Author: Jilavian Emma

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER RIDDEN A TRACTOR AT PANARMENIAN EXPO 2009

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.10.2009 15:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The exhibition was opened by the Prime Minister of
Armenia Tigran Sargsyan , who tested a tractor produced by the joint
Armenian-Chinese factory CHINVAN, acquainted with the anti-hails
station of the "Barva" Research Center.

According to the General Director of the Technology Park and president
of "Barva" Aram Vardanyan, this station is the unique, since it is
associated with satellite antenna, which determines the possible risk
of hail automatically. He also informed, that the station operates
on the acetylene, instead of previously used propane.

TURKEY DOES NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE MEETINGS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.10.2009 11:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey will take part in today’s meeting of the OSCE
Minsk Group , which will be held in Vienna. In this regard, Turkey’s
deputy foreign minister Unal Cevikoz stays in Vienna, CNN-Turk reports.

As the source in diplomatic circles told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
all Minsk Conference meets at the ambassadorial level semi-annually.

"Since Turkey is a member of this conference, it takes part in a
meeting. But in no case it can apply for membership in the OSCE Minsk
Group on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, since Turkey is an interested
party. And more over Turkey can not become a co-chair, " the source,
who requested anonymity, said.

With regard to the information itself, according to the diplomat,
it was another Turkish – Azeri canard, because no meeting of the OSCE
Minsk group has been scheduled on October 23 in Vienna.

NORMALIZATION BETWEEN TURKEY, ARMENIA IMPOSSIBLE UNTIL KARABAKH CONFLICT OVER – GUL

Interfax
Oct 21 2009
Russia

Relations between Turkey and Armenia cannot be normalized until a
solution is found to the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Turkish
President Abdullah Gul told his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev over
the phone.

Aliyev thanked Gul for such a position taken by Turkey on this issue.

Gul and Aliyev also exchanged their views on relations between
their countries, ways to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and
Turkish-Armenian relations, the Azeri president’s press service said
on Wednesday.

The telephone conversation took place at Turkey’s initiative.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: STATE ORDER SHOULD BE PLACED FOR THOSE PROFESSIONS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED IN DEMAND BY THE STATE

Noyan Tapan
Oct 21, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan on October 21 visited the Youth Professional Orientation
Center under the RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The center
was established in 2007 for providing professional orientation advice
to youth.

The prime minister met with the instructors and participants of
seminars conducted at the Center, the RA Government Information and
PR Department reported. Then he held a working consultation with the
participation of representatives of the state and private sectors. He
asked questions about progress of the Center’s programs and discussed
the peculiarities of vocational education and professional orientation
in other countries.

Speaking about the opportunity of satisfying demands of the labor
market, T. Sargsyan said: "You should study the market and try
to inform pupils about what specialists will be in great demand
in Armenia within the next 5 years". Stressing the importance of
interdepartmental cooperation, the prime minister noted that it is
necessary to establish contractual relations between the Center and
the Ministry of Education and Science. As regards the problem of
unemployment, he said: "Some structural problems exist in the labor
market: on the one hand we have unemployed persons, on the other hand
we have vacancies due to the lack of experts".

Responding to the questions of reporters, T. Sargsyan addressed the
reforms in the educational sector. In his words, state order should
be placed for those professions, which are considered to be in demand
by the state.

EXHIBITION ON "RAPPROCHEMENT ZONE: TRANSCAUCASIAN IDENTIFICATION" OPENED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.10.2009 18:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the frameworks of "Artists’ Habitat" program,
Yerevan Museum of Contemporary Art is hosting Verena Kiselska’s
exhibition titled "Rapprochement Zone: Transcaucasian Identification".

Exhibition program includes a video performance and exposition of
posters created by the artist as a result of visiting Armenia and
Karabakh and conducting conversations with Karabakh refugees for
a month and half. The event is aimed at raising identity issue in
complicated relations between neighbors.

"I very much wanted to have open conversations, especially with women,
by they didn’t appear ready for that. I started my studies here because
identity issue is very important in Armenia, a country surrounded by
Muslim states. But hopefully, I will continue my studies in neighboring
countries as well," said the artist.

The exhibition will last from 21 till 27 of October.

