INTERNATIONAL ARMENIAN-ITALIAN BUSINESS FORUM TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 10:33
International Armenian-Italian business forum will be held today
in Yerevan.
The event has been organized by the Union of Manufacturers and
Entrepreneurs of Armenia, the Italian "Olston" Company and the Embassy
of Italy in Armenia.
TRAP FOR FOOLS OR ARMENTEL PLAYS GAME WITH NO RULES
Yerevan, June 13. ArmInfo. The users of “Armentel” network had the
opportunity to participate in a competition by sending “Football”
to 2006 number. But the company didn’t send any rules for the game,
or the prices of the SMS messages, fearing to waste the resources of
the SMS station.
Yesterday, “ArmenTel” announced about a squeeze dedicated to the World
Championship of Football. Anna Soghomonian, head of the “ArmenTel”
department for additional services, said that a SMS message for the
squeeze costs AMD 100. “The more answers the user has, the more balls
he and more opportunities for winning the squeeze he receives. The
squeeze is based on mere luck,” she said. She added that technical
support of the squeeze is carried out by OTE Greek company. While
“ArmenTel” is responsible for the initiative and services of the
squeeze.
In response to the question why the users didn’t get any information
about the cost of the SMS messages for the squeeze, Soghomonian
said that the company informed the users through the June 8 issue of
“Efir” weekly and TV advertisements. At the same time she accepted
that the above mentioned information didn’t prove to be sufficient
for the users. Soghomonian didn’t exclude that soon the company may
inform the users about the price of the SMS messages for the squeeze
by sending them relevant SMS messages.
TURKEY READY TO DEVELOP RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA, TURK CHAIRMAN OF NATO PA SUB-COMMISSION ASSURES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 13 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A delegation of the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly Subcommittees on Democratic Governance
and Future Security and Defence Capabilities arrived in Armenia. The
delegation met with the NATO PA Armenia delegation on June 12.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NA Public Relations Department,
as for the Armenia-Turkey relations, Armenian delegation head Mher
Shahgeldian mentioned that Armenia has stated many times about its
readiness to start relations without preconditions.
Vahit Erdem (Turkey), the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Future
Security and Defence Capabilties mentioned that the NATO has proved
during the history by its structure and peculiarity that it may
create cooperation possibilities for countries having a problem,
especially mentioning as a example development of relations between
Turkey and Greece. It was mentioned that the NATO continues policy
of open doors. According to him, Turkey is ready to develop relations
with Armenia and does not condition them with solutions of conflicts.
Turkey finds that one must look towards future but not past in
the 21st century, must develop relations coming from centuries,
re-starting friendship.
Issues relating to regional conflicts and the Black Sea regional
cooperation were discussed during the meeting with OSCE Deputy
Ambassador Kramp and Military Attache’ Karl Hofstra and RA Foreign
Ministry’s OSCE Department Chief Varuzhan Nersisian.
MICHELINE CALMY-REY: SWITZERLAND IS INTERESTED IN ARMENIA’S BEING ON GOOD TERMS WITH NEIGHBORING COUNTIRES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 12 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Switzerland attaches
great importance to the South Caucasian region and is interested
in establishment of peace and democracy there. Micheline Calmy-Rey,
Vice-Chairwoman of the Swiss Confederation’s Federal Council, Swiss
Foreign Minister, declared this at the June 12 meeting with RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian. According to her, her country pays a great
attention to the issues of security and migration in the region and is
ready to discuss the issue of simplification of the visa regime. As
Mrs Micheline Calmy-Rey characterized, Switzerland is interested
in Armenia’s (occupying a central position in the South Caucasus)
being on good terms with the neighboring countries. According to
her, as OSCE member her country is interested in the peaceful and
quick settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh problem and strains every
effort for achieving this within the framework of the OSCE Minsk
Group. The Swiss Foreign Minister once more affirmed the readiness of
her country to render assistance in establishment of a constructive
dialogue between Armenia and Turkey. She emphasized that though the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Swiss parliament, as well
as the law on punishment for the denial of the Genocide have created
some tension in the relations with Turkey in the recent period,
the Swiss authorities are firm in their position relating to this
issue. Emphasizing the importance of the process of democratization
for establishment of regional stability and security, Mrs Calmy-Rey
asserted that her country approves the efforts of the Armenian
government aimed at continuing the reforms in the other spheres of
economy, for the purpose of bringing them in correspondence with the
European standards. Andranik Margarian and Micheline Calmy-Rey once
more confirmed the readiness of the two countries’ governments to
develop Armenian-Swiss political and economic cooperation.
