Author: Nahapetian Boris

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY INVESTIGATES FACT THAT NAGORNO KARABAKH IS SHOWN AS SEPARATE STATE ON MICROSOFT-MSN WEBSITE

APA
Aug 5 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told
the country’s embassy in the US to clarify the fact that Nagorno
Karabakh is shown as a separate state on the website of Microsoft-MSN,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s press service told APA.

In the section "Weather" of the website Nagorno Karabakh is shown in
the list of states. It is noted in brackets that this territory is
disputable. Microsoft-MSN has not commented on the fact yet.

KRIKOR JABOTIAN OPENS HIS FIRST SHOWROOM

iloubnan.info
54/lebanon/Krikor-Jabotian-opens-his-first-Showroo m
Aug 4 2009
Lebanon

BEIRUT – Krikor Jabotian, the Lebanese designer from Armenian origins,
just celebrated the opening of his first showroom at Abdel Wahab
el Inglizi Street in Ashrafieh. Having his work displayed at Starch
boutique in Saifi area for almost a year now, along with four other
designers, Krikor decided it was time for him to go solo.

Attended by many Lebanese designers such as Rabih Keirouz, Lara
Khoury, Mohammed Ashi, Missak hajiavedikian and many others, along
with clients, friends and family, the event was a big success.

BAKU BUDGETS $60 BILLION FOR KARABAKH ‘REPATRIATION’

Asbarez
9/08/04/baku-budgets-60-billion-for-karabakh-%e2%8 0%98repatriation%e2%80%99/
Aug 4, 2009

BAKU-Azerbaijan has drafted a $60-billion program for mine clearing
and the return of Azeri inhabitants to Nagorno-Karabakh.

Billed as "The Great Return," the program would also devote
considerable resources to resuscitating the region’s economy, the
Russian Regnum news agency reported Tuesday.

"We are ready to launch this process as soon as a peace agreement with
Armenia is signed," the Kavkazsky Uzel news service quoted Azerbaijani
Deputy Prime Minister Ali Gasanov as saying.

KNIFE STABBER OF BROTHERS TURNS HIMSELF IN

2009/08 /04 | 12:28

Criminal

On August 1, 27 year-old Samvel Harutyunyan was stabbed by an
unknown person at 9:00 a.m. after an argument broke about between
the two. Mr. Harutyunyan was rushed to hospital where he later died,
never regaining consciousness.

About two hours later, 24 year-old Hakob Harutyunyan showed up at the
same hospital with knife wounds to his arm. It turns out that he is the
brother of Samvel and that the two were knifed in the same incident.

The police report that an investigation revealed that the two brothers
were stabbed by 37 year-old Artur A., who turned himself in to police
the next day. He was then transferred to the Nubarashen correctional
facility. A preliminary investigation is underway.

STONES FROM ARMENIA PROJECT RECOGNIZED AS THE BEST HOTEL COMPLEX FOR 2014 OLYMPIC GAMES IN SOCHI

ArmInfo
2009-08-03 17:42:00

ArmInfo. Stones from Armenia project has been recognized as the best
hotel complex for 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi.

27 companies from Russia, Armenia and France took part in the contest.

reports referring to Max Media Group that Stones
from Armenia is one of the most romantic and expensive projects.

The estimated cost of the project is $126mln. The building will look
as a mountain from one side and as a hotel from the other. The complex
will comprise restaurants, gyms and even a chapel. The contractor
company has not yet been selected.

SWEDISH-ARMENIAN DICTIONARY PUBLISHED

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
JULY 31, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The launching of
Swedish Armenian producer, script-writer and translator Poghos Aro’s
(Aroyan) Swedish-Armenian dictionary took place at the National
Library of Armenia.

According to the Azg newspaper, director of the Library Davit Sargsian
presenting the dictionary to the guests noted that this dictionary is
the second. At first the author made and published the Armenian-Swedish
dictionary. The author gave two copies of these dictionaries to the
National Library.

Author of the dictionaries Poghos Aro has been living in Sweden for
20 years and has been doing translating and interpreting work for 10
years running.

He noticed the necessity of such a dictionary when the Armenian
families having moved to Sweden after wars of Iraq, Lebanon needed
communication and a dictionary. After working on the dictionaries
over 7 years they were already published on the occasion of
priest anointment and 20 anniversary of spiritual activity of the
representative of Centeral Europe patriarchal delegate, Armenian
priest of Sweden and Skandinavia Sargis Melkonian.