INVESTMENTS OF "ARMROSGASPROM IN ARMENIA WERE ABOUT $700-750 MILLION WITHIN 4 YEARS – GENARAL DIRECTOR

ARKA
Oct 20, 2009

YEREVAN, October 20. /ARKA/. "Investments of "ArmRosgasprom" in Armenia
were about $700-750 million within 4 years", said Karen karapetyan,
general Director of CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" to the journalists on Tuesday.

He said that about $550 million were implemented by the main
shareholder of "ArmRosgasprom", the company "Gaspro".

"Impressing results of "ArmRosgasprom" in the development of gas
and energy sectors in Armenia became available due to consecutive
and successful implementation of three-year program of additional
emission of shares of CJSC "ArmRosgasprom".

By the results of the emission "ArmRosgasprom" strengthened its
position of being the largest stock company in the country", said
Karapetyan.

"ArmRosgasprom" is one of the largest companies in Armenia which
implements such a volume of investments.

Investment program of CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" in Armenia for 2009-2011
makes 61.6 billion drams (all the prices are presented without VAT).

According to the program only in 2009 investments will make 27.129
billion drams.

In 2009-2011 for the expansion of gas transport system it is planned
to invest 16.23 billion drams, from which 16.147 billion in 2009.

According to the approved investment program, for modernization and
expansion of opportunities of Abovyan underground gas storage it is
planned to invest 2.278 billion drams during three years, from which
1.083 billion drams in 2009.

For reconstruction of gas distribution network 7.106 billion drams
will be invested, from which 2.315 billion drams in 2009 and for
other expenses – 18.234 billion drams, from which 4.767 billion
drams in 2009. CJSC "ArmRosgasprom" is a monopolist in the sphere
of delivery and distribution of Russian natural gas in the internal
market of Armenia.

Gas enters Armenia by transit through Georgia. The company is
established in 1997. The share of Open JSC "Gasprom" in the charter
capital is 80% and the share of the Government of Armenia – 20%
($1 – 386.57 drams).

UNIBANK LAUNCHES NEW GAVAR SUBSIDIARY

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.10.2009 16:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On October 19, Unibank launched its 32nd subsidiary.

The new Gavar subsidiary will provide the full range of banking
services, including utility payments via UNIPAY system, bank’s press
service reported.

In near future, Unibank subsidiaries will be opened in Yerevan’s
communities of Erebuni, Davitashen and Achapnyak. Agarak( Meghri
region) subsidiary will be opened in the beginning of 2010.

To increase client base, Uniabank will expand its subsidiary chain
by launching subsidiaries at Yerevan City supermarkets.

IFC SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH ARMENIA’S ARDSHININVESTBANK ON RENDERING ADVISORY SERVICES

ARKA
Oct 19, 2009

YEREVAN, October 19. /ARKA/. International Finance Corporation (IFC)
and Armenia’s Ardshininvestbank signed an advisory services agreement
with Armenia’s Ardshininvestbank on Monday to help improve the bank’s
risk management practices.

"This contract is targeted at rendering services on risk management,
as well as training of the staff and is considered a part of
broader activity of IFC in Armenia which aims at the stabilization
of banking sector", said Karen Balasanyan, Deputy Chairman of the
Board of Ardshininvestbank. The contract will secure the bank from
negative influence of external and internal factors which exist due
to difficult economic situation in the world and will allow to render
qualified services to the clients.

"The given program is envisaged for one year and during each of the
five phases training will be conducted by the best specialists of the
world", he said. In the result of this joint work, creation of optimal
structure of risk management, training of the staff and introduction
of assessment system and decision making is expected. "We hope that
our cooperation will allow the Bank to strengthen its position in
the banking market of Armenia", he said. Head of Caucasus Regional
Office of IFC Thomas Lyubeck said that the agreement is a part
of IFC’s broader regional crisis-response initiative focused on
strengthening the banking sector, the aim of which is to improve the
processes of crediting, risk management and qualified services which
will increase accessibility of banking services for the clients,
mainly in small business.

"Advisory services will be provided in the sphere of management of
credit risks, assets and information systems, as well as general
functions of risk management. Our specialists will work with the
specialists and the staff of Ardshininvestbank providing training
and monitoring of banking structure", he said. Lyubeck said that
this contract is the result of many years cooperation between IFC
and Ardshininvestbank.

"In 2007 IFC became the owner of 10% of shares of the bank and
gave credit in the amount of $15 million. In June, 2009 we signed
a contract with Ardshininvestbank at the amount of $5 million. Next
year IFC will more closely and efficiently cooperate with the Bank",
he said. International Financial Corporation (IFC) is a member of the
World Bank Group. It stimulates stable economic growth in different
countries, assists in the development of private sector and renders
advisory services to the entrepreneurs and the government on risk
management. CJSC "Ardshininvestbank" got license (N 83) from CB of
Armenia on February 27, 2003 for the implemention of banking activity.

The main shareholders of the Bank are Open JSC "Center of Business
Investments" (86,82%) and International Financial Corporation (10%),
which became a shareholder in 2007. The Bank is the affiliate member
of international payment system MasterCard/Europay, as well as
shareholder of the systems of card operations CJSC "Armenian Card"
in the territory of Armenia. As of the end of July the assets of the
Bank made about 320 billion drams.

HAKOBYAN: THE CONGRESS HAS TAKEN SOME TIME OUT

Aysor
Oct 19 2009
Armenia

At today’s press-conference head of Political Studies Center Ruben
Hakobyan said that after signing ceremony, Armenian-Turkish relations
stepped into a decisive phase adding that the process "is gliding
towards denouement."

In his opinion, Armenian-Turkish protocols will smoothly be ratified
as Armenian side did nothing and didn’t "oppose the signing".

"Armenian chief opposition – Armenian National Congress, first declares
that the process can be prevented through change of authorities, and
later they say that there is no single political power which is able to
depose the authorities," said Ruben Hakobyan stressing that at the very
decisive moment opposition takes some time out and cease activities.

Such a line assists the "realization of authorities’ program", said
Ruben Hakobyan mentioning Congress’s issued statement saying that
"oppositional platform is left for other forces providing them ability
to show themselves."

He also mentioned the statements made by "oppositional at another pole"
ARF Dasnakcutyun saying that "Dasnakcutyun must do its best to prevent
ratification." However, these slogans are absolutely non-adequate to
authorities’ steps.

"The resignation of Foreign Minister is just noting against the steps
that the authorities take. It’s simply naïve to think that through
resignation you can prevent the process."

Agence France Presse
Oct 16 2009

Armenians rally against reconciliation with Turkey

YEREVAN, Oct 16 2009

Several thousand angry protesters on Friday rallied in the Armenian
capital to denounce the government’s policy of reconciliation with
century-long foe Turkey.

Some 2,000 protesters waving national flags crowded Charles Aznavour
square — named after the famed singer of Armenian origin — in
central Yerevan carrying placards reading "Turkey must pay its debt to
the Armenian people."

The rally was organised by the nationalist Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), which quit the ruling coalition earlier
this year over the reconciliation efforts.

Several other opposition parties joined the protest, which attracted
significantly less people than the 10,000 who attended a similar rally
last Friday.

Turkey and Armenia, long divided by a bloody history, signed two
historic deals last week to end decades of hostility, establish formal
ties and open their border.

But many Armenians oppose the reconciliation until Ankara recognises
the World War I-era massacre of Armenians in the falling Ottoman
Empire as genocide.

Opponents also fear that Armenians will have to drop their territorial
claims if Turkey’s borders are recognised.

"How is it possible to sign the deal if it questions the fact of
genocide and links (reconciliation) with the Karabakh conflict
(resolution)?" one of the Dashnaktsutyun leaders, Ghegham Manukyian,
told the crowd as protesters shouted "No! No!"

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in solidarity with ally
Azerbaijan over Yerevan’s backing of ethnic Armenian separatists in
the breakaway Nagorny Karabakh region.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were systematically
killed between 1915 and 1917 in the Ottoman Empire, the predecessor of
modern Turkey. Several countries, including France and Canada, have
recognised the massacres as genocide.

Turkey rejects the genocide label and argues that 300,000-500,000
Armenians and at least as many Turks died in civil strife when
Christian Armenians took up arms against their Ottoman rulers and
sided with invading Russian troops.