12 Armenian sportsmen have booked 2008 Beijing Olympic berths
armradio.am
01.11.2007 14:55
Up to now 12 Armenian sportsmen, including, one shooter, two judo
wrestlers, six weightlifters and three boxers, have booked 2008
Beijing Olympic berths.
It’s worth mentioning, however, that the number of Armenian sportsmen
qualifying for the Olympic Games of 2008 is not final.
Let us remind that 18 Armenian sportsmen participated in the Olympic
Games of 2004 in Athens.
SEPARATISTS PLAN TO HOLD EXHIBITION IN US ON ARMENIAN MONUMENTS IN NAKHCHIVAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 1 2007
Armenian professors of Harvard University, US, planned to hold
exhibition on Armenian monuments in Nakhchivan on November 2, Bakhtiyar
Hajiyev, master at Cambridge University told the APA.
Advertisment materials of the exhibition cover Armenian’s claims that
Nakhchivan territory had been Armenian lands until 20th century.
Hajiyev said issues on this matter are being debated with Azerbaijani
Embassy in the US and Azerbaijani Diaspora will demonstrate severe
reaction.
Khazar Ibrahim, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s spokesman told the APA
that Azerbaijani Embassy in the US will prevent holding the above-said
exhibition using all diplomatic means.
"Moreover, we will send a letter to Harvard University to prove that
Armenians’ claims are groundless. The whole world anyway knows that
Nakhchivan is an ancient Azerbaijani land and inseparable part of
Azerbaijan Republic.
BY 2008 DRAFT STATE BUDGET, ALLOCATIONS FOR NSS EXCEED BY MORE THAN ONE BILLION DRAMS 2007’s ALLOCATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Nov 1, 2007
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 1, NOYAN TAPAN. By the 2008 draft state budget
of the RA, 12 bln 866 mln drams will be allocated to the National
Security Service (NSS) adjunct to the RA government, which is more
by 1 bln 124 mln drams or 9.6% as compared with 2007, the RA deputy
minister of finance and economy Pavel Safarian stated at the November
1 joint sitting of the National Assembly standing committees.
480 mln drams (about 1,45 mln USD) of this additional sum is envisaged
to be allocated for increasing salaries and extra payments of NSS
employees.
According to P. Safarian, it is conditioned by an increase in payments
for work on Saturdays, Sundays, holiday days and overtime work.
ARMENIA’S JUDICIAL SYSTEM ENTERS NEW STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 30 2007
YEREVAN, October 30. /ARKA/. Armenia’s judicial system enters a new
stage of development, said Minister of Justice Gevorg Danielyan.
"Armenia’s judicial system enters a new stage of development, which
envisages liquidation of such institute as the Economic Court. It was
necessary in the transition stage, after transition to the second stage
of the judicial and legal reforms, the necessity fell way," he said.
At the same time Danielyan said that Armenia’s Economic Court
duplicates the competence of civil courts, and as these courts it
operates on the basis of civil procedural rules.
Alongside with the abolition of the Economic court, the Minister
welcomes the formation of the Administrative court in Armenia. He
said that the latter is necessary for increasing the responsibility
of state structures before the citizens.
"The state authorities will be responsible for proofing in the
Administrative court. A court will become an important link in
country-citizen relations and will be available for all the citizens
of the country," he said.
The abolition of the Economic court and the formation of the
Administrative court are envisaged by the Judicial Code of Armenia,
adopted by the Parliament on February 21, 2007 and it will come
into force on January 1, 2008. Since January 1, 2008, common justice
courts, Administrative court, Appeal and Cassation courts will operate
in Armenia.
At present Armenia has three-stage judicial system: first instance
court (17 courts, 7 of them in Yerevan), Courts of Appeal on criminal
and civil cases (residence in Yerevan) and Cassation court (residence
in Yerevan).
The second stage of the judicial and legal reforms is conducted in
Armenia. The first credit program of these reforms started in 2000
and finished in June 2006. It cost $11.2mln, $10.4mln of which was
allocated by the WB, and the rest – as a social financing of the
government.