The author hoped that in the near future these two dictionaries will
be inserted in one book. There are 30 000 words in the dictionary
having 533 pages for which the author specially thanked his 15 years
old son, Ara who had entered 30 000 words in a computer.

ARMENIAN TAXIS WITH YELLOW LICENSE PLATES ALLOWED TO CROSS GEORGIAN BORDER

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
31.07.2009 16:54 GMT+04:00

Starting from August 1, Armenian taxis with yellow license plates
are allowed to cross Georgian border, RA Transport and Communication
Ministry Press Service reported. According to report, the agreement was
reached between RA and Georgian authorities, based on applications of
taxi-service providing companies. Currently, 563 licensed organizations
and 605 private entrepreneurs, providing taxi-services are operating
in RA.

"CHESS – 960" TOURNAMENT: ARONIAN DEFEATS MOVSISYAN

Panorama.am
11:19 30/07/2009

Armenian GM Levon Aronian who is currently attending "Chess-960"
tournament has been defeated after his three perfect victories. Aronian
lost his set playing with Nakamura and Bologan. In the final round
Aronian managed to defeat Sergey Movsisyan who presents Slovakia in the
tournament. Currently Levon Aronian has four victories and two losses.

ARMENIAN CENTRAL BANK PREDICTS 3.5% INFLATION FOR LATE 2009

ARKA
July 30, 2009

YEREVAN, July 30. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia predicts 3.5%
inflation for late 2009.

In its monetary policy program for the 3rd Q of 2009, the Central Bank
also forecast 2.7% inflation by the end of the second quarter 2010.

According to the Central Bank’s forecast for 12 months, the inflation
will mainly be caused by the large adverse gap on domestic demand.

But the bank also expects the cabinet’s bailout measures and the
Central Bank’s expansionary policy are expected to produce certain
effect, and the national economy will start rallying at the end of
that period.

Under these circumstances, the current inflation pressures will
gradually be mitigating, and inflation will remain stuck to the
planned 4±1.5% throughout 12 months.

Besides, the Central Bank doesn’t rule out risks of inflation decrease
or increase, depending on the government’s bailout steps, recovery of
the world economy and implementation of large-scale regional transport
and energy programs.

To speed up the recovery of the economy, the Central Bank of Armenia
will continue pursuing expansionary policy and driving refinancing
rate down.

Along with that, the Central Bank finds it important to ensure
maximally smooth utilization of the cash being pumped in the economy.

At the second quarter of 2009, 4.5% inflation was recorded in Armenia,
0Aand the year-on-year inflation reached 3.6%, after rising 2.6
percentage points, compared with the previous quarter.

Natural inflation rate was recorded at 2.1% at the 2nd Q of 2009,
and year-on-year natural inflation – 3.4% – remained almost unchanged,
compared with the previous quarter.

ARMENIAN ECONOMY SHRANK 16% THIS YEAR – GOV’T

AzerNews Weekly
July 28 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenia`s economy shrank 16.3% in the first half of 2009, Prime
Minister Tigran Sarkisian reported.

Further, Armenia`s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) constituted only $3.2
billion in this period, he said.

According to Sarkisian, agricultural production in the country fell
by 4.1% in the past year. Also, the decline in the service sector made
up 1.6%. Output by Armenian enterprises went down 11.1% in comparison
with January-June 2008.

The biggest slump, however, was in the construction sector. According
to official estimates, a 42.4% reduction was posted in construction in
the first half of 2009. But independent experts argue that the decline
in the construction sector actually exceeds 70%. The situation is
expected to further deteriorate in the near future, as the government
is unable to find additional resources to inject into the sector to
foster a turnaround.

In the background of dropping economic indicators, inflation is rising
in Armenia. The country`s statistics body estimated inflationary
levels at 3.9% in January-June and 21.9% during the past year.

Also, the unemployment rate has increased 6.5%. Independent experts
estimate that over 60% of able-bodied citizens have lost their jobs
since the world economic recession began, and the number of the jobless
is on the rise. Moreover, the allocations of foreign aid to Armenia
have more than halved, exacerbating the economic problems further.

In addition to that, Armenia`s foreign trade turnover dwindled
30% to $1 billion in the first half of 2009. Exports halved, and
imports exceeded the volume of exported goods by five times, which
implies a five-fold increase in the country`s negative foreign
trade balance. Experts believe that the situation is disastrous,
warning that the Armenian economy has become dangerously dependent
upon imported commodities.