the realization of the provisions of the law “On National
Currency” approved by the NKR National Assembly in late December
2003. NKR Minister of Finances and Economy Spartak Tevosian said about
it in his interview given to the “Azat Artsakh” (“Free Artsakh”)
newspaper. The NKR Minister mentioned that the daily work with foreign
investors, corresponding international including financial structures
is important in the matter of the economic development and
independence of the NKR. According to Spartak Tevosian, the NKR
carries out the actions directed at the provision of the economic
independence of the republic.

A NUMBER OF BENEVOLENT PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN VILLAGE OF ZORAKAN OF
TAVUSH MARZ

IJEVAN, August 6 (Noyan Tapan). A building of the communal center is
being built in the village of Zorakan of the Tavush marz where
refugees from the village of Chardakhlu of the Shamkhor region of
Azerbaijan live. It’s built with the resources of the RA Fund of
Social Investments amounting to $100 thousand. The building will have
an adiministration, a cultural center, a library and a first aid
post. The family of Hovnanians will donate another $10 thousand for
this program. “The Memory Fund of Jinishian” will donate $18 thousand
for the purpose of solution of the problem of potable water in
Zorakan. Besides, upon the “Provisions for Job” program the internal
irrigation network with a lengh of 13 km has already been repaired in
Zorakan. And a program of irrigation of pastures is implemented with
the financing of the JTZ German organization.