ARMENIA AND IRAN STRENGTHEN COOPERATION
By M. Alkhazashvili
(Translated by Diana Dundua)
The Messenger, Georgia
Oct 30 2007
The latest sign of increased Armenian-Iranian cooperation took the
form of a new highway link between the two countries through the
Meghri Pass, which officially opened on October 26.
Armenian President Robert Kocharian said it was proof of development
between Iran and Armenia at a joint news conference with Iranian
President Mahmoud Amadinejad.
"Both sides are entering a new stage of bilateral relations, which
includes cooperation in the banking sphere, [and the planned]
construction of a hydroelectric power plant on the Araks River,"
Kocharian told journalists, according to PanARMENIA news outlet.
The Armenian government hopes the 90 kilometer highway will help
Armenia become a transit country, according to the Regnum news agency.
Iran, for its part, is seeking a mediator between Iran and the West,
according to former Armenian prime minister Armen Darbinian.
He also said Iran is hoping to access Europe’s energy market via
Armenia.
"Iran’s strategic aim is to create links that will enable it access
to Europe’s energy market. Although the US is against this idea,"
Darbinian said, according to Regnum.
ACCORDING TO CBA CHAIRMAN, RISKINESS OF 2008 STATE BUDGET IS GREATER AS COMPARED WITH PREVIOUS ONE
Noyan Tapan
Oct 29 2007
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA minister of finance and
economy Vardan Khachatrian takes the view that although the 2008
state budget contains some risks, they are not considerable as
compared with previous years, in particular, with 2007. However,
in the opinion of the chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA)
Tigran Sargsian, the riskiness of the 2008 state budget is greater –
due to influence of international markets.
According to him, next year’s risks can be divided into several
groups. The most important ones are pressures that come grom the
global market and have an essential impact on the macroenvironment:
in particular, dangerous phenomena form in the financial sector and
can grow into a global crisis.
Among risks are the depreciation of the dollar againt other currencies,
as well as a sharp rise in prices of oil, oil products, foodstuffs
in international market, which will also affect Armenia importing
these goods.
T. Sargsian said that in 2008 the CBA and the Armenian government have
a lot to do in terms of managing the level of prices and controlling
specific commodity markets. In his opinion, among external risks are
structural problems arising in financial markets in connection with
a number of big financial institutions that do not have sufficient
liquidity.
Another group of risks is conditioned by internal factors in Armenia.
Particularly, in case of high inflation pressures, a necessity arises
to raise interest rates, which naturally hinders development of
financial mediation, large-scale provision of business credits, which
in its turn affects the economic growth. Another factor contributing to
risks is the problem of financing a budgetary deficit as the financing
from domestic sources will sharply grow in 2008. Besides, the fact
that tax collection lags behind GDP growth rates causes some problems.
ADVANCE PAYMENT SUBSCRIBERS CAN SIGN AGREEMENTS TILL JANUARY 1, 2008
Panorama.am
18:34 27/10/2007
"We have received letters of application both from VivaCell
and ArmenTel companies. On October 30 a session will be held at
the conference hall of the Public service regulatory committee,
where the issue of introducing amendments into the resolution "On
provision of advance payment phone cards for public mobile cellular
communication," said Gevorg Gevorgyan, Head of telecommunications
of the Public service regulatory committee in an interview with the
Panorama.am correspondent.
He also assured that in the course of the discussions it is planned
to defer the deadline for resigning the agreements with subscribers
having advance payment phone cards that had been sold by the mobile
cellular communication service providers by the 1st of July, 2007 or
put into circulation, till the 1st of January, 2008.
Let us remind that for signing agreements it is necessary to visit
the company offices having a passport or a military ID, or any other
document identifying the person as per the law, with a clear copy. The
agreements with other individuals are signed (or re-signed) through
making a document ratified with bilateral stamps and signatures.
WHY DID THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS USE FORCE
Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 25 2007
Some of the participants of the rally, in Abovyan-Koryun crossroad,
on October 23 were taken to the police station. The reason was the
violation of the public order and their attempts to hinder the work
of the police.
