Author: Andres-Papazian

Le Président Sarkissian a rencontré la Haute-représentante de l’UE
pour les Affaires étrangères

ARMENIE

dimanche30 mai 2010, par Stéphane/armenews

Le 27 mai le Président Serge Sarkissian a rencontré la
Haute-représentante de l’UE pour les Affaires étrangères, la Baronne
Catherine Ashton. Le président Sarkissian a noté que ` l’intégration
européenne reste une des directions primaires de la politique
étrangère de l’Arménie. ‘

Les deux parties ont discuté des occasions fournies selon le Programme
de Partenariat Oriental. Ils ont souligné que le format du PArtenariat
Oriental est aussi un moyen efficace pour la promotion de la
coopération entre les pays du Caucase, l’établissement de la paix et
de la stabilité dans la région.

Les questions liées à la signature de l’Accord d’Association
UE-Arménie et l’accord de libre-échange, l’allégement du régime de
visa ont été évoquées.

Les interlocuteurs ont discuté des questions liées à la normalisation
des relations arméno-turques et les négociations au règlement du
conflit du Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

Le 7ème Festival international du cinéma l’Abricot d’or se tiendra à
Erevan du 11 au 18 juillet

ARMENIE

dimanche30 mai 2010, par Stéphane/armenews

Le 7ème Festival international du cinéma l’Abricot d’or se tiendra à
Erevan du 11 au 18 juillet avec l’appui du Ministère arménien de la
Culture et l’aide financière de VivaCell MTS.

Cette année 500 accréditations ont été reçues de 75 pays, incluant la
Jordanie, le Nicaragua, le Venezuela, le Costa Rica, etc. Les films se
concurrenceront dans trois catégories : film d’action international,
documentaire international et panorama arménien.

Le directeur du Festival Harutyun Khachatryan dit que l’Abricot D’or
commencera par la projection du film `Mayrik’ d’Henri Verneuil.

Des événements spéciaux seront organisés dans le cadre du festival
consacrés aux réalisateurs arméniens de la Diaspora comme Henri
Verneuil et Atom Egoyan.

Un programme russe sera consacré au 65ème anniversaire de la Victoire
dans la Grande Guerre Patriotique.

From: A. Papazian

Omar Harfouch accuses Azerbaijan of falsifying results of 2010
Eurovision Song Contest

May 30, 2010 – 15:50 AMT 10:50 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

French businessman of Syrian descent Omar Harfouch has accused
Azerbaijan of falsifying the voting results of 2010 Eurovision Song
Contest, French journalist Jean Eckian told to PanARMENIAN.Net with
reference to the French website – jeanmarcmorandini.com – specializing
in broadcast of information on television.

Omar Harfouch said in an exclusive interview to jeanmarcmorandini.com
that Azerbaijan exerted pressure on jurors of several countries,
paying bribes through Azerbaijani embassies in these countries.
According to Omar Harfouch, the bribes total sum amounted to $20mln.

On May 29, Oslo hosted the 55th Eurovision Song Contest, which brought
together representatives of 39 countries. Germany’s Lena Mayer-Landrut
was announced the contest winner with 246.2 points. Meanwhile,
Armenia’s Eva Rivas was the seventh with 141.8 points and Azerbaijan’s
Safura Alizadeh was the fifth with 145.6 points.

From: A. Papazian

Expert: No modern financial system is formed in Armenia yet

27.05.2010

ArmInfo. It is early to speak of formation of a modern financial
system in Armenia, said Hilton Root, expert for international
development and political economy at the George Mason University, at
today’s roundtable in Yerevan “Financial system and economic
development”.

According to him, today the banking system of Armenia is quite
restricted, conservative and it needs a developed capital market, the
establishment of which needs active steps by the Armenian government.

When presenting his thesis about the financial systems of developing
countries, Root pointed out that first and foremost it is necessary to
introduce up-to-date technologies and implement long-term projects,
which, in its turn, will solve the problem of shortage of long-term
money.

