Mailing List Service Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform ARMENIA HAS CHANCE TO BECOME EU MEMBER JANUARY 24. Armenia and Georgia has chances to join the European Union. This official statement was made at the European Parliament's Jan 12 session, Head of the European Commission's representation in Armenia and Georgia, Ambassador Torben Holtze said. "Theoretically, Armenia is a European country, and like other countries of our contingent, has a right of membership in the EU, when it satisfies all the necessary requirements and criteria," Ambassador said. He also added that similar wordings has been repeatedly mentioned in documents of the European bodes. Torben Holtze believes that 20-30 years are too large term for Armenia's joining the EU. He said the most important problems for Armenia to overcome to join the EU are settlement of the Karabakh conflict and solution of problems with Turkey. Otherwise, Armenia will face great difficulties on its way to the EU, Holtze said. PER MINUTE FEE TO BE INTRODUCED IN ARMENIA SINCE FEBRUARY 1, 2002 JANUARY 24. Per minute fee will be introduced for intracity telephone talks since February 1, 2002. Agreement on it was signed today in the result of negotiation of Armenia's government with the telecommunications monopolist - the "ArmenTel" company. The justice minister of Armenia David Haroutunian today informed the journalists. According to him, the rate of monthly rental fee for physical persons remains on the level of 900 drams. This amount gives the subscriber right to speak 360 minutes per a month. For each additional minute of talk the subscriber will have to pay 4 more drams. Besides, alternative payment for intracity telephone communication is offered to the subscribers. If the subscriber pays 2,400 drams within 5 days till the beginning of next month, he gets right for unlimited talk. This tariff will act till the end of 2002, in 2003 it will grow to 3,600 drams, in 2004 - to 4,800 drams. For juridical persons the rental fