Author: Chmshkian Vicken

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA: ABOUT US $90 MILLION WERE DIRECTED FOR SAFETY ENHANCEMENT OF ARMENIAN NPP SINCE ITS RESTART

ArmInfo
2008-12-02 16:19:00

ArmInfo. About US $90 mln were directed for safety enhancement of
the Armenian Nuclear Power Plant [ANPP] since restart of its second
power unit in early 1995, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said
at today’s 10th session of the Nuclear Power Security Council.

Armenian president expressed gratitude to all the countries which
assisted in enhancement of safety of the Armenian NPP’s operating
unit since its recommissioning. ‘Armenia is satisfied by the fact that
ANNP’s safety level meets all the international standards’, S. Sargsyan
said. According to him, the work of the nuclear power pecialists is
an example of purposeful application of deep professional knowledge
and of impersonal serving to their professional duty. ‘The work you
do in the area of safety and operation of the Armenian NPP assures
maintenance of the country’s security at a high level’, S. Sargsyan
said and recalled that the Council was set in 1996. Many eminent
foreign specialists were attracted to its operation over this time.

‘In general, the sphere of energy security and nuclear safety,
in particular, has always been one of the priorities both for the
country’s president and the government’, S. Sargsyan said. He
added that some changes took place in the Council’s staff over
this period. In particular, deputy Director of the State Nuclear
Energy Corporation Alexander Lapshin was included in its staff. The
Nuclear Energy Security Council plays an important part in the area of
Armenia’s energy security. The remarks, proposals and recommendations,
developed by the Council, have always been a subject of thorough
analysis. Many of them were implemented. In particular, the Nuclear
Regulatory Authority was reorganized into a State Nuclear Safety
Regulatory Committee under the Armenian government. A package of
proposals on revision of the list of technical measures for enhancement
of safety of ANPP’s second unit based on the safety analysis report
played an essential part. ‘We highly appreciate the activity of IAEA on
coordination of the different international technical assistance. In
particular, it aims at implementation of the points of the list of
technical measures on enhancement of safety of the Armenian NPP’s
second power unit’, S. Sargsyan said. He recalled that the third
working session on this topic was held jointly with IAEA and the
Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Armenia in September,
2008, in Yerevan.

German Ambassador: EU ready to assist Armenia in implementing reforms

YEREVAN, November 28. /ARKA/. The European Union (EU) is ready to
assist Armenia in implementing reforms, German Ambassador to Armenia
Andrea Victorin said at a two-day international conference on
partnership between the EU and South Caucasus.

Armenia is taking active measures to implement the European partnership
action plan, but it should take up further programs to build a
democratic country, accomplished human rights institution and supremacy
of the law, Victorin said.

According to Victorin, strengthening of the judiciary and the police
should come next in the list of the country’s goals.

Victorin said that the regional cooperation becomes more important in
terms of the direct neighborhood with the EU. According to the
diplomat, strengthening of the regional cooperation will allow the
countries not only getting economic advantage, but also relieving the
tension and settling the situation.

The EU plays an important role in the region in the context of
expansion of the European area of security and stability in the South
Caucasus.

The EU expert group sent to Armenia as per the agreement between the
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and the EU Commissioner for Trade
Peter Mendelssohn demonstrates EU’s commitment to deepen its relations
with Armenia, Victorin said.`0–

Armenian Parliament passed the law on the state budget for 2009

YEREVAN, November 27. /ARKA/. Armenian Parliament passed the law on the
state budget for 2009.

According to the state budget, total incomes are to amount to 905bln
Drams, expenditures 945bln Drams and deficit 40bln Drams. The tax and
due receipts are to total 727.5bln Drams.

Armenian Minister of Finance Tigran Davtyan said that `low deficit is a
good buffer for resisting the possible effects of the world crisis’.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is planned to be 4trln 169bln Drams in
Armenia with real GDP growth at 9.2%, deflator at 4% and inflation at
4±1.5%.

Under the state budget for 2009, Dram exchange rate is 303.69Drams for
$1 (the rate recorded on November 3).`0–

USD 35,009,156 raised during Armenia Fund’s Telethon 2008

armradio.am
28.11.2008 12:16

The Annual Hayastan All Armenian Fund’s International Fundraising
Telethon beat the record this year. USD 35,009,156 was raised during
the 12-hour telethon aired live on Armenian Public TV. This is more
than twice as much as last year’s figure. 250 thousand families
participated in Telethon 2007 last year, and the funds raised totaled
$15,275,436.
The whole sum will be allocated to the `Rural Development Program.’

DEVELOPMENT ARMENIAN AGENCY TO HOLD A SESSION

Panorama.am
20:58 25/11/2008

Today the "Development Armenian Agency" held a session in the
Government of Armenia, which was chaired by the Prime Minister and the
President of the Council Tigran Sargsyan. During the meeting it was
discussed the improvement of local investment market and 2009 plans
of the agency, the schedule to organize "ArmTech" high technologies
annual summit, participation plans of "Shanhai 2010" international
exhibition, etc.

The Prime Minister signified the cooperation of the agency with those
investors who are willing to do investments in Armenia, reported the
public relations department of the Government.

MIATSUM INITIATIVE NOT PERMITTED TO HOLD EVENTS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM

Noyan Tapan

Nov 19, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 14 and 18, the town
authorities of Echmiadzin and Armavir prohibited the members of
the Miatsum (Joining) national initiative to hold open seminars
on the subject of Nagorno Karabakh conflict at town’s houses of
culture. Initiative members, NA deputy Zaruhi Postanjian, former
freedom-fighter Zhirayr Sefilian, and Alex Kananian reported at the
November 19 press conference. According to Z.

Postanjian, after Echmiadzin Mayor’s Office violating the agreement
reached in advance refused to provide a hall to them she applied to
NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian.

Z. Postanjian said that H. Abrahamian talked to RA President Serzh
Sargsyan, after which rang up to the deputy and said that Miatsum
should not organize such events, as they are "part of the political
project" of first President Levon Ter-Petrosian. When Z. Postanjian
objected mentioning that their events are not political, but national,
the NA Speaker said: "You are not aware yourself that you implement
a project."

According to the deputy, they came across obstacles in Armavir as
well: town’s Police surrounded the house of culture and prohibited
the town residents to enter the house. "As a result we organized a
march in town streets voicing "Artsakh!," "Miatsum!," "Those Ceding
Land are Traitors!."

400 people were to take part in our event in the hall, while the number
of the march participants reached 4 thousand," Z. Postanjian said.

PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA VISITS BEATEN-UP JOURNALIST EDIK BAGHDASARYAN

ArmInfo
2008-11-18 16:10:00

ArmInfo. Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan has visited Edik
Baghdasaryan, Head of ‘Hetq’ (‘Step’) portal and Association of
Investigator-Journalists of Armenia, St. Grigor Lusavorich Medical
Center Tuesday. E. Baghdasaryan was attacked on 17 November, the
governmental press-service told ArmInfo.

The premier condemned the incident and talked to the journalists who
visited E. Baghdasaryan. Tigran Sargsyan expressed confidence that
guilty will be exposed shortly. The premier came out for creating
atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect in public. In this
connection, a government-media-public dialogue should advise right
decisions, he said. The same day, Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in
Vanadzor condemned the attack on Edik Baghdasaryan.

The Assembly in particular declared that the attack on E. Baghdasaryan
was another evidence of the fact that journalists and human rights
defenders of principle have become a target in Armenia. All the
similar attacks have remained unexposed which testifies to conscious
idleness of the authorities that aim to liquidate the last "islands"
of protection of human rights and freedoms through impunity
and atmosphere of fear, the Assembly declared. The journalist
was attacked when approaching his car parked near his office in
Buzand Street. Baghdasaryan tried to shelter in the entrance of the
neighboring building, however three attackers caught him up, cruelly
beat and escaped. The journalist got head injuries and was taken to
the Reanimation Department of ‘Grigor Lusavorich’ Medical Center.

