ARKA News Agency
March 3 2005
Armenian President, CIS Executive Committee’s Chair discussing CIS
structures reformation issues
RA Government changes the workday of March 7 for March 5
Representatives of some Armenian political parties discussing
preparation for marking 90th anniversary of Armenian genocide
RA NA Speaker receives the experts of the Council of Europe’s Venice
Commission and ODIHR/OSCE
A campaign of protest of salesmen at trade fairs held today at the
governmental building of Armenia
Representatives of the council of europe’s venice commission and the
organisation for security and cooperation in Europe’s Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights arrived in Yerevan for a
two-day visit
RA Prime Minister and the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the
CIS discuss the issue of improving the efficiency of work of the CIS
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ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, CIS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE’S CHAIR DISCUSSING CIS
STRUCTURES REFORMATION ISSUES
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
received Thursday the CIS Executive Committee’s Chair Vladimir
Rushaylo. The main topic of the negotiations was the process of
implementation of reforms in the CIS structures, as Presidential
Press Service told ARKA. Rushaylo also informed Armenian President
about preparations for CIS member countries’ summits planned for 2005
and discussed related issues with him. M.V. -0–
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RA GOVERNMENT CHANGES THE WORKDAY OF MARCH 7 FOR MARCH 5
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. In regard with the International Women’s
Day celebrated on March 8, RA Government changed the workday of March
7 for March 5, according to RA Government’s Press Service. A.H. – 0–
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REPRESENTATIVES OF SOME ARMENIAN POLITICAL PARTIES DISCUSSING
PREPARATION FOR MARKING 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Ramkavar-Azatakan, Social Democratic and
Dashaktsutyun parties’ representatives discussed work on preparation
events to mark 90th anniversary of Armenian genocide. After approving
the program of events, the meeting participants discussed political
situation in Lebanon, as Dashnaktsutyun party told ARKA. Summarizing
the meeting, the representatives of the three political parties came
up with a statement condemning recent assassination of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Raphik Al Hariri. M.V. -0–
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RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVES THE EXPERTS OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S VENICE
COMMISSION AND ODIHR/OSCE
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan received
the experts of the Council of Europe’s Venice Commission and the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR/OSCE), who are in
Yerevan to discuss the expert conclusion on the Election Code (EC).
According to RA NA Press Service, Baghdasaryan agreed with the
necessity of reforms and adoption of the reviewed EC, which may
ensure holding elections in line with democratic standards. It was
also noted that out of 61 provisions of expert conclusions only 30
were adopted and 11 of them are approved, and the rest 20 provisions
will be made agree as a result of discussions with the
representatives of political powers, RA Ministry of Justice, Central
Election Committee (CEC), and NGOs.
Under the chairmanship of Baghdasaryan discussion of the project of
changes and amendments to EC were held. Deputies, OSCE Yerevan Office
Coordinator Vladimir Pryakhin, his Deputy Elane Konkevich, Head of
CEC Garegin Azaryan, Deputy Minister of Justice Tigran Mukuchyan and
representatives of NGOs participated in the discussions. A.H. -0–
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A CAMPAIGN OF PROTEST OF SALESMEN AT TRADE FAIRS HELD TODAY AT THE
GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING OF ARMENIA
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. A campaign of protest of salesmen at trade
fairs was held today at the governmental building of Armenia. The
participants expressed their discontent about the law on `cash
machines, obliging salesmen to have them by April 1, 2005. The
delegation met the Deputy Head of the State Tax Service adjunct to AR
Government Armen Alaverdyan. During the campaign the building was
protected by police.
To note, on Nov 22, 2004 RA Parliament adopted a low on Cash Machines
that should be gradually introduced in the country. In particular,
from April 1, 2005 cash machines are to be obligatorily used in the
area of providing medical and ambulatory services, in beauty centers,
resort houses, exhibition complexes, on fairs and markets .
Currently, cash machines are used by over 15 thsd households in the
country. A.H. -0–
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REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE’S VENICE COMMISSION AND THE
ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE’S OFFICE FOR
DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN FOR A
TWO-DAY VISIT
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. Representatives of the Council of Europe’s
Venice Commission and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation
in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights
(ODIHR/OSCE) arrived in Yerevan for a two-day visit. According to the
information office of the CE in RA, the goal of the visit is to
discuss progress in reviewing election legislation of Armenia on the
base of joint commissions made by two organizations regarding
electoral reforms in the country. According to press-release, the
visit will be in the frames of the cooperation between CE and
Armenian authorities within the context of monitoring compliance with
the commissions of ODIHR/OSCE after the elections of 2003 in Armenia,
as well as the process of monitoring of the country by the CE
Ministers Committee. The aim of the visit is to raise with the
Armenian authorities and experts on electoral matters the main points
on which Armenia’s electoral legislation and practice have yet to
meet Council of Europe standards and OSCE Commitments on democratic
elections A.H.–0–
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RA PRIME MINISTER AND THE CHAIRMAN OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE
CIS DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF WORK OF THE CIS
YEREVAN, March 3. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and
the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the CIS Vladimir Rushailo
discussed the issue of improving the efficiency of work of the CIS.
According to AR Government’s Press Service Department, Margaryan
noted that from the first day of the CIS Armenia was represented in
all bodies of the organization, participated actively in its work. He
expressed hope that as a result of constructive discussions of all
suggestions of participant countries of the CIS the optimal variant
of reforms will be found, enabling to make the CIS more efficient
structure. Rushailo was for introducing reforms in the bodies of the
CIS to make their work more efficient and dynamic and to bring in
line with modern standards. He also expressed anxiety about
inefficient use of the whole potential of the CIS. According to him,
establishment of executive centers in the CIS will fill in the gap,
and such examples exist already in Russia, Moldova and the Ukraine.
Rushailo noted that the Armenian Pavilion in the Russian Exhibition
Centre is the best and said that it’s a kind of a visiting card of
the country.
Rushailo also introduced the process of getting prepared to the
regular session of the CIS states’ prime ministers, which is planned
to take place on April 29 in Tbilisi. According to him, over 30
projects related to areas of interaction will be discussed.
In the course of the meeting the parties also spoke about celebrating
the 60th anniversary of the victory in World War II. Margaryan
informed that a special commission headed by RA Minister of Defense
was established on that occasion in Armenia, and the program of
arrangements had been approved. He also stated that the Armenian
delegation of veterans of the War will participate in the celebration
of the 60th anniversary on May 8-9 in Moscow. A.H. –0–