Author: Mamian George

PRIVATE SECTOR’S INVESTMENTS INCREASE IN URBAN DEVELOPMENT OF GYUMRY

Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006

GYUMRI, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Since 2002, the urban development
of Gyumri at the request of the private sector has amounted to
about 15 bln drams and is growing each year. Hrayr Karapetian,
Head of the Urban Development, Construction, Real Estate Cadastre
and Municipal Economy Department of Gyumri Mayor’s Office, told NT
correspondent about it. According to him, Gyumry Mayor’s Office holds
land auctions every week. 80% of such land plots is allocated for
house construction. H. Karapetian said that the land auction lots are
assessed at the cadastre value, with 20-30% discountes given to those
who carry out house construction work. Land plots to the builders of
trade and service facilities are sold in the amount of 100-120% of
their cadastre value. It was noted that the city of Gyumri is divided
into 4 zones based on the cadastre value of land: in the first zone,
the value makes 2,940 drams for a squre meter, and in the fourth zone –
810 drams (about 1.8 USD). The trade and service facilities of Gyumri
are mainly being constructed by the locals conducting their business
in Russia (Ekaterinburg, Blagobechshensk, Moscow) and Ukraine. At
the request of the private sector, residential houses, trade and
service facilities are mostly being built. H. Karapetian said that
some construction organizations from Yerevan have also been involved
in the urban development of Gyumri.

MG CO-CHAIR BERNARD FASSIER TO ARRIVE IN BAKU

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 10:39

This evening the French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard
Fassier will arrive in Baku. The visit comprises part of his regional
visit, in the framework of which Fassier will pay a visit to Armenia.

Issues related to the negotiations process after the meeting of
Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents will be discussed during the
meetings to be held in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

Armenian minister discusses regional and bilateral relations with top
Syrian officials

AP Worldstream; Apr 08, 2006

Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on Saturday discussed
bilateral relations and the situation in the Middle East with top
Syrian officials, the state-run news agency reported.

An estimated 100,000 Armenians live in Syria. They moved to this Arab
country early last century after being deported by Turkey.

In the first meeting, Oskanian and President Bashar Assad discussed
the “historical relations” between the two countries along with
developments in the region, SANA said.

Later, the Armenian spoke with his Syrian counterpart, Walid Moallem,
about ways to develop bilateral relations and regional issues of
mutual interest, the agency said.

Oskanian told reporters after meeting Moallem that they spoke about
regional problems. He did not elaborate.

Oskanian’s three-day visit ends Sunday.

KAREKIN II CATHOLICOS PRESENTS PITER SEMNEBY MISSION OF CHURCH IN
PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

ETCHMIADZIN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians received in the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin on April 6, Piter Semneby, the EU Special Representative
to South Caucasus, accopanied by Heike Renate Peitsch, the Ambassador
of the Federal Republic of Germany to the RA. Welcoming at the Mother
See the EU Special Representative to South Caucasus, His Holiness
congratulated and blessed him on the occasion of the new mission,
wishing him, that his mission is crowned with complete successes. “We
are full of hope that owing to Your work we’ll be able to make peace
stable in this region and to develop and deepen cooperation in this
region and among peoples of this region,” the Armenian Patriarch
said. His Holiness also touched upon the mission of the church in the
affair of the peaceful settlement of the Artsakh conflict, mentioning
that the Church attepmts to do its best, to support those mutual
relations of peace and cooperation with the help of religious and
spiritual leaders. Piter Semneby remembered his first visit to Armenia
in 1987, and then during the days of the awful earthquake. In his
speech he also touched upon the obligations he has undertaken,
mentioning that he is called to support peaceful settlement of the
conflict. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information Services of
the Mother See, other problems of the region were spoken about at the
meeting, mutual relations existing between the Armenian Apostolic and
Georgian Orthodox Churches, problems of the Virahayots diocese were
touched upon. Bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, the primate of the Armenian
Diocese of Georgia was present at the meeting.

5TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN SCHOOLS CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM MARKED

YEREVAN, APRIL 7, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition-sale was organized on
April 7 at the foyer of the RA Government’s conference-hall, on the
occasion of the 5th anniversary of the Armenian School Connectivity
Program. Students of 90 schools of the program net from the 11 marzes
of the country participated in the exhibition. The money got from sale
of the schoolchildren’s hand works will be given to future development
of works of Internet-computer centers of schools. According to John
Evans, the U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to
Armenia, the 5-years activity gave excellent results. 64 thousand
Armenian teachers got computer knowledge. 8 thousand students
participated in the Armenian on-line program, more than 2900 students
were involved in the U.S.- Armenia on-line programs. U.S. Ambassador
John Evans mentioned that the program the goal of which is
introduction of modern technologies in the educational processes of
Armenia, has been functioned by co-financing of the RA Government
since 2005.

THEY TRUST HZOR HAYRENIK PARTY FOR SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI

Lragir.am
07 April 06

`The problem of closing the market of Bagratashen was caused by
customs abuse. There was smuggling. I think it will be closed
temporarily. The problems will be settled, the work of customs
services will normalize, and the market will be opened,’ said Shirak
Torosyan, the deputy leader of the political party Hzor Hayrenik to
our news reporter. Armen Avetisyan, the head of the Customs Committee,
announced April 6 about closing the market of Bagratashen on the
Georgian-Armenian border, which is a source of living for the
Armenians living on both sides of the border.

