Author: Khoyetsian Rose

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN INNOVATION CENTER TO OPEN IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 17:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In collaboration with the Joint Institute for
Nuclear Research in Dubna, Armenian-Russian Innovation Center will
be established on 15 January 2010 in Armenia.

Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov will attend the opening ceremony in Yerevan,
chairman of Armenia’s State Committee on Science under the Ministry
of Education Samvel Harutyunyan told press conference December 23.

The center will finance innovation programs in science and technology.

"This is a pilot project. Similar centers may be opened in Chisinau,
Astana and Berlin. Yerevan-based center will be hosted by the House of
Moscow. Major investments are expected from Russia," Harutyunyan said.

MIKHEIL SAAKASHVILI: RUSSIA HOLDS THE KEY TO KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2009 17:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia holds the key to Karabakh conflict, according
to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said.

"Over the past years, we heard European diplomats make optimistic
statements on being ‘on the verge of breakthrough’. But the problem
is complicated. Direct talks between countries and adherence to
international law norms (including right of return for refugees and
respect for state sovereignty) seem to be the only way out," he told
Ekho Moskvy radio station.

At that, Georgia’s leader didn’t rule out escalation of the situation.

"To change something for the better, countries should enter into a
dialogue. In that sense, I think the ongoing talks between Turkey
and Armenia should be coordinated with Azerbaijan," Saakashvili said.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN LEARNS GYUMRI’S CONSTRUCTION WORKS

Aysor
Dec 23 2009
Armenia

Armenia’s President Serge Sargsyan on his visit to region of Shirak
learnt the construction work at Mush-2 district of Gyumri. By the
government’s decision, the works here are being carried out by Glendale
Hills Company.

In an interview with journalists, Glendale Hills’s director Vahe
Almoyan said the apartments would soon handed to Ministry of Urban
Development which is responsible for further allocation of apartments
among homeless people that the Spitak Earthquake of 1988 left.

At the moment, 22 apartment houses are already built with 1056
apartments (instead of 3030). According to the director, the rest part
of apartments will be put into operation in January 2011. Houses at
Ani district will be put into operation in June 2010.

Glendale Hills Company will direct its own funds to build a school
and a kindergarten at Ani and Mush-2 districts, Aysor’s correspondent
reported quoting Vahe Almoyan.

NO PROJECT FROZEN IN ARMENIA’S ENERGY SECTOR IN 2009 DUE TO GLOBAL FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 22, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. No project has been frozen in
Armenia’s energy sector in 2009 due to the global financial and
economic crisis. RA Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Armen
Movsisian declared this at the December 22 press conference held
to summarize the results of this year, adding that the only impact
of the crisis on the sector was that power generation fell by 7%
as compared with 2008.

The minister said that 5.680 billion kwh of electric power was
generated (7% fall compared with last year) as some enterprises in the
mining and chemical industries did not operate because of the crisis.

Small hydropower plants produced 335 million kwh of power this year
against 259 million kwh in 2008. Thermal power plants produced a
total of 1.1 billion kwh against 1.8 billion kwh last year.

As regards the mining industry, the minister pointed out considerable
success in this sector despite the global crisis. In particular,
131 tons of gold concentrate was produced in 2008 and 133 tons in
2009. 90 thousand tons of copper concentrate was made in 2009, which
exceeds the 2008 output by 18 thousand tons. In 2009 8,362 tons of
molybdenum (8,300 tons in 2008) and 6,200 tons of zinc (7,400 tons in
2008) were produced. The minister reminded that although in early 2009
the mining enterpises did not operate, in May the production resumed,
and last year’s volumes of main products have been exceeded.

Out of important activities carried out in 2009, Armen Movsisian
indicated the completion of building and assembly work on the
gas-turbine unit at Yerevan Thermal Power Plant. In his words, the
fact that the unit will be put into operation on the stated date –
21 April 2010 inspires confidence.

The minister also spoke about the start of the new nuclear power
plant’s construction. 15-20 days ago an agreement was reached with
an Armenian-Russian joint venture which will install equipment of
the reactors of the new power unit. The selection of main equipment
is scheduled to finish in 2010.

As for the Russian-Armenian joint venture set up to do geological
exploration, mining and processing work at uranium mines in Armenia,
the minister announced that the company has already begun geophysical
and geochemical exploration. The work will last 3-5 years and enable
to receive complete information about uranium reserves in Armenia.

"NORTH-SOUTH" HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION TO GET UNDER WAY IN 2010

Panorama.am
16:48 21/12/2009

The Asian Development Bank will allocate $500 mln. for the
implementation of "North-South" highway. $60 mln. will be provided
for conducting the first stage of works next year. The program is
estimated worth $ 962 mln., Armenia’s Transport and Communication
Minister Gurgen Sargsyan told a press conference today.

Panorama.am recalls that Armenia and Georgia reached an agreement over
"North-South" in 2008 as the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan paid
a visit to Georgia.

The German-Austrian ILF company has worked out a conception for
the implementation of "North-South" highway projects, while the
technical-economic survey was conducted by the Japanese "PADECO".

According to the minister, the "North-South" will cut Yerevan-Batumi
highway for 30%, we will get a 450km-long way, instead of the current
700km.

"The program is very important. It’s of regional nature and will have
an economic significance to our country," G. Sargsyan said.

