Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

"ARMENIA COUNTRY OF NOAH" DOCUMENTARY FILM TO BE SHOWN BY WORLD LEADING CHANNELS

ARMENPRESS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, ARMENPRESS: A number of leading TV channels
from this year will broadcast a documentary film telling about
Armenia. Leading specialist of Tourism and Territorial Development
department of the Economy Ministry Arthur Lalayan told Armenpress
that for promoting tourism in Armenia, and attracting more tourists
the film will be shown on "National Geographic HBP", Spanish "TBS",
"Discovery". "BBC", "France-5", "Channel+" TV channels.

The shooting works, carried out by "Buzz Business" international
organization have already ended. The 52-minute film consisting of
12 parts is one of the series of "Escape" film series and is called
"Armenia: Country of Noah". The film presents history of Armenia,
culture, tourism opportunities, a separate part is dedicated to
Yerevan and Nagorno Karabakh.

A. Lalayan said that the government has released 112,500 euros’
equivalent drams for shooting the film.

NUMBER OF LEGAL ENTITIES GROWS BY 4.9%, THAT OF PRIVATE BUSINESSMEN BY 31.29% IN ARMENIA IN 12 MONTHS

Noyan Tapan

Jan 14, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. By data of the State Register of
Legal Entities and Private Businessmen of the RA Ministry of Justice,
3,391 commercial legal entities and 16,418 private businessmen were
registered in Armenia in January-November 2008, with their total
number making 59,033 and 65,504 respectively as of December 1, 2008.

By data of the RA National Statistical Service, there were 56,286 legal
entities and 49,893 private businessmen as of December 1, 2007. The
number of legal entities grew by 4.9%, that of private businessmen –
by 31.29% in the country in 12 months.

901 legal entities and 1,337 private businessmen were wound up in
January-November 2008.

The 3,391 legal entities registered in January-November 2008 made
investments of 17 bln 510.44 mln drams (about 57 mln 261.1 thousand
USD).

Investments of 9 bln 169.66 mln drams were made in 351 enterprises
founded with foreign capital, including investments of over 7 bln
107.01 mln drams in 211 enterprises founded by only foreign legal
entities and citizens and investments of 2 bln 62.64 mln drams in
140 joint ventures.

GAS SUPPLIES TO ARMENIA RESTORED

Neftegaz.RU
Jan 13 2009
Russia

A spokesman for the ArmRosgazprom joint venture said Tuesday that
repair work to the pipeline had been completed, and gas supplies to
Armenia resumed at about 03:00 p.m. GMT on Monday.

The resumption of gas supplies to Armenia was confirmed by the Georgian
oil and gas corporation.

"Supplies were suspended due to technical problems caused by a serious
gas leak from a corrosive pipe. Workers kept their promise to repair
the damaged section within five days," the spokesman said.

Armenia currently consumes 8.5 million-9 million cubic meters of
gas daily.

The Armenian-Russian joint gas venture, ArmRosgazprom, has a monopoly
on Russian gas supplies and distribution in Armenia.

Russian energy giant Gazprom controls 75.55% in the joint venture,
the Armenian government holds a 20% stake, and Russia’s Itera company
another 4.44%.

ARMENPRESS

CO-RAPPORTEURS OF PACE MONITORING COMMISSION TO VISIT ARMENIA JANUARY 14

YEREVAN, JANUARY 10, ARMENPRESS: Co-rapporteurs of PACE Monitoring
Commission Jorge Columbien (France) and John Prescott (United Kingdom)
will arrive in Armenia January 14 in the evening.
Member of the Armenian delegation to PACE Armen Rustamyan told
Armenpress that the meetings of the co-rapporteurs are planned for
January 15.
At its plenary winter session scheduled for January 29, the
Assembly will discuss the issue of implementation of PACE 1609 and
1620 resolutions by Armenia. J. Columbien and J. Prescott will present
the steps of the country undertaken in that direction.
Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg is
preparing a report on the situation created in Armenia after the 2008
presidential elections and implementation of PACE 1609 and 1620
resolutions. An official from the office of the commissioner informed
that it is possible that before the publication of the report Thomas
Hammarberg visits Armenia but in January no such visit is planned.

ARMENIAN TEAM IN LEAD IN POINTS TABLE AT YOUTH CHESS TOURNAMENT IN MEMORY OF TIGRAN PETROSIAN

Noyan Tapan

Jan 8, 2008

MOSCOW, JANUARY 8, NOYAN TAPAN. 14 teams are participating in the
Youth Chess Tournament in memory of the 9th world champion Tigran
Petrosian. The tournament began in Moscow on January 2. K. Grigorian,
R. Hovhannisian and Z. Shakrian represent Armenia.

After 5 rounds Armenia has earned 11 points and is in lead in the
points table. The tournament will finish on January 11.

BIG BUSINESS – PROBLEM NUMBER ONE

Panorama.am
16:04 08/01/2009

"2009 is going to be a year of profound changes. The soonest amendments
will concern customs and tax services," said the Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan during Government session today.

The Prime Minister said that the big business is going to be problem
number one. It should be transparent and be under control. According
to the Prime Minister the entrepreneurs demand fair and transparent
business hence they should work hard to implement the field.

