ARKA News Agency
April 14 2005

UNICEF approves ratification of an optional protocol to the
convention on Right of a Child by RA NA, banning use of children in
armed forces

Armenia is interested in activation of the work of European Bank of
Reconstruction and Development in the country

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UNICEF APPROVES RATIFICATION OF AN OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE
CONVENTION ON RIGHT OF A CHILD BY RA NA, BANNING USE OF CHILDREN IN
ARMED FORCES

YEREVAN, April 14. /ARKA/. UNICEF approves ratification of an
optional protocol to the convention on Right of a Child by RA NA,
banning use of children in armed forces and the Convention on
protection of children from worst kinds of work. According to UNICEF
Yerevan Office, in regard with the ratification, the Head of the
Office Sheldon Yett noted that adoption of the two documents
alleviates the compliance with 10-year program on protection of
rights of children by RA NA. `it’s an important step to create `safe
environment ‘ for children in Armenia’, he said.
The optional protocol to the Convention on Right of a Child,
forbidding to use children in armed forces was adopted by UN General
Assembly on May 25, 2000. The protocol bans countries, participating
in armed conflicts, to send children under 18 to conflicts and
recruit teenagers under 16. It was ratified by RA NA on March 21,
2005 and signed by RA President Robert Kocharyan on April 13, 2005.
Currently the protocol is signed by 116 countries and ratified by 83
ones. A.H. –0 –

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ARMENIA IS INTERESTED IN ACTIVATION OF THE WORK OF EUROPEAN BANK OF
RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE COUNTRY

YEREVAN, April 14. /ARKA/. Armenia is interested in activation of the
work of European Bank of Reconstruction and Development in the
country, as RA President Robert Kocharyan stated during the meeting
with the Head of EBRD Board Michael Weinstein, according to RA
President’s Press Service. In his turn Weinstein noted that the bank
as never before is interested in Armenia, and a package of programs
that are planned to be implemented in the country, is already
developed. According to the program, EBRD is going to begin crediting
enterprises and to participate in mining industry and projects
connected with the infrastructures.
On April 1, 2005, EBRD appointed Michael Weinstein a new Head of
Yerevan Office. `I look forward to fruitful work in Armenia, an
ancient country with huge potential’, as he stated at his first press
-conference in Yerevan.
Armenia became the member of the European Bank of Reconstruction and
Development on December 7, 1992 with its share of capital amounting
to Euro 10 mln. As of December 31, 2004, EBRD signed an agreement on
seven investment programs in Armenia with the total worth of Euro 88
mln., which makes 0,3% of total volume of investments of the bank.
A.H. –0 –