Chief of Yerevan Police Department, Major-General Nerses Nazaryan
announced this yesterday. He said, editor-in-chief of "Haykakan
Jamanak" daily Nikol Pashinyan who was also brought to the police
station yesterday, has organized many demonstrations and rallies
before, but the police have never interfered in those demonstrations,
as the participants didn’t try to create conflict with the police.
" Yerevan Police-Patrol noticed that the group headed by Nikol
Pashinyan is rallying to Azatutyun Square by Mashtots avenue. At
first they didn’t interfere in this process, because according to law
it is allowed to hold a rally without informing the law enforcement
agencies if the number of the participants don’t exceed 100 people.
But when they reached Azatutyun Square, the number of the participants
was more than 100 and the demonstrators decided to make a round in
the city. They were told that it could hinder the traffic, infringe
public order, and create inconveniences, but the participants
ignored the remarks made by the police and continued their rally,"
N. Nazaryan said.
He said these warnings continued around 1 hour. During this period
the participants were throwing leaflets into the busses and the
balconies of the buildings, thus raising the dissatisfaction of the
citizens. After which, being oversensitive towards the remarks of the
police that was trying to put them in order they started to argue
with them, rudely violating public order, manifesting an evidently
disrespectful attitude towards the pedestrians, the drivers and the
police, by using bad language in the address of the police and the
authorities. Later they have used violence against the police and
tried to hinder their work.
N. Nazaryan said N. Pashinyan, Petros Makeyan, Tigran and Karen
Makeyans, Shogher Matevosyan had active participation in this
hooliganism, due to which four police officers suffered damages. By
the way Shogher Matevosyan was drunk.
Nikol Pashinyan and Petros Makeyan have been questioned as
suspects. The other three refused to give evidences. As a precautionary
measure they signed a document on not living the country. A criminal
case has been instituted. Forensic examination is in process, the
circumstances are being clarified, and the inquest is on.
ARMENIAN FM: THERE ARE NO ESSENTIAL CHANGES IN THE FOREIGN POLICY OF TURKEY AT THE MOMENT
arminfo
2007-10-25 13:50:00
ArmInfo. There are no essential changes in the foreign policy of
Turkey at the moment, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said
at a press conference Thursday.
As for his recent meeting with the new Foreign Minister of Turkey Ali
Babacan, Vardan Oskanyan said it was the first meeting of the Armenian
and Turkish foreign ministers after the last presidential election
in that country. ‘There were some expectations in this respect.
However, there are no essential changes in Turkey’s foreign policy
at the moment. Turkey’s interests are in processes, ours are in the
results. There is no commonality so far, ‘ the minister said. At
the same time, he said the Armenian party intends to continue the
meetings with Turkish foreign and deputy foreign ministers. ‘But we
shall not consider these meetings as part of the process since there
is no such between Armenia and Turkey so far.
These will be isolated meetings of necessity, ‘ Vardan Oskanyan
said. He also added that Deputy Minister of Armenia Arman Kirakosyan
is currently in Ankara to participate in the meeting of OBSEC Council
of Foreign Ministers.
‘I do not rule out that he may meet his Turkish colleague. But, I’d
like to reiterate that the meeting will not be part of the process,’
the minister said.
CROWDS GREET ARMENIAN POPE
By Susan Hogan/Albach
Chicago Sun-Times, IL
Oct 25 2007
KAREKIN II | Praises U.S. House resolution on Turkey’s ‘genocide’
During a Chicago stopover Wednesday, Armenian pontiff Karekin II met
with throngs of area Armenian Christians and with other religious
leaders, including Roman Catholic Cardinal Francis George.
On his first visit to Chicago, the chief shepherd to 7million Armenian
Christians worldwide encouraged his flock to maintain their Armenian
identity. Armenia identifies itself as the world’s oldest Christian
nation.
"Remain loyal to the faith of our forefathers," said Karekin, known
as the Catholicos of All Armenians.
He said critical to maintaining the Armenian church’s national identity
was the continued use of the Armenian language in worship services,
known as Divine Liturgy.
He also lauded a recent U.S. House committee resolution that said the
Turks committed "genocide" in the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians in
1915 — a measure President Bush opposed.
Karekin said the purpose of his visit was to inspire the faithful.