OSCE OFFICE IN YEREVAN SUPPORTS EDUCATIONAL AND RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES FOR JUVENILES AT ABOVYAN PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTRE

armradio.am
22.12.2009 16:35

The OSCE Office in Yerevan donated educational and recreational
resources for the juvenile pre-trial detention centre in Abovyan
today as part of activities to support the improvement of conditions
of persons deprived of their liberty.

The Office donated equipment for an indoor sports centre and leisure
activities, books and other reading materials for the library.

"This support for the Abovyan pre-trail detention centre is part of
the Office’s efforts to assist the Armenian Justice Ministry in its
efforts to improve conditions for persons deprived of their liberty,"
said Carel Hofstra, the Deputy Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

"Alongside our assistance with capacity building and legislative and
procedural improvements to secure the rights of incarcerated juveniles
to education and health, a donation like this gives them the chance,
while in detention, to engage in sports and learn."

Since 2003, the Office has assisted the Criminal-Executive Department
of the Justice Ministry to reform the criminal justice system in
Armenia and improve the conditions of persons deprived of their
liberty.

In light of continuing penitentiary system reforms, the Office assists
the Criminal-Executive Department to strengthen the professional
capacity of penitentiary institution staff in line with international
standards and practices. An OSCE expert is currently assessing the
training needs of the criminal-executive staff in the legal, social
and psychological spheres to direct future training initiatives.

EDWARD NALBANDYAN RECEIVED ALBANIAN AMBASSADOR

news.am
Dec 21 2009
Armenia

December 21, 2009 Albanian Ambassador to Armenia Villi Minarolli
(residence-Athens) presented his credentials to RA Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandyan.

He expressed a hope that the Ambassador will make a significant
contribution to the development of bilateral relations and
implementation of the agreements, referring to his meetings with
Albanian Foreign Minister and Premier within the framework of his
visit to Tirana in October, 2008, Nalbandyan RA MFA Press Service
informed NEWS.am.

In the course of the meeting the officials touched upon reciprocal
issues and made a point of the enhancement of political, economic
and cultural ties between the two states. The parties also reached
an agreement to hold regular consultations and take measures for
formation of the legal field.

Nalbandyan and Minarolli exchanged views on Caucasian and Balkan
regional issues.

RA Foreign Minister asked Villi Minarolli to convey invitation to
visit Yerevan to his Albanian counterpart Iler Meta.

SCR REDUCES TARIFFS FOR FREIGHT TRAFFIC IN EXPORT AND IMPORT COMMUNICATION

ArmInfo
2009-12-21 16:38:00

ArmInfo. To support the Armenian economy in conditions of the financial
crisis and reduce the impact of Armenia’s budget rate differences
of 2009-2010 on calculation of the payment for carriage of goods
in the international railway communication, a decision was made to
apply decreasing coefficients of 0,77 in export communication and
0,84 in import communication from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010,
to the current procedure of calculation of the carriage charge in
the international communication over the territory of Armenia.

The tariff policy of SCR CJSC for 2010 freight year has been published
at the Company’s official site

SCR CJSC is the 100 percent subsidiary of Russian Railways CJSC. In
February 2008 SCR obtained a concession of the state CJSC Armenian
Railway. The agreement of concession of the Armenian Railroad CJSC
for 30 years with a 10-year renewable period was signed in Yerevan
in February 2008.

AZERBAIJANI NGOS IN GEORGIA PROTEST AGAINST US AID TO SEPARATIST KARABAKH

news.az
Dec 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Shusha city Azerbaijani NGOs in Georgia protest against US Congress’s
aid to Nagorno-Karabakh

US Congress`s decision to allocate USD 8 million in direct aid to
Nagorno-Karabakh separatist regime sparked objection of fifteen
Azerbaijani NGOs functioning in Georgia.

The participants of the meeting said the Congress`s decision will
pose obstacle to establishment of stability and security in the region.

They expressed hope the US President Barack Obama, who has recently
received the Nobel Peace Prize, will not support this decision. The
meeting participants sent a letter of protest to Barack Obama and
the Congress.

Tigran Sargsyan: Turks were originally responsible for closing the border
19.12.2009 16:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `We very much hope the Turkish Parliament will not
take a step that would mean a miscarriage of the agreements. If this
happens, our parliament would [essentially declare] the protocols to
be null and void. We would be back to square one,’ Armenian Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan told the Turkish daily Hu"rriyet in an
interview.

Touching upon Turkish side’s statements on the impossibility of
progress without settlement of Karabakh conflict, Armenian premier
reiterated Armenia’s position on the process being free of
preconditions.

`Our position has not changed. Judging from Prime Minister [Recep
Tayyip] Erdogan’s statements, it seems that the Turkish position has
shifted, which means that the Turkish Parliament may propose certain
preconditions. If Turkey comes up with preconditions, Armenia would be
free to do so as well itself,’ Sargsyan said, emphasizing that the
Turks were originally responsible for closing the border.

`We are not playing games with Turkey; we are committed to an open and
transparent foreign policy and do not make different statements to
others. We do not see an alternative to this process,’ Armenian
premier said, adding that if Turkey comes up with preconditions,
Armenia will be free to do so as well.
.
With regard to the ratification of RA-Turkish Protocols, Head of
Armenian Government said, `We are closely following this process. If
we observe that the Turkish Parliament is not stalling the process, we
will make our own conclusions.’