home

news

banks

cultural

criminal

dipcourier

products

subscribe

IRAN WANTS TO CHANGE VISA REGULATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN

JANUARY 23. Azerbaijan is considering Iran's proposal to change the visa regulations between the two countries, Iran's Interior Minister Abdolvahed Mousavi-Lari said at a briefing in Baku Jan 22. He said Iran wants the regulations to be so liberal as to allow Azeri citizens to breakfast in Baku, to dine in Tabriz (Iran) and to supper again in Baku. The same is for Iranian citizens. Azeri National Security Minister Namik Abbasov said Iran's proposals are so liberal that one can only "desire to put them into effect." However, these proposals should be considered by experts first with due regard for the issues of national security, border regime, fight with drug smuggling and so on. Only after that will one be able to judge if it is possible to effect these proposals.

AZERI PRESIDENT STARTS STATE VISIT TO RUSSIA

JANUARY 23. 7 documents (mostly economic) are to be signed during the state visit of Azeri President Haydar Aliev to Moscow, Jan 24-26. Among them are a political statement by the Azeri and Russian presidents and the following agreements: on basic principles of development of the trade and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Russia during the period till 2010; on the status of the Gabali Radar Unit; on exchange of information towards fighting violations in the tax sphere; on the activities of border-line representatives and so on. The sides may also prolong the agreement on the export of Azeri oil via the Baku-Novorossiysk pipeline. Aliev is to arrive in Moscow Jan 24; is to meet with his Russian counterpart (first tete-a-tete and then with delegations); to sign the above documents; and possibly to give a joint briefing with Pres.Putin. He is also to meet with Russia's prime minister and professors of the Moscow State University the same day. Jan 26 Aliev is to meet with Russia's foreign minister and Moscow's mayor as well as to meet with journalists at the ITAR-TASS office. Aliev will hardly go to St.Petersburg to take part in the ceremony of opening of a monument to Nizami Ganjevi, the great persian poet.

WE ARE NOT ENTHUSIASTIC OVER APPEARANCE OF NATO MILITARY BASES IN GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN: KONSTANTIN TOTSKY

JANUARY 23. The Russian Federal Frontier Service is not enthusiastic over the plans of NATO member countries, in particular Turkey, to station their military bases in Georgia and Azerbaijan, Director of the Russian FFS, Colonel-General Konstantin Tostky told a news conference. According to him, there are not reasons for such decisions. NATO member countries advance as a reason a certain military threat, but, Totsky believes, neither Russia nor any other neighboring countries threaten the security of Georgia or Azerbaijan. there is a problem of Karabakh settlement, but the Armenian and Azeri presidents repeatedly stated that the problem must be solved by exclusively peaceful means, and military solutions to problems are not realistic. "I repeat, I do not see any reasons for NATO's approaching both the western borders of Russia, Transcaucasus and Central Asia, after completing the operation against the Talib regime," the Russian general said.

COMMUNICATION MONOPOLY IN ARMENIA SHOULD BE LIQUIDATED, VAZGEN MANUKYAN SAID

JANUARY 23. Chairman of the parliamentary Interim Commission for studying the government's activities in the communication sphere, Leader of the National Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan pointed out the necessity for liquidating communication monopoly in Armenia. He said in the course of the Commission's forthcoming session, Justice Minister David Haroutiunyan will present results of negotiations between the government and the "Armentel" company, the tele-communication monopolist. Vazgen Manukyan also said both the Armenian and the Greek parts are unsatisfied with the present contract and license. The Greeks signed the document, but they are not able to introduce a per-minute payment system in 800 villages of the country, which is provided for by the document. According to the Commission chairman, TWT company was most of all interested in the contract. The company was backed by the former minister of communication, Grigor Pokhpatyan, who pursued a goal of selling the "ArmenTel" company at the highest possible price. Vazgen Manukyan also pointed out that the only way out of this situation is formation of a special commission, which will supervise this sphere, and opening of an Armenian tele-communication market for other companies.

SALE VOLUME OF YEREVAN BRANDY FACTORY MADE OVER 3 MLN LITERS OF BRADY IN 2001

JANUARY 23. During Jan-Dec period of 2001, the Yerevan Brandy Factory (YBF) sold 3 mln 85,984 liters of brandy, which is by 81.5% more than in 2000. 2 mln 815,505 liters of the total volume has been exported, the YBF press-service told ARMINFO. The share of Russia, which is the main market of the factory, makes 2,404,198 liters of brandy, 273,856 liters being sold in Armenia. These figures in 2000 made 1,165,216 liters and 228,000 liters, respectively. The YBF projected to sell 3 mln liters of brandy in 2001. The company established a new projected level (3.45 mln liters) for 2002. The "Pernod Ricard Rous" company, the Moscow branch of the French "Pernod Ricard" company, the owner of the YBF, became the factory's exclusive distributor in Russia in Jan 2002.