"We should pay attention on big business as it seems we don’t manage
to control it and to provide fair and transparent competitiveness,"
said the Prime Minister.

OSCE TO PUBLISH REPORT ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

Panorama.am
15:51 09/01/2009

A report on Nagorno Karabakh by the Organization on Security and
Cooperation of Europe (OSCE) will be published on 9-10 February after
Goran Landmarker the personal representative of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly makes his visit to the regional countries; Azeri "Trend"
has been informed by the advisor of international department of the
Swiss Parliament.

ARMENPRESS

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY PAY A TRIBUTE
TO THE MEMORY OF A. MARGARIAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: On the eve of New Year and
Christmas holidays the Armenian President, head of the Armenian
Republican Party (ARP) Serzh Sargsian, the NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamian, members of the Government, MPs and party members visited
today the Yerevan town Pantheon to put flowers on the tomb of the
Armenian former prime minister head of the Armenian Republican Party
Andranik Margarian.
Member of Armenian parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told journalists
that he represents the generation of the Republican Party who made
their first steps in the party which at that time was headed by
A. Margarian and learnt a lot from him.
`Not only had me, but all the representatives of my generation,
considered him our teacher’, he said.
Political life of the state figure A. Margarian started from 1960s,
when he joined the National United Party and fought for independent
Armenia.
E. Sharmazanov said that from the beginning of 1990s A. Margarian
joined the Republican Party and together with Ashot Navasardian
strengthened the party. According to the MP, after Ashot Navasardian’s
death, when A. Margarian took up the leadership of the party the
period of strengthening of the Republican Party started.
`He managed to change the stereotype of the state bureaucrat in our
nation, according to which he can be an ordinary person with all his
problems. A. Margarian was able to sit by an ordinary citizen and hear
his problems’, E. Sharmazanov said.
He said that the most important feature of A. Margarian as a state
figure was that he did not become `party addict’ being the head of the
party.
`He was doing all his activity and taught us to act with the party,
but with `for my nation and motherland’ principle and he did act this
way ` motherland was the most important thing. For him the party was
not an aim but a means to try to solve all the issues of our nation
and country’, – the MP said.
A. Margarian was elected a member of Republican Party’s council in
February 1993, in December 1993 ` head of the council, in 2005 ` head
of the party.
He was elected a member of Armenian parliament in 1995. In 1999 he
was re-elected as an MP and headed the `Union’ faction. In 2000 he
was appointed prime minister of Armenia and was in office by March 25,
2007 when he died of a heart attack.

12/30/2008 11:52 AM
APOLOGIZING TO THE ARMENIANS
‘Eroding One of Turkey’s Biggest Taboos’
More than 25,000 Turks have added their names to an online statement
apologizing for Ottoman war crimes committed during World War I. SPIEGEL
spoke with campaign initiator Baskin Oran.

SPIEGEL: Since the beginning of your online campaign, more than 25,000 Turks
have signed a statement apologizing for war crimes committed by the Ottoman
Empire during World War I. More than a million Armenians lost their lives in
the catastrophic events which began in 1915. Is this the beginning of a
critical examination of the past?

Oran: The Turks who are now apologizing are not responsible for the sins of
1915. There is no collective crime, but there is a collective conscience.
With our campaign, we are eroding one of Turkey’s biggest taboos. But still, the
campaign is coming decades late.
SPIEGEL: Turkish nationalists say that you are damaging the country’s image.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agrees.
Oran: I disagree. I think that our image abroad will actually improve.
Beyond that though, it is for the grandchildren of the Armenians who finally
should hear an apology — in a country like Turkey that has no "culture of
apology."
SPIEGEL: What effect will the campaign have on Turkish-Armenian relations?
Oran: The majority of Armenians welcome our initiative. But there are
hardliners who criticize that our petition does not specifically use the word
"genocide." They are afraid that our apology could foil Armenian demands for
reparations. Such people merely see us as lackeys of the Turkish state.
SPIEGEL: What kind of reactions have you received from Turkish citizens.
Oran: They have, unfortunately, been mostly negative. Every day, I
personally receive around 200 pieces of hate mail. Many accuse me of having insulted
the Turkish people. But one has to bear in mind: every child here learns that
Armenians killed Muslims. Our education is to blame for the country’s
collective amnesia. In eastern Turkey, though, it is true that in the pastmany
people suffered from Armenian revenge attacks.
Interview conducted by Daniel Steinvorth
© SPIEGEL ONLINE 2008

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS DECREES ON AWARDING

ArmInfo
2008-12-28 20:42:00

ArmInfo. By the decree of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan,
Armenian Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Issues Artyom Asatryan,
Representative of the Public Services Regulatory Commission Samvel
Arabajanyan, Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Iosiof
Isayan, and Deputy Finance Minister Souren Karayan have been awarded
"Anania Shirakatsi" Medal, the Armenian presidential press-service
told ArmInfo.

By another presidential decree, boxing world champion Vakhtang
Darchinyan has been awarded "Movses Khorenatsi" Medal. Wresting coach
Vahan Bichakhchyan and Dean of the Sport and Health Faculty of the
State Institute of Physical Culture, Candidate of Biology, Professor
Anahit Haroutyunyan have been awarded the titles of honored physical
culture and sport workers of Armenia.