PHOTO-REPORT FROM DAY OF RUSSIA’S CELEBRATION IN ARMENIA: SUN, DOMES, MATRYOSHKAS, AND YEREVAN-MOSCOW PLANE
Regnum, Russia
June 13 2006
On June 12 – the Day of Russia, children competition of crayon
drawing on asphalt and mass festive entertainment took place in Svoboda
(Freedom) Square in the Armenian capital. The children tried to express
‘Russia seen by children eyes” drawing topic, using their fantasy and
associations, which appear, when Russia is mentioned. The competition
was accompanied by festive entertainment, dance and song compositions,
performed by young Armenian artists.
As a REGNUM correspondent informs, the competition began and one of
Yerevan central squares grew many-colored 1h later. Sun, clouds,
domes of cathedrals and churches, matryoshkas, and, of course,
Russian and Armenian tricolors are main subject of children drawings.
One of Yerevan school children associated two peoples’ friendship
with Yerevan-Moscow plane. According to one of competition’s female
participants, who drew the whole terrestrial globe, embraced by round
dance, “her drawing symbolizes friendship of all peoples in the world,
but not only ones of Russia and Armenia.”
Festive concert was performed by “Golden voices of Armenia” young
singers, as well as dancers, who danced Russian and Armenian
folk dances. Young artists, singers, dancers received memorable
diplomas; all event’s participants – gifts. Russian non-governmental
‘Caucasian Democracy Institute’ Development Foundation organized
both the competition and the entertainment. As the organization’s
South-Caucasian branch Director Armenika Kiviryan informed, the action
is aimed at developing of Armenian children’s creative potential,
as well as supporting of peace and friendship between growing up
generations of Armenia and Russia.
The holiday’s special guest – Counselor of Russian Embassy,
Representative of Russian Center of International, Scientific, and
Cultural Cooperation at Russian Foreign Ministry Anatoly Nikolayev
stressed that Day of Russia, which is celebrated in Armenia, is
evidence of “centuries-old friendship of long standing and spiritual
closeness of two peoples,” and it will happen “as successful as
Year of Armenia in Russia and Year of Russia in Armenia.” It is
worth reminding that Russian Federation celebrates Day of Russia on
June 12, which became holiday in 1994, when first Russian President
Boris Yeltsin signed decree on anniversary’s celebration of Russia’s
Independence Declaration, adopted in 1990.
Photos at
EIGHT NOW IN HUNT FOR OTE’S 90% STAKE IN ARMENTEL
Tele Geography, DC
June 12 2006
Three leading Russian telecommunication conglomerates – Sistema,
Rostelecom, and Vimpelcom – have joined the hunt to buy a 90%
interest in Armenia’s largest fixed and wireless operator ArmenTel
from Greek telco OTE. The Russian companies will compete with five
other operators, MTC Kuwait, Armenia’s Sil group, Belgium’s Belgacom,
Hungary’s PanTel, and Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates. The most
serious rivals to the Russian challenge are expected to come from
MTC and Etisalat.
OTE announced its intention to sell 90% of ArmenTel shares in early
April 2006. The Armenian operator provides services to 595,000 fixed
line customers and controls over a half the country’s cellular market,
with more than 50,000 subscribers. OTE is pulling out following a
disagreement with minority shareholder – the Armenian government –
over the planned business strategy for the company. The state is said
to be opposed to plans to raise tariffs.
The Standard (Nairobi) Kenya
June 10, 2006
Brothers’ stay in Kenya shrouded in secrecy
By Ben Agina
The Armenian brothers at the centre of mercenary allegations have
been in the news since March.
A sample of one of the vehicles the brothers own
After endless speculations about their mysterious presence in the
country, the two foreigners were yesterday bound to exit as
dramatically as they entered, after it emerged that they were to be
deported.
The two came into the limelight after Lang’ata MP Raila Odinga
claimed that there were mercenaries in the country, shortly after the
police raid on the Standard Media Group premises on March 2.
Raila later named a physical address in Nairobi’s upmarket Runda
area, claiming that that was where the mercenaries lived with the
support of the Government.
But Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargysan later held a conference at the
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport VIP lounge, where they denied
that they were mercenaries.
They further made a sensational claim that that they had loaned Raila
Sh100m and also met Mwingi North MP Kalonzo Musyoka.
The most sensational revelation was that the brothers jointly owned a
company with the daughter of Narc activist, Mary Wambui.
The Standard exclusively reported that Ms Winfred Wangui was one of
the five shareholders of Kensington Holding Limited, alongside
Margaryan and Sargysan.