Hzor Hayrenik Party, attending to the problems of Samtskhe-Javakheti
and Javakheti Armenians, held public debates and extended proposals to
the Georgian embassy to Armenia and received a report that the
proposals have been translated and sent to the government of
Georgia. Hzor Hayrenik offered the same proposals to the government of
Armenia and published in press. `Wethink there will be a response,
because the problem aroused public interest. We think any problem can
be settled, no matter how complicated it is,’ said Shirak Torosyan,
adding that they follow the course of developments.

The proposals addressed to the governments of both countries were
signed by Hzor Hayrenik Party and Javakhq Union, the other political
organizations and NGOs support and trust these two, said Shirak
Torosyan. In the future there will be public debates on other
problems.

IN THE WAY OF THINKING OF ’70’s

Aravot.am
06 April 06

The matter of the Academy of Science isn’t regular and doesn’t depend
on Fadey Sargsian’s leadership. The change of a person won’t improve
anything. The problem is in the old system which doesn’t correspond
to the modern demands and in change of ideology and way of thinking.

The degree of the old system can be elucidated by the following
example; the same Fadey Tachatich who has some services is a
specialist calculating machines, he has become candidate of science,
doctor and Academician with that specialty. But let’s try to ask him
to open a Word file he won’t be able to do it. The level of science of
the leaders of Academy has remained in the period of a small room of
computers and `punched cards’ of `70’s.

It is more obvious in the sphere of high technologies but in the
public sciences is the same situation. For example academicians who
have got doctor degrees on the komsomol history can’t direct modern
historiography. It’s approximately the same situation when the
lecturers of atheism have become specialists of the history of
religion. The problem is that they have a way of thinking of
«punched cards», komsomol and atheism.

Science, irrespective of the art can’t develop on some persons’
talent. The progress is possible here in case of certain system. It
is impossible to create innovation by old equipments, management and
way of thinking.

All projects of reforming the Academy face to the counteract of
academicians of 70’s. Not having natural argumentations they are
engaged in political and national demagogy for keeping their posts and
pretend as if it is spoken of closing or destroying the Academy. Then
they also add that it is profitable for Turks and Azerbaijanis. While
the backward situation of our science is much more profitable for our
neighbors. And consequently it can be spoken of not closing the
Academy but just the opposite, of saving it for specialists of
international quality to be able to produce Armenia and form
scientific schools.

Otherwise you won’t discover anything new in the holes of `punched
cards’.

Aram Abrahamian

ARMENIANS’ ATTENDING HAGUE BAKU EVENT NOT CONFIRMED

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 6 2006

Baku, April 5, AssA-Irada
A former Abkhaz official has dismissed reports saying Armenian
representatives are attending the two-day international conference
of the International Tribunal of The Hague, which started in Baku
on Wednesday.

“The reports are false. Armenia is not interested in attending such
events due to its being an aggressor country,” said former justice
minister of the Georgian breakaway republic of Abkhazia, Paata
Davitaya, who currently leads We Ourselves, movement. He said this
is a sensitive issue, as Georgia is affected by Armenian separatism,
just like Azerbaijan.

“Armenians relinquished their intent to come to Azerbaijan due to their
experience of facing serious problems in this respect in the past.”

ARMENIA SAW $500 MILLION FOREIGN INVESTMENT LAST YEAR

Armenpress
Apr 06 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, ARMENPRESS: Foreign investments in Armenia in the
last 15 years, since its independence from the former Soviet Union,
have made more than $2 billion, of which $500 million were made
in 2005.

Armenian deputy trade and economic development minister Tigran Davtian
revealed these figures today during a news conference saying also
that direct foreign investments in Armenia last year amounted to $400
million, a 31 percent growth over the previous 2004. Davtian said the
government expected last year at best $350 million of direct foreign
investments. He said investments were made last year also in banking
sphere and in some private companies making altogether $504 million.

Davtian said this amount of foreign investments inflow will build up a
serious basis for dynamic and sustainable economic development. He said
50 percent of investments came from EU member countries, about 20-25
percent from Russia, followed by the USA, Argentina and Lebanon. The
biggest investment-$132 million- was made in telecommunication,
prompted by lifting ArmenTel’s exclusive right in the mobile phone
services.

About $98 million were invested in mining industry, $53.3 million
were invested in Armenal foil manufacturing plant. He said some $7
million were invested in hotel services sector.

AZERI, TURKISH LEADERS DISCUSS KARABAKH, MILITARY TIES

ANS TV, Baku
4 Apr 06

Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who arrived in Baku today, and
[Azerbaijani] President Ilham Aliyev have focused on the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani-Turkish military cooperation and issues
connected with the Armenian-Turkish border at an eye-to-eye meeting.

After the presidents’ meeting, en expanded meeting was held, attended
by representatives of the governments of the two countries. The
presidents are now giving a news conference.

[Video showed the two presidents shaking hands outdoors.]