Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

ARMENIA TO APPLY FOR ADDITIONAL $100 LOAN FROM RUSSIA

Aysor
Dec 25 2009
Armenia

Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian said at today’s press
conference the government had applied to Russia for a $100 million
loan for diamond cutting industry.

So, in case of successful negotiations with Russian government and
Russian Alrosa Company, the loan will be directed to improvement
of the diamond cutting industry, in particular, for creating the
necessary conditions and modern equipment in this sphere, supplying
with Russian raw materials, and some other activities.

Mainly, burden will fall on private sector, according to Prime
Minister. "We do not plan any other loan from Russia," he said.

Referring to a 185 billion drams loan from Russia, Prime Minister
said 45 billion drams were directed to construction works in damaged
zones of the Spitak Earthquake, an AMD 90 billion loan is directed
for small and medium business, and some 54 billion drams are deposited
at the Armenian Central Bank’s stabilization fund.

Armenian Church in Egypt one of the richest on the globe
23.12.2009 11:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Being the only in entire Africa, the Egyptian
Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church is rather Patriarchate than
Diocese. `Presently, some 3 thousand Armenians live in Cairo and
Alexandria. There are also Armenians in Sudan, Ethiopia and Republic
of South Africa.

The history of the Armenian community of Ethiopia is amusing.
Ethiopian King Haile Selassie once heard a chorus of Armenian orphans
in Turkey. He brought them to Addis Ababa and gave them dwelling and
education. These orphans based the Armenian community which now
numbers some 100 people,’ head of the AAC Egyptian Diocese, His Grace
Bishop Ashot Mnatsakanyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter on Cairo.

His Grace said the Armenian community is the only registered as
national minority in Egypt and the Armenian Church in Egypt is one of
the richest on the globe.

He also reminded that Nubar Nubaryan Pasha, the first prime minister
and foreign minister of Egypt, was of Armenian descent and was buried
at the Armenian cemetery in Heliopolis. His son, Boghos Nubar Pasha
was the founder of Armenian General Benevolent Union.

MORE THAN 10 HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS BEEN DEPRIVED LICENSES THIS YEAR IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2009 18:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "This year 92 students graduated in teacher training
or pedagogics, only 56 out of them work. On the other hand, the number
of students from mountainous and bordering regions of the country
have reduced in pedagogy. Besides, the number of foreign students in
Armenia decreased," Armenian Minister of Education and Science Armen
Ashotyan told press conference on December 22 in Yerevan.

Telling that this year more than 10 educational institutions in
Armenia have been denied licenses, the minister informed, that
new effective methods will be applied to the licensing process of
educational institutions starting from the next year.

The ministry provided 74 thousand pieces of educational literature
to educational institutions of Armenian Diaspora 2009. In future
creation of electronic books for the Diaspora is envisaged, he said.

IRAN’S MEDIATION IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT CAN BE FRUITFUL

News.az
Dec 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Iran’s mediation in the issue of the Karabakh conflict settlement
can be fruitful, Iranian journalist.

Iran’s mediation in the issue of the Karabakh conflict settlement
can be fruitful, said Burhan Heshmeti, director of the Azerbaijani
department of Iranian Seher channel.

Heshmeti said Iran has official ties both with Azerbaijan and Armenia.

"These two countries are historically linked with Iran, especially
Azerbaijan. Iran has repeatedly stated on different levels that
Karabakh is an Azerbaijani land. Iran also signed different documents
confirming Karabakh’s belonging to Azerbaijan. In this sense, Iran’s
involvement to the conflict settlement can be useful for Azerbaijan",
she said.

As for Iran’s position in case of war, he said Iran has always been
against war.

"Certainly, Iran will speak against the conflict on the official
level. Iran will always support justice. In the past 30 years Iran
has always spoken for justice and the same will be here", he said.

The Iranian expert also commented on the information about the incident
on the border between Iran and Iraq.

"Information about the alleged occupation of one of the oil wells
in Iraq by the Iranian armed forces is false. Iranian officials have
dismissed the reports. Yesterday the country’s leadership announced
that enemies want to cause damage to relations between Iran and Iraq
and that the countries should be ready to it. It is not the first time
that external forces want to sow enmity between Iran and Iraq. The
disputes on oil wells are still preserved but no capture was observed.

Official sources cannot confirm this. Iran and Iraq maintain good
relations at present", he said.

CARD presents program of mobile mini-slaughter of sheep in early 2010
19.12.2009 14:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In early 2010 the Center for Agribusiness and Rural
Development (CARD) presents a program of mobile mini-slaughter of the
sheep, Gagik Sardaryan , director of the Center for Agribusiness and
Rural Development told a press conference in Yerevan. "The program is
ready, and soon we will show how you can use a mobile mini-slaughter
in good sanitary conditions to organize the slaughter of sheep and
sale of meat," he said.

He also said The organization continues to carry out training of
veterinarians on artificial insemination of domestic animals. "More
than 100 specialists have been retrained, with the use of modern
technologies they will be able to artificially inseminate domestic
animals in Armenia using frozen seed of high quality bulls imported
from the U.S, " he said.

news.az, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2009

Turkey holds policy of conflict resolution in the region, ambassador
Sat 19 December 2009 | 07:30 GMT Text size:

Khalil Akınjı "If the relations between Turkey and Armenia are
normalized, this will not be targeting Azerbaijan.

Speaking about Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, one should mention the
historic "one nation, two states" phrase voiced by late Heydar Aliyev,
which is the essence and foundation of the fraternal relations between
Turkey and Azerbaijan", Turkey’s ambassador to Russia Khalil Akınjı
said commenting on the current level of bilateral relations.

According to him, there may be different issues on different problems
between our countries but all these issues can be solved, because we
are one nation, which is bound with brotherhood and spiritual
closeness.

"Our countries are always ready to provide mutual support. Turkey is
always ready to provide support to Azerbaijan, it continues this
policy of doing everything depending on this country. Turkey does not
intend to take any steps contrary to the interests of Azerbaijan as
this would contradict to the spirit and nature of our fraternal
relations ", said the Turkish ambassador.

Commenting on the issue of normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations, Khalil Akınjı said if relations between Turkey and Armenia
are normalized, this will not be targeting Azerbaijan. "Along with
this, there is a provision that if there is no progress in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, the ratification of the signed protocols in the
parliament is highly unlikely. Then what harm can be caused to the
interests of Azerbaijan? ", said Mr. Akınjı.

Speaking of the Russian-Turkish relations and Turkey’s recent
intensification in the region, Khalil Akınjı noted that at present
Turkey maintains a policy of resolving conflicts in the region and the
restoration of lasting peace and stability.

According to the diplomat, in recent years Turkey and Russia have had
very close and partner relations in all spheres and there have been no
political problems between our two countries. Moreover, the successful
and dynamically developing Turkish-Russia relations have a positive
impact on other states in the region, especially in the Caucasus
region. And this rapprochement helps resolve the problems in the
Caucasus region. "Turkey does not view Russia as rival either in the
Caucasus or in other regions. On the contrary, we are two countries
that are closely cooperating on the basis of mutual understanding,
which is important for all regional countries", the ambassador said.

AzerTaj

Turkish journalist working on corruption case killed

press tv
Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:01:59 GMT

Cihan Hayirsevener was shot on Ataturk Avenue in Bandirma, Balikesir province.
The chief editor of a local newspaper in the northwestern Turkish city
of Bandirma has been shot dead after death threats were made against
him over his coverage of a corruption scandal.

The 53-year-old editor-in-chief of the daily Life in Southern Marmara,
Cihan Hayirsevener, was walking to the newspaper’s office shortly
after 3 p.m. (1300 GMT) on Friday when he was shot in the leg three
times by an unidentified assailant, the Anatolia news agency reported.

The gunman escaped in a car and his whereabouts are unknown.

One of the bullets ruptured a vital artery in Hayirsevener’s leg,
causing him to lose an excessive amount of blood. His heart stopped
several times in the ambulance to Bandirma State Hospital, but
emergency medical staff were able to revive him.

He was later moved to the Uludag University Medical Faculty in Bursa,
where doctors struggled but ultimately failed to save his life.

The police have launched an investigation to apprehend the murderer.

WORLD BANK TO PROVIDE 43 MILLION DOLLARS FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF NORTH-SOUTH (GEORGIA-ARMENIA-IRAN) ROAD CORRIDOR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 18, 2009

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. By the World Bank’s 4-year
(2009-2011) credit program, it is envisaged providing 550 million
USD to Armenia, including 100 million to the RA state budget and 450
milion USD for state investment projects, Head of WB Yerevan Office
Aristomene Varudakis announced at the December 17 press conference.

He said that in 2010, 8 projects will be submitted to the World Bank’s
Board of Executive Directors for approval, after which they will be
ratified by the National Assembly of Armenia. 25 million dollars to
be provided under these projects will be used for budget support,
reforms in tax and customs sector, and improvement of the body
conducting the policy on competition.

According to A. Varudakis, about 7 million USD will be allocated
to the Social Investment Fund to provide assistance to 37 community
development programs, and 5 million USD will be spent on improvement
of the social protection administration system, especially on
modernization of territorial centers delivering social services.

Besides, 24 million USD will be provided for the IT industry
development programs to create broadband channels in Armenia’s remote
regions as well.

A. Varudakis announced that it is envisaged providing 43 million
USD for reconstruction of the North-South (Georgia-Armenia-Iran)
road corridor. 36 million USD will be allocated for repairs of power
transmission lines, and 14 million USD – for implementation of a
rural development project.

AJEMYAN ONLY SPENDS MONEY

Lragir.am
18/12/09

The head of the central board of the Social-Democratic Hnchakyan party
Sedrak Ajemyan admitted that he owns a business in Armenia. The head
of the party Lyudmila Sargsyan, whom one of the wings of the party
excluded, accused him of having business, as well as of having links
with the government in for which he ruined the Armenian SDHP.

Ajemyan clarified that the story connected with his business comes
from his speech at the Armenia-Diaspora conference two years ago,
when he said that Armenian rural regions are to be developed. For
this sake, he invested in one of the holidays houses of Hanqavan,
buying it at 1 million 700 thousand dollars. Ajemyan said that now he
would not pay for that construction even 500 thousand dollars, adding
that he made that investment proceeding from patriotic feelings to
procure job posts for the residents of that region who are engaged
in the construction of the building. He said that the construction
is not over but he has spent 5-7 million on it. In answer to the
question what he gets, he said that so far he has only spent.

Sedrak Ajemyan said that he has problems in connection with the roads
taking to his object, adding that if he had links with the government,
he would not have those problems. Sedrak Ajemyan says that he has
done everything for Armenia and the opposition. In answer to the
question whether he is offended by the government, he said that he
is offended by everyone.

In answer to the question whether he had meetings with the prime
minister, Ajemyan said he is the head of a pan-Hnchakyan structure
and meets different people. Sedrak Ajemyan stated that they have
always been opposition and will go on being such.

IRAN SUCCESSFULLY TEST-FIRED SAJJIL-2 MISSILE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.12.2009 16:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran has successfully test-fired an improved version
of a medium-range missile, state television has said.

The Sajjil-2 has a longer range than previously-tested missiles
which could travel 2,000km (1,243 miles), Iran’s Arabic-language TV
station announced.

That range would put Israel and US bases in the Gulf within range.

Correspondents say it is not the first time this missile has been
tested, but the timing is likely to add to current tension over Iran’s
nuclear ambitions. The West says that Iran is trying to build nuclear
weapons, a charge Iran denies.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the missile launch could increase
the likelihood of further sanctions on Iran.

"This is a matter of serious concern to the international community
and it does make the case for us moving further on sanctions," he said.

The French Foreign Ministry said the launch was "very worrying". "A
test of this kind can only strengthen the international community’s
worries at a time that Iran is also developing a nuclear program with
no identifiable civil objective in violation of five United Nations
Security Council resolutions," spokesman Bernard Valero said.

In September, Iran was heavily criticized after testing its Sajjil
and Shahab missiles.

Those tests came just weeks after Iran revealed the existence of a
previously secret nuclear facility in the mountains near the city of
Qom, BBC reports.