ARKA News Agency
Dec 27 2004

Louise-Simon Manoukyan, renowned American benefactor of Armenian
origin visits Nagorno Karabakh

NKR National Assembly passes draft law on state budget for 2005

17 graduates of spiritual seminaries imposed in St. Echmiadzin

World Vision-Armenia organizes New Year’s event for especially needy
children

Armenian delegation headed by RA Defence Minister leaves for Moscow
today

Celibate Priest Zohrab Kostanyan appointed Director of Youth Center
of Armenian Apostolic Church

Robert Kocharian signs decree on founding of annual youth prize of
Armenian President

GDP growth in Armenia in result of 11 months of 2004 made 10%

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LOUISE-SIMON MANOUKYAN, RENOWNED AMERICAN BENEFACTOR OF ARMENIAN
ORIGIN VISITS NAGORNO KARABAKH

STEPANAKERT, December 27. /ARKA/. Louise-Simon Manoukyan, renowned
American benefactor of Armenian origin visits Nagorno Karabakh.
According to the ARKA own correspondent in Stepanakert, the
yesterday, the benefactor visited a number of institutions and
residential houses of Stepanakert, accompanied by Arkady Ghukasyan,
the NKR President, Anushavan Danielyan, the NKR Prime-Minister and
other authorities of the republic. Louise-Simon Manoukyan on the spot
asked about the process of construction of school N7, which is being
built on her initiative, visited the chess school of Stepanakert,
11-storey residential house for families of perished servicemen,
boarding school, and other public institutions of the capital.
Speaking about the objectives of the visit of the known benefactor to
Nagorno Karabakh, the NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan said that
Louis-Simon Manoukyan is the key benefactor of Nagorno Karabakh, who
actively participates in many programs – construction of roads,
schools, houses. `Therefore, she wishes to see the results of the
work started on her initiative’, said Ghukasyan.
During the last TV marathon held in Los Angeles, Louis-Simon
Manoukyan provided $2 mln to Nagorno Karabakh. L.V.-0–

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NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PASSES DRAFT LAW ON STATE BUDGET FOR 2005

STEPANAKERT, December 27. /ARKA/. The NKR National Assembly passed
the draft law on state budget for 2005 by a majority vote. According
to the Press Service Department of NKR NA, Spartak Tevosyan, the NKR
Minister of Finance and Economy, who presented the final variant of
the draft, said that the final draft included 7 new suggestions of
the Parliament and the Government.
Speaking about the document discussed, Oleg Yesayan, the NKR NA
Speaker noted that the draft is rather realistic and essentially
differs from the budgets of previous years by its contents.
Note, volume of NKR state budget will amount to AMD 21,036 bln in
2005. The state budget revenue will make AMD 6,460 bln, the
expenditure item – AMD 21,325 bln against AMD 15,249 bln in 2004. The
budget deficit will make AMD 14,865 bln. In 2005, Armenia will grant
NKR with the annual intergovernmental credit to the sum of more than
AMD 13,636 bln. ($1 – AMD 484,37). L.V.–0 –

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17 GRADUATES OF SPIRITUAL SEMINARIES IMPOSED IN ST. ECHMIADZIN

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. 17 graduates of spiritual seminaries
imposed in deacons in St. Echmiadzin. The imposing ceremony was held
today by the Head of Nor-Nakhichevan and Russian Eparchy of Armenian
Apostolic Church Yerzas Nersisian during the liturgy dedicated to the
holyday of St. Apostle Steven, which is also a holiday of deacons.
After the liturgy, Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II turned to
the newly imposed deacons. He expressed joy to joining of 17 deacons
and called to them to be `strong in faith and spirit’. L.D. –0–

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WORLD VISION-ARMENIA ORGANIZES NEW YEAR’S EVENT FOR ESPECIALLY NEEDY
CHILDREN

