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ARMENIAN MEDIA SAY INVESTMENT PROJECTS TO RESTORE ARMENIA'S INDUSTRY ARE MOST IMPORTANT DIRECTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS' ACTIVITY IN ARMENIA

SEPTEMBER 3.  Investment projects to restore Armenia's industrial potential and to support farms are the most important directions of the activity of international organizations in Armenia, shows the survey conducted by the Yerevan press-club among representatives of some Armenian media, providing the coverage of the activities of the international organizations operating in the country.

According to the survey, Armenian journalists give less importance to projects aimed at improving the social-economic situation in the country. They think that new jobs in industry and agriculture and tax revenues from SMEs may contribute to the reduction of the social tension in the country. As for charity it must focus on the support of orphans, homeless people and invalids. At the same time, the respondents attach a great importance to the humanitarian aid in the form of medicines.

The survey revealed the media's critical attitude towards training programs by international organizations. The respondents think that only the bureaucratic elite has an access to foreign training programs. Most of people sent to receive education abroad do not return to Armenia. Some training methodologies are controversial, particularly, the so-called Waldorf school.

Armenian journalists think that translated text-books and manuals oftentimes prove to be misleading interpretations propagating distorted facts, particularly, concerning the space exploration and WW II. For example, the former subject begins with Americans' landing on the Moon.

The respondents turned out to have different opinions regarding donor organizations' ways of work. Conferences and seminars have exhausted themselves. Needed on the initial post-Soviet stage they are no longer useful, and in-depth specific programs must come to replace them. Family planning programs were also severely criticized: despite their human content they run counter to the demographic situation in the country.

At the same time the respondents said the efforts aimed at introducing new ITs are prospective. They also stressed the need to arrange courses to give journalists specialized knowledge on separate branches of economy, science, culture and law.

PER-MINUTE PAYMENT SYSTEM FOR INTERCITY PHONE CALLS INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA

SEPTEMBER 3. A per-minute payment system for local phone calls was introduced in Armenia Sept 1 2001, the "Armentel" company's press-service told ARMINFO.

According to Armentel's decision, 1 minute of phone calls for both physical and legal persons will cost 4 drams. Legal persons will also have to pay VAT. This tariff will be in force for 4 months and then will be increased stage by stage. Thus, during the following 6 months users will have to pay 5 drams for a minute of phone conversation, yet during this year the price will be increased to 6 drams and then to 8 drams as fixed in the license given to the "Armentel" by the government.

A free limit of 120 minute a month is established for physical persons. However, 900 drams ($1.6) monthly rental fee remains unchanged. Legal persons will not enjoy the above limit.

According to Armentel, an average phone conversation in Armenia is 3 minutes. Each user spends 550 minutes a month on an average on phone conversations. Executive Director of Armentel Nicos Georgoulas is of the opinion that the introduction of the per-minute system will bring an additional income of $240,000 to the company monthly.

To recap, Armenian Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan sent official instructions to the management of Armentel, banning the introduction of the aforementioned system from September 1. According to the statement, the "Armentel" company, TV communication monopolist, violated the terms of the governmental license number 60, as well as the Law on language. In this connection, the Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communication considers itself to have the right to prohibit the introduction of the per-minute payment system.

PROHIBITION OF ARMENIA'S MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATION TO INTRODUCE PER MINUTE PAYMENT HAS HIGHER STATUS THAN ARMENTEL COMPANY'S RESOLUTION

SEPTEMBER 03. The prohibition of Armenia's minister of transport and communication Andranik Manukyan to introduce the per minute payment for local telephone calls has a higher status than the resolution of the ArmenTel company, Vazgen Manukyan, the chairman of the parliamentary commission to study the circumstances of the ArmenTel company's sale.

According to him, if the ArmenTel company does not obey minister's prohibition, the conflict can be resolved only in court.

It should be noted that the ArmenTel company officially announced the introduction of per minute payment for local telephone calls from Sept 1. At the same time, Armenia's minister of transport and communication Andranik Manukyan sent Aug 30 an official letter which contains the claim to prohibit the introduction of this system.

ROME POPE, RUSSIA'S, RUMANIA'S, GEORGIA'S AND POLAND'S PRESIDENTS TO VISIT ARMENIA DURING SECOND HALF OF THIS YEAR

SEPTEMBER 3. Rome Pope John Paul II, Russia's president Vladimir Putin, Romania's president Ilia Iliesku, Georgia's president Eduard Shevardnadze and Poland's president Aleksander Kwasniewski will visit Armenia during the second half of this year, ARMINFO learned from the press-office of Armenia's foreign ministry.

Armenia's foreign minister Vartan Oskanyan will go to Moscow Sept 5
to take part in the meeting of the council of the CIS foreign ministers.

Head of the PACE, Lord Russel-Johnston, will visit Armenia Sept 9-12.

Members of the board of directors of the EBRD will be in Armenia during the same period.

Russia's president Vladimir Putin will visit Armenia Sept 14-16.

Argentina's deputy foreign minister will visit Armenia Sept 16-23.

Members of the group of friendship Armenia-France of the French Senate will visit the country Sept 20-24.

Rome Pope John Paul II will visit the country Sept 25-27.

Romania's president Ilia Iliesku will visit Armenia Oct 9-10.

Georgia's president Eduard Shevardnadze will come to Armenia in the second half of Oct.

Poland's president Aleksander Kwasniewski will visit the country Nov
14-16.

STATE OF EMERGENCY IN VANADZOR'S YEREVAN AVENUE

SEPTEMBER 3. A car Gaz-69 exploded today morning at 8:55 Yerevan time on the Yerevan Ave. in Vanadzor of the Lori region.

As the head of the Board of emergency and civil defence of Vanadzor Zhora Poghosian informed, the driver of the car Artashes Mikichian, born in 1954, felt defects in the work of the engine, stopped and got off the car. Almost immediately the explosion took place, in the result of which Mikichian died. It was succeeded to establish that there was a cylinder with natural gas in the car. It is inadmissible breach of rules of safety appliances. Garnik Badalian, born in 1939, the 16 years-old Natella Ganjarian and 20 years-old Anna Chilingarian, who were near the incident, suffered from it. The victims have been taken to the hospital.

The explosion also broke glasses in the building N145 on the Yerevan avenue.

NAIRI HUNANIAN FAILS TO REMEMBER SOME FACTS FROM CASE ON TERRORIST ACT IN ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT

SEPTEMBER 3.  Nairi Hunanian, the accused of the case on terrorist act in Armenian parliament, fails to remember some facts from this case. In the course of the trial the defendant with difficulty remembered the details of the act of terrorism. In particular, Hunanian dimly remembered in what circumstance he shot the vice speaker of the National Assembly Ruben Miroyan. Moreover, defendant did not excepted the case that Miroyan could be shot by another.

According to Hunanian, hearing a noise on the stairs, which leads to the presidium of the hall of sitting of the National Assembly, he had thrown himself to the stairs and opened a fire. At that time he did not see who namely stood on the stairs and was he armed. "It was purely an instinctive action, I even don't remember how many times I shot", the defendant stated, answering the question of the lawyer Aram Karakhanian, who represents the interests of Ruben Miroyan's family. Hunanian mentioned more than once that he was in extremely uneasy state, that's why he does not remember many details of the terrorist act.

POOR HEALTH OF SASUN AGHADZHANYAN, SERVING 14-YEAR TERM FOR FAILED ATTEMPT TO KILL KARABAKH'S PRESIDENT, CAN BE EXPLAINED BY TORTURES

SEPTEMBER 03. Tortures and humiliations are the main reason of the poor health of Sasun Aghadzhanyan, sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment for a failed attempt on the life of Karabakh's president, Aghadzhanyan's sister, Svetlana Aghadzhanyan, told ARMINFO.

As it is known, Sasun was transferred from the Shoushi prison to the Yerevan Central Prison Hospital May 11 after a sudden deterioration of health. According to Svetlana, Sasun refuses to eat, to talk and does not react to anything. "We still don't know what disease he has, and the doctors don't tell us his diagnosis," she said. The attempt to find out Aghadzhanyan's diagnosis in the Central Hospital also failed.

ARMINFO was informed that doctors will hold conference within a week, with the participation of experts of Armenia's health care ministry and representatives of the International Committee of Red Cross. Central Hospital officials say Aghadzhanyan's health condition has not changed for 3 months already.

MAIN AUDITOR OF ARMENIA'S CENTRAL BANK BECAME A MEMBER OF COUNCIL OF ARMENIA'S CENTRAL BANK

SEPTEMBER 3.  The main auditor of Armenia's Central Bank Andranik Norekian became a member of the Council of Armenia's Central Bank. As ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the head of the state, Armenia's President Robert Kocharian on Sept 1 signed a decree on appointing Andranik Norekian to this post. According to the information of the press office of Armenia's Central Bank, sent to ARMINFO, Andranik Norekian was the main auditor of the Central Bank since 1995. A short biography: Andranik Norekian was born in 1963. In 1984 he graduated from the faculty of science-technical planning of the Yerevan institute of national economy. In 1991 he graduated from the post-graduate the science-research institute of economy of the State plan of Arm SSR.

ARMENIA TO SELL ARMS AND AMMUNITION TO SYRIA AND LEBANON

SEPTEMBER 3. Armenia concluded with Syria and Lebanon agreements on selling them arms and ammunition produced in the country.

As secretary of the security council and defence minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan told journalists today, the agreements signed yesterday by the three countries' defence ministers says "the whole potential of Armenia's military industry will be used, be it the sale of arms and ammunition or other cooperation."

Sargsyan said the agreements pave the way for bilateral cooperation in the military-technical and scientific spheres. The documents will take effect after their ratification by the parliaments of the parties to the contract.

COMMUNISTS' PLENARY SESSION SUPPORTED DECISION BY COMMUNIST PARTY'S BUREAU TO EXPEL FORMER FIRST SECRETARY OF YEREVAN MUNICIPAL COMMITTEE

SEPTEMBER 3.During a plenary session recently the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Armenia (CPA) supported the July 29 decision by the committee's bureau to expel former first secretary of the Yerevan municipal committee Yuri Manoukyan from CPA, ARMINFO learned from CPA representatives.

Only former chairman of the CPA parliamentary faction Grant Voskanyan voted against the decision.

The plenary session also approved the bureau's decision to expel
Voskanyan from the party as well and to remove him from the post of
chairman of the CPA parliamentary faction. Only former second
secretary of the CC CPA Leonid Akopyan and former second secretary of the Yerevan municipal committee Vladimir Ayrapetyan voted against the decision.