ArmInfo correspondent was informed in the Medical Center that
Baghdasaryan was moved to the Department of Neurosurgery. ‘Hetq’
portal office told ArmInfo that E. Baghdasaryan’s health state is
satisfactory at present.

However, physicians say the journalist needs at least 5-days of care
at hospital for he had second-degree brain concussion and traumas.

RA NA SPEAKER MEETS WITH CHAIRMEN OF RF STATE DUMA AND FEDERATION ASSEMBLY IN MOSCOW

Noyan Tapan

Nov 18, 2008

MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 17, RA National Assembly
Speaker Hovik Abrahamian, who was in RF on an official visit, met
with Chairman of RF State Duma Boris Gryzlov. The State Duma Chairman
greeting the Armenian delegation recorded with satisfaction that the
warm relations between the two countries formed historically become
stronger and stronger.

He expressed the hope that henceforth the interparliamentary relations
of the two countries will develop for even more attaching importance
to cooperation between the two countries in the legislative sphere.

H. Abrahamian, in his turn, highly evaluated Russia’s role in the
work done in the direction of solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
attaching importance to the latest meeting of the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan organized with the mediation and efforts of
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow and according to the
signed document, the readiness to solve the problem peacefully.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA NA
Speaker’s Spokesperson, issues related to relaunching of the
enterprises belonging to Russia by the Property for Debt agreement,
organization of proper events to prevent persecutions and murders
of citizens of Armenia on ethnic ground in Russia, increasing the
commodity circulation between the two countries, work done to reduce
the influence of the world financial crisis, expansion of regional
cooperation, and coordinated work of the parliaments at international
structures were discussed during the meeting.

At the end of the meeting they signed a Memorandum, which attached
importance to further development of traditional friendship and
cooperation betwen the two countries and peoples, more efficient
control by the parliament over the fulfillment of the agreements
and contracts signed, consistent work of the interparliamentary
commission, exchange of experience of parliamentary structures,
efficient cooperation within the framework of international events.

The same day the RA NA Speaker met with Chairman of RF Federation
Assembly Sergei Mironov.

During the meeting the interlocutors touched upon regional cooperation,
increasing the commodity circulation volume between the two countries,
Nagorno Karabakh settlement, development of interparliamentary
contacts, events to be organized on December 7 in Gyumri on the
occasion of the 20th anniversary of Spitak earthquake.

H. Abrahamian said that more than 10 years have passed since the
signing of the interparliamentary agreement, and as many geopolitical
and economic changes have happened in the world, a necessity of new
approaches and clarifications has emerged. S. Mironov accepted the
proposal to sign a new agreement.

The same day H. Abrahamian received CSTO Secretary General Sergei
Bordyuzha at the Embassy of Armenia in Russia and had a tete-a-tete
talk with him.

The delegation led by the RA National Assembly Speaker returned to
Yerevan on November 18.

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION MEMORENDUM SIGNED BETWEEN ARMENIA AND RUSSIA

Panorama.am
21:12 17/11/2008

The Chairman of National Assembly of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan had a
meeting with his Russian counterpart Boris Grizlov. During the meeting
H. Abrahamyan mentioned that Russia has a significant role to play in
the regulation of NKR conflict. B. Grizlov said that Armenia and Russia
have always had co-agreed policy in international parliamentarian
organizations. "We always work together," announced B. Grizlov.

In the frames of Abrahamyan’s working visit to Moscow a memorandum
is signed between the two Parliaments.

Note that today Armenian delegation will be hosted by the President
of Federative Council of Russian Federation.

THE CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT STEPANAKERT

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
14 Nov 08
Armenia

During their visit to the region the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
will visit Nagorno Karabakh.

As we were informed from the NKR representation in RA the term is not
clarified yet but the visit to Stepanakert is already planned. Today
the Co-Chairmen will arrive in Yerevan from Baku.