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. On January 13, 2005, Malatya-Sebastia
Children’s Centre World Vision-Armenia organizes a New Year’s event
for especially needy children in the framework of children protection
program. As the Malatya-Sebastia Children’s Centre told ARKA, Arthur
Baghdasaryan, the RA NA Speaker is invited to the event, as well as
deputies, representatives of Ministries, NGOs, and heads of
Malatya-Sebastia communities, parents and children. The press release
states that the traditional event under the slogan `Let’s lend a
hand, friends’ will be forestalled by the exhibition of works of
children requiring special care. `Vahan’, `Paros’, `Tatev’ and `Jakh’
NGOs involved in problems of disabled will also participate in the
event.
World Vision – Armenia humanitarian organization was established in
Armenia in 1988 right after Spitak earthquake of 1988. Since 1996,
World Vision-Armenia has provided credits to the total sum of $5,4
mln to entrepreneurs. The credits helped to create 9800 workplaces,
thus assisting more than 12 500 children. L.V.–0–

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ARMENIAN DELEGATION HEADED BY RA DEFENCE MINISTER LEAVES FOR MOSCOW
TODAY

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. Armenian delegation leaves for Moscow
today headed by Serge Sargsian, the RA Defence Minister and
Co-chairman of Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on
Economic Cooperation. According to Seyran Shakhsuvaryan, the
Press-Secretary of RA Defense Ministry, during his visit, Serge
Sargsian and the Russian Co-chairman Igor Levitin, the RF Minister of
Transport will participate in the 6th session of Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation to be held on
December 28. The agenda will include issues relating to fulfillment
of the protocol of the 5th session of the Commission held on February
5, 2003 and the protocol of the Co-chairmen of the Intergovernmental
Commission signed on October 14, 2004. In addition, the participants
of the session will discuss the situation and possibilities of
development of the agreement-legal base between the two countries, as
well as issues of cooperation in communication, trade-economic
sphere, transport, financial and humanitarian and fuel-energy areas.
Armenian delegation will return to Yerevan on December 29. L.V. – 0–

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CELIBATE PRIEST ZOHRAB KOSTANYAN APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF YOUTH CENTER
OF ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. By high decree of Catholicos of All
Armenians His Holiness Garegin II, Celibate Priest Zohrab Kostanyan
was appointed Director of Youth Center of Armenian Apostolic Church
and Spiritual Pastor of the University Students, as Holy Echmiadzin
Press Chancellery told ARKA. At that Zohrab was released from the
position of Deputy Director of Shighakat TV company. T.M. -0 –

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ROBERT KOCHARIAN SIGNS DECREE ON FOUNDING OF ANNUAL YOUTH PRIZE OF
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. Robert Kocharian signed a decree on
founding of youth prize of Armenian President. As Armenian President
Press Service told ARKA, the youth prize of the Head of the State is
related to the agreement concluded with Robert Poghosyan & Sons
Foundation representatives Jean and Albert Poghosyan and Hayastan
All-Armenian Fund. Annually three prizes will be awarded to pictorial
arts and cinema (including painting, sculpture, graphics, tapestry,
ceramics, photo art, design etc.) and one prize to music and
literature figures.
As it is mentioned in the press release, the Armenian President
approved the staff of the three awarding commissions. The commissions
are staffed by such Armenian famous artists and writers as Robert
Elibekyan, Martin Vardazaryan, Arax Davtyan, Aghasi Ayvazyan etc.) as
well as each commission will have one representative of Poghosyan &
Sons Foundation. T.M. -0–

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GDP GROWTH IN ARMENIA IN RESULT OF 11 MONTHS OF 2004 MADE 10%

YEREVAN, December 27. /ARKA/. GDP growth in Armenia in result of 11
months of 2004 made 10%, RA President’s press office told ARKA that
it was stated by RA President Robert Kocharian during traditional
annual meeting with businessmen. He expressed satisfaction with
registered economic indicators and noted that budget in 2004 will be
fulfilled with excess. `It is first time we have opportunity to
increase state budget by 12 billion AMD in the middle of the year and
direct additional assets on capital construction. Growth of given
sphere made 16%’, Kocharian said. HE also said that annual growth of
export, excluding diamond processing makes 25%. `These numbers show
that some structure changes are made in the economy of the republic,
potential is growing. It is very serious change, serious achievement
and we hope that it will be continued in 2005 as well’, Kocharian
said. L.D. –0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress