Author: nina hovnanian

COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AUSTRIA

ARMENPRESS
JUNE 29, 2011
YEREVAN

The cooperation in the customs sphere between Armenia and Austria
is being expanded within the framework of “Cooperation and Mutual
Assistance in customs sphere between the governments of Armenia and
Austria”. The contract was signed today by the chairman of the RA
State Revenue Committee Gagik Khachatryan and Austrian ambassador to
Armenia Michael Postle.

An official from the Committee reported that Gagik Khachatryan
pointed out that it is a regular agreement directed toward expansion
of international ties.

“It is a very important document for our system which is in the phase
of reforms. Such partnership agreement gives Armenia an opportunity
to exchange information, improve work”, he said.

Ambassador Postle noted that Austria too underlines cooperation with
the Armenian customs service. “With the signing of the document ties
will be established between the customs services of the two countries
which will help more effectively reveal the cases of violations of
customs rules during imports and exports”, the ambassador said.

HOVNANYAN: ARMENIA – A COUNTRY OF NEW FOREIGN INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES

/ARKA/
June 29, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Armenia is a country of new foreign
investment opportunities, said the large American entrepreneur
of Armenian origin, the head of “Hovnanian International” Vahagn
Hovnanian in the press-conference on Wednesday.

“Armenia is a young country and people need new products and businesses
which creates large opportunities for the investors.

Armenia, as human beings, becomes better and better for years”,
he said. Armenia is a wonderful place for business development but
people should work honestly and correctly as “every business has
its etiquette”.

“I have been always worked honestly and didn’t ask anything from
anybody. I even don’t know the names of the majority of the ministers
and there is no need for me to know them. A businessman relying upon
any of state officials is doomed to failure”, said Hovnanian.

He named the main factors hindering the business environment in
Armenia and involvement of new foreign investors.

“First is inflexibility of legislation, second is small market. But
I think that the worse thing is monopolization of the market”, he said.

Hovnanian considers that for demonopolization of the market in Armenia
it is necessary to develop small business.

Member of Parliament from the ruling Republican Party Manvel Badeyan
added that the hindering factors of the development of business
environment in Armenia is also unfavorable geographic location of
Armenia, political conflicts with neighbor countries, corruption and
management problems.

“As for monopoly, I should mention that the worse thing is that any
monopoly will take out own capital from the country and seek other
markets”, said Badeyan.

Vahagn Hovnanian, Armenian by origin, was born in Iraq and lived his
life in USA. He graduated from St. Joseph University in Philadelphia
and received the degree of Bachelor of Physics.

In 1959, Hovnanian and his brothers established “Hovnanian Brothers
Corporation” where he occupied the post of the vice-president. During
the next ten years, Hovnanian brothers developed many projects and
built thousands of houses in New Jersey. In 1969 Hovnanian founded
his own construction company “Hovbilt Inc.”.

After the declaration of independence in Armenia, Hovnanian put his
capital into different projects in the country. Particularly, he built
one of the most elite cottage settlements of Armenia – the district
“Vahakni”in the neglected outskirt of Yerevan.

100 MORE PEOPLE INTERROGATED OVER MARCH 1 CASE, NO NEW REVELATIONS

Tert.am
29.06.11

A top investigator of Armenia’s Special Investigations Service told
a news conference today that 100 more people have been interrogated
over the “March 1 case,” but nothing new has been discovered.

Vahagn Harutyunyan, the head of the investigation team, said new
tests are needed for the videos that have been posted on YouTube. He
added that his team is working “intensively” to deliver results people
are expecting.

He also said that Sargis Kloyan, the father of a March 1 victim – who
said he knew who had killed his son – virtually gave no new information
about the circumstance of his son’s killing when interviewed by the
investigators.

AD HOC PARLIAMENT COMMITTEE KNOWS MAN WHO POSTED VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE (RECORDS)

Tert.am
29.06.11

The National Assembly’s ad hoc committee investigating the
circumstances of the March 2008 post-electoral turmoil in Yerevan
already knows the man who posted the videos featuring the tragedy
on YouTube.

Vahagn Harutyunyan from the Special Investigative Service told Tert.am
that the man is already being held as witness in the case.

Asked how many witnesses are involved in the processes, he answered:
“To the best of my knowledge, there is only one person for now.”

Harutyunyan said the man has already been interrogated, though
added that the records of the interrogation cannot be made public at
the moment.

ARM DEFENSE MINISTER AND THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE TOOK PART IN GRANTING THE RANK OF “LIEUTENANT” TO THE GRADUATES OF MILITARY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF YEREVAN STATE MEDICAL UNIVERSITY

2011-06-28

On June 28, ARM Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and the Minister of
Education and Science Armen Ashotyan took part in granting the rank of
“Lieutenant” to the graduates of the Military Medical Department of
Yerevan State Medical University after M. Heraci.

Congratulating the graduates on becoming officers, the minister
particularly said, “looking at you we can surely say that the young
being enlisted to carry out their military service will realize their
duties confidently towards their motherland as their health is to be
taken care of competent doctors like you”.

In his speech the Minister of Education and Science Armen Ashotyan
stated that the life and the health of the Armenian soldiers are in
the reliable hands due to the graduates of this department.

ARM DEFENSE MINISTER RECEIVED NATO’S SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THE CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA

2011-06-28

On June 28, ARM Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan received NATO’s
Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central
Asia James Appathurai. They discussed issues concerning Armenia-NATO
cooperation in the defense field.

The parties expressed satisfaction about the successful development
of Armenia-NATO cooperation. It includes spheres such as peacekeeping,
military education, military trainings, and defense reforms.

Seyran Ohanyan congratulated James Appathurai on his new position as a
special representative of NATO in Caucasian region and expressed hope
that it will stimulate the development of Armenia-NATO cooperation.

ARMENIAN RENEWABLE RESOURCES AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY FUND PRESENTS ALMANAC OF STUDIES

/ ARKA /
June 28
YEREVAN

The Armenian Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency Fund presented
today an almanac of studies on the potential of this sector. Tamara
Babayan, head of the Fund, told journalists that the almanac includes
studies made by local and foreign experts.

“Today, we are presenting the results of our studies carried out
since 2006 with the support of the World Bank and the Government of
Armenia,’ she said. She said the program was funded by a $3 million
grant of World Bank’s Global Ecological Fund.

“The papers contain a brief description of all studies. The electronic
version of all reports in Armenian and English are also available
on attached CDs,” she said.She said the expert group has developed a
guideline to renewable energy in the country, presenting the schemes
of small hydropower plants, feasibility studies, the prospects for
the use of some types of bio-resources as fuel. They also touch upon
renewable energy security issues.

According to a “road map” of the Fund for developing of this sector,
production of electrical power from renewable resources may grow
fivefold by 2010. Thus, in 2010 Armenia generated 310 GWh of power
from renewable resources. In 2015 this figure may reach 740 GWh and
1,500 GWh.

BREAKING NEWS: PAUL BAGHDADLIAN PASSES AWAY (UPDATED)

Armenian Weekly
Jun 28 2011

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (A.W.)–Legendary Armenian singer Paul Baghdadlian
passed away on June 28 after a long illness.

Paul Baghdadlian Baghdadlian began his career in the Middle East in
the 1970â~@²s, later broadening his reach to the U.S., Europe and
beyond. He has written and produced hundreds of hit songs, mainly
love ballads that have captivated Armenians across the globe.

Baghdadlian’s Facebook page was inundated with condolences. “You will
always be around in our homes and our hearts… you’re irreplaceable!”

wrote one fan.

In an interview in Beirut last year, Baghdadlian said that one of his
happiest moments was hearing that two Armenians had gotten married
after meeting at one of his concerts.

“It is with a clear conscience that I tell you now that I love and
worship Armenia, my fatherland, even more than someone who was born
and lived there,” he said on another occasion.

ANALYST SAYS TURKEY’S UNCONSTRUCTIVE POSITION AFFECTS NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ARMENPRESS
28 June, 2011
YEREVAN

The unconstructive role of Turkey also has its impact on the way to
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, political analyst
Karen Bekaryan said at a news conference today, adding that it has
its influence on the behavior of Azerbaijan.

“In this issue Turkey has its interests and benefits and the settlement
of the NK issue is not among them. Turkey is not interested in the
settlement of the conflict in the ways that may help to solve it”,
the political analyst said, adding that each statement of Turkey
makes Azerbaijan tougher at the negotiations and more intolerant.

According to him, it becomes obvious from year to year and the
international community seems not to pay much attention to this
circumstance.

BAKO SAHAKYAN PARTOOK IN THE MARTAKERT REGIONAL CENTER AT FESTIVE EVENTS DEDICATED TO THE 18TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN’S LIBERATION

Noyan Tapan

28.06.2011

On 28 June President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan partook
in the Martakert regional center at festive events dedicated to the
18th anniversary of the town’s liberation.

In his speech the Head of the State considered the liberation
of Martakert among the most significant victories in the Artsakh
Liberation War adding that today the Defense Army is also able to
give a destructive rebuff to any infringement threatening freedom
and independence of our republic. Bako Sahakyan noted that the
development of the Martakert region was among the pivotal directions
of the country’s socio-economic progress and everything was being
done for its prosperity. The President also handed in state awards
to a group of veterans of the Artsakh Liberation War.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, deputies of the National Assembly and
members of the Cabinet of Ministers as well as guests from Armenia
partook at the festive events.