The company records indicated that the other shareholders were Alois
Otieno Omitta, believed to be Wambui’s personal assistant, and a Mr
Julius Maina Mwangi. At one time, Artur Margaryan refused to allow
police into his rented house and rebuffed their attempts to persuade
him to record a statement.
Margaryan and one of his nine dogs that he imported from Dubai
He told the eight police officers that they should either arrest him
or produce a search warrant before he could comply.
The police left the house after they received a telephone call from a
senior officer, ordering them to return to their base, raising
further questions, as to who was “protecting” the aliens.
The police had wanted Margaryan to accompany them so that Nairobi
Deputy provincial CID chief, Isaiah Osugo, who had been appointed by
Police Commissioner, Major-General Hussein Ali, to investigate the
mercenary claim, could interrogate him.
The Orange Democratic Movement accused the Government of providing
security to the Armenians, whom they alleged were international
criminals. There was outrage when it emerged that the Armenians had
been chauffeured to JKIA in two Government vehicles guarded by two
outriders to conduct a “stage-managed” press conference.
They were sneaked in through Gate 1 and later disguised to appear as
if they had just landed at the airport before addressing journalists.
The brothers, at one point claimed, that they would launch an
ambitious slum-grading project in the city.
During another dramatic moment, police saved Artur Margaryan from a
lynch mob in the streets of Nairobi.
He had just left the Standard/KTN offices at I&M Tower Building, on
Kenyattaa Avenue, after addressing a press conference, denying once
again that he was a mercenary.
But as he waited for a chauffeured car to pick him up, an angry crowd
confronted him and began chanting: “Mercenary! Mercenary! Mwizi!
Mwizi! (Thief! Thief)”, forcing him to jump over guard rails along
Kenyatta Avenue to escape.
PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
THE FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER OF NAGORNO KARAPAGH
VISITS ANTELIAS
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Nagorno Karapagh, Kevorki
Bedrossian visited Antelias, where he met with His Holiness Aram I on June
6. Serj Amirkhanian, the head of construction works in the republic and
Yervant Pamboukian, member of the Central Executive Council in Lebanon also
attended the meeting.
The Pontiff referred to the contribution of the Catholicosate of Cilicia’s
dioceses in the efforts aimed at strengthening Nagorno Karapagh and
reassured of the Catholicosate’s commitment to this cause.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to reassess the internal situation
in Karapagh and the international negotiations for the resolution of the
conflict.
The minister was then invited to have lunch with the Catholicos.
##
View photo here: tm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of the
Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.
RosBusinessConsulting Database
June 8, 2006 Thursday 8:27 AM EST
MegaFon silent on ArmenTel bid
MegaFon has not submitted a bid for the acquisition of Armenian
telecommunications provider ArmenTel, but considers the asset of
interest, MegaFon’s press secretary Marina Belasheva told RBC.
According to her, Armenia appeals to the company as an area for the
expansion of its network, but so do other countries in the CIS.
However, Belasheva could neither confirm nor comment on allegations
of MegaFon’s participation in the tender.
MOSCOW STUDENT NAREK HAKHNAZARIAN FROM ARMENIA RECOGNIZED WINNER IN
VIOLINCELLISTS’ COMPETITION AFTER ARAM KHACHATRIAN
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Narek Hakhnazarian, a student of the
Moscow Conservatory’s college was awarded the first prize and 15
thousand U.S. dollars monetary award among 17 violicellists
participated in the cellists’ international competition after Aram
Khachatrian held in Yerevan for the first time. The latter was also
awarded the special prize of the State Philharmonic Orchestra of
Armenia: the young cellist will have possibility to perform a concert
program in 2007 with the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia.
As Anna Ter-Hovakimian, the Responsible Secretary of the competition
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, second and third prizes
defined by the organization committee were equally
shared. Representative of Latvia Ruslan Vilensky and representative of
Turkey Indira Rahmatulla who is Uzbek in origin became the second
prize winners. They were given 5000 dollars each. The third prize,
2500 dollars to each, was equally shared between Tigran Muradian
(Russia) and Sergey Kosemian (Armenia). By the way, nobody was awarded
2000 dollars of encouriging prize.
Denis Zhdanov representing Russia was awarded special prizes defined
for “Spectator’s Sympathy” and “Best Performance of 20th Century
Work.” Cezar Martinez Bourguet (Mexico) got the “Best Performance of
Chamber Sonat” prize, Jeanne Maisonhaute (France) got the “Promising
Participant” prize, and Artur Avanesov (Armenia) got the “Best
Concertmaster” prize. The best prize defined by the jury was awarded
to Spanish representative Guillermo Pastrana.