On the other hand, developing markets need serious professional
financial intermediation for creating favorable business conditions.

Root said that, so as to be more attractive for foreign investors, the
financial systems of developing countries should be more transparent.
In order to solve this task, their governments should provide
investors with detailed information about the shareholders of aspirant
companies and about the efficiency of their corporate management
policies. If they do it, attracting investors will become much easier.
Root believes that international financial organizations should stop
lending money to individual countries and should start financing
regional projects.

The roundtable has been organized by the Caucasus Institute of
Armenia, jointly with the US Embassy in Armenia and the Heinrich Boll
Foundation South Caucasus.

From: A. Papazian

EBRD and Ameriabank have signed an agreement on Trade Facilitation Programme

28.05.2010

ArmInfo. The EBRD Annual General Meeting 2010 was held in Zagreb on
May 15 this year attracting over 2000 attendees, including bankers,
donors and commercial sponsors.

The press service of Ameriabank told ArmInfo that one of the
highlights of AGM proved to be the EBRD’s Trade Facilitation Programme
award ceremony for the most active Issuing and Confirming banks during
2009.

During the ceremony Ameriabank signed an issuing bank agreement, thus
becoming a member of the Trade Facilitation Programme network. The
agreement will allow Ameriabank to expand and promote financing of
international trade transactions of its clients. Under the facility,
the EBRD will guarantee trade finance instruments issued by Ameriabank
on behalf of its Armenian clients in favour of international
commercial banks, effectively mitigating risks for the Confirming
banks.

Ameriabank has thus become the tenth bank in Armenia to participate in
the EBRD’s TFP. Overall there are currently 121 Issuing banks in 20
countries of operations of EBRD and over 750 Confirming banks
worldwide which represent the TFP network on the intraregional and
international level.

Ameriabank is one of the most dynamic banks in Armenia and ranked
among the country’s most stable financial institutions. It is one of
the first investment banks in Armenia, and since 2007 has been
providing an extensive list of innovative banking products and
services specifically tailored to meet its customers’ needs.

According to the Ranking of Commercial Banks of Armenia by the Agency
of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo), as of 1 April 2010, the
assets of Ameriabank amounted to 110.5 bln AMD (5th position), with
the annual growth being 36,6%. In the structure of assets credit
portfolio made up 61,3%, or 67.7 bln AMD (5th position), with the
annual growth being 87,1%. In the credit portfolio the lion’s share
fell on industry crediting – 30,1% or 20.4 bln AMD (2nd position) and
trade crediting – 21,1% or 14.3 bln AMD (4th position).

The EBRD, owned by 61 countries and two intergovernmental
institutions, is supporting the development of market economies and
democracies in countries from central Europe to central Asia.

From: A. Papazian

Another person ‘who gave testimonies’ on implication of Armenian in
mass killing in Baku Oil Academy refuses to participate in judicial
process

2010-05-30 10:57:00

ArmInfo. Another person ‘who gave testimonies’ on implication of an
Armenian in mass killing in Baku Oil Academy refuses to participate in
a judicial process.

To recall, an unknown person entered the Oil Academy’s building on
April 30, 2009, and going up from the first to the sixth floor, fired
at everyone in his path. As a result, 12 people died and 13 received
wounds of varying severity. Then the killer committed suicide. It was
found out that the criminal was a citizen of Georgia Gadirov Farda
Asad Oglu (born in 1980). Amirov Javidan Farman Oglu, Aliyev Nadir
Shirhan Oglu, Suleymanov Najaf Novruz Oglu and Gabulov Aeiz Zahid Oglu
were brought to trial. However, the Azerbaijani law machinery ‘saw’ an
Armenian trace in the crimson crime and, based on the ‘testimonies’ of
Jeyhun Yagub Oglu Askerov, accused a Georgian citizen of Armenian
origin Mardun Ghumashyan of organizing the crime. However, at the
previous court sitting, D. Askerov refused of the testimonies, as if
given during investigation, about secret negotiations between
Ghumashyan and Aliyev. On the contrary, Aliyev said at the court that
he did not know Ghumashyan and the given ‘testimonies’ were nothing
but investigator’s figment of the mind.