LORIS CHGNAVORYAN'S SYMPHONIC ORCHESTRA TO HOLD CONCERT IN IRAN

JANUARY 21. Loris Chgnavoryan's symphonic orchestra will hold a concert at Rudaki Hall in Iran Jan 21-28. According to IRNA, the orchestra will perform works of Aram Khachaturyan, Chaikovsky, as well as those of Chgnavoryan. Loris Chgnavoryan expressed gratitude to Iranians for the invitation, pointing out that he is greatly interested in the music of the Iranian composers. Chgnavoryan formed his new orchestra this year. The orchestra consists of 16 players on the strings and one pianist.

"ARMENIAN-ARAB" RELATIONS" AND "KARABAKH CONFLICT" MONOGRAPHS TO BE PUBLISHED IN UAE IN ARABIC

JANUARY 21. The UAE-based "Jaed" Coordination and Research Center intends to publish two monographs, "The Armenian-Arab relations" and "The Karabakh Conflict", in Arabic, the press service of the Armenian Foreign Office told ARMINFO. During the meeting Armenian Ambassador to the UAE Arshak Poladian held with Vice-Chairman of the UAE government, Chairman of the "Jaed" center, Sheik Sultan ben Jaed Naghayan, the sides discussed prospects of developing cooperation between Armenian research, political and cultural centers and the "Jaed" center. Sultan Naghayan also said that the "Jaed" center is preparing for publication a number of works on Armenian studies.

INVESTIGATION ON CASE OF TWO IRANIANS' PENETRATION INTO ARMENIA CONTINUES

JANUARY 23. An investigation on the case of two Iranian citizens' detection at Yerevan "Zvartnots" airport still continues, Armenian National Security Minister Carlos Petrosyan told journalists. It should be noted that the Russian frontier gaurds detained Dec 25 two persons, who arrived by Istanbul-Yerevan flight and submitted passports of Bulgarian citizens, in spite of their Asian appearance. In the course of the investigation they introduced themselves Afghan citizens at first, and then Iranian citizens. Touching upon the issue of security of the Armenian-Georgian border, he said the situation is normal there. Besides, two frontier posts were established there in 2001, the minister said, pointing out that the number of these posts at the Armenian-Georgian border will increase in the future. Regarding the general situation at the border, Director of the Russian Federal Frontier, General Service Konstantin Totski said the increase of illegal frontier crossings depends on the fact that directions of illegal migration has been recently changing, and Armenia is not exception in this connection.

POGHOS POGHOSSIAN'S BROTHER DEMANDS FAIR TRIAL

JANUARY 23. Andranik Poghossian, the brother and legal successor of Poghos Poghossian, who was murdered at the Yerevan "Aragast" cafe on the night of September 25, demand a fair trial. At today's trial A. Poghossian gave testimony. He stated that the investigation was conducted with falsifications. The principal persons who were beating up Poghos Poghossian are not involved in the case. Important witnesses are also absent. According to him, all the witnesses that state they saw nothing were intimidated. A. Poghossian pointed out that the country's authorities must be concerned with the disclosure of the crime for the sake of the country's reputation in the eyes of the international community. He petitioned for the case to be remitted for further investigation. Besides, A. Poghossian told the court of the accident in the "Aragast" cafe, in particular, what he knew from the witnesses. He told that during the scuffle two men threw a hope round Poghos Poghossian's neck and dragged him to the toilet. A. Poghossian did not call out the name of that witness. He also pointed out that it is yet unknown where are the keys of his brother's car, his camera and 5,000 USD, which Poghossian received for the repair of the roof of the school in his native village. The medicolegal report was also made public at today's court sitting. According to it, the cause of Poghos Poghossian's death was a craniocerebral trauma. The representative of A. Poghossian, the lawyer Ruben Sahakian petitioned the interrogation new witnesses, the film director Roman Balayan, his wife and daughter, as well as the English-speaking man who, according to many witnesses, was in the corridor of the toilet during the incident. The court partially satisfied the petition. The judge said that the court will forward an inquiry to the Foreign Office to find the English-speaking man.