The second figure of the case, Nadir Aliyev, said he was being exerted
pressure in the isolation ward, so, henceforth, he will not take part
in judicial processes. According to N. Aliyev, if the court
investigates his appeal and take corresponding measures, he will give
with free testimonies at the next process.

The court promised to consider N. Aliyev’s appeal and put off the
sitting till June 1 in view of the fact that the witnesses from
Georgia did not attended the process. To also recall, despite the loud
statements, Ghumashyan (whose existence also raises doubts), has not
been put on the Interpol’s wanted list.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian armed forces peacekeeping group to be fully manned by 2015

2010-05-30 11:22:00

ArmInfo. The Armenian armed forces peacekeeping group will be fully
manned by 2015, Colonel Artur Simonyan, Commander of the peacekeeping
group said at today’s press conference.

According to him, the manning process goes on according to the
schedule. At present the peacekeeping group has some 400 military
servicemen. In addition, approximately 400 applications have been
filed. The Colonel pointed out that there are no problems with the
recruitment, and the great number of contenders gives a wide choice
opportunity. The requirements to the contenders are high enough;
therefore a contract is concluded for three months. Upon its
successful completion, the contract is prolonged by 3, then by 5
years. Asked about applying the NATO experience, the Colonel said that
to create a strong and well-trained army, it is necessary to take into
account the colleagues’ experience, and in this respect one shouldn’t
doubt about the NATO countries’ experience.

To recall, the Armenian armed forces peacekeeping group was created in
2007 on the basis of a peacekeeping battalion.

From: A. Papazian

Commander of peacekeeping group of Armenian army commends Armenian
peacekeepers for their activities in Afghanistan

2010-05-30 11:25:00

ArmInfo. The commander of the peacekeeping group of the armed forces
of Armenia Artur Simonyan has commended the Armenian peacekeepers for
their activities in Afghanistan.

During a press-conference today he said that the Armenian peacekeepers
have shown high efficiency and initiative.

Armenia has taken part in the peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan
since Jan 2010 as part of the German troops. The Armenian group (40
peacekeepers) is guarding the building and the runway of the Kunduz
airport and, jointly with the German peacekeepers, one of the check
points of the peacekeepers’ base. The German commanders highly rate
the Armenian peacekeepers and have presented many of them with medals
and certificates.

From: A. Papazian

Rotation of Armenian peacekeepers to most likely take place on 2-3 June

2010-05-30 11:26:00

ArmInfo. The rotation of Armenian peacekeepers in Kosovo will most
likely take place on 2-3 June, Colonel Artur Simonyan, Commander of
the Armenian peacekeeping group, said at a press conference.

Armenia has been participating in the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo
since 12 Feb 2004. The Armenian peacekeepers serve in a Greek
battalion in the town of Urosevac and are rotated once every six
months.

From: A. Papazian

Prime minister of Armenia: The Battle of Sarsarapat laid grounding for
Armenian statehood

2010-05-30 11:00:00

ArmInfo. The Battle of Sardarapat laid grounding for Armenian
statehood, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan told journalists,
Friday, when speaking of the significance of Armenian troops’ victory
over the Turkish invaders in May 1918. “We are paying tribute to the
people who gained independence with weapons in their hands”,- he said.

The victory of Sardarapat inspired the following generations to
continue the struggle to restore the Armenian statehood. Sargsyan said
that every nation should seek to have its own state for guaranteeing
its continuous development.

The Battle of Sardarapat took place May 21-28 1918 between the
Armenians and the Turks, who had invaded Eastern Armenia. The victory
saved the Armenians living in the northern part of Ararat Valley from
genocide. The greater part of Eastern Armenia was saved from Turkish
occupation. The First Republic of Armenia was proclaimed May 28 1918.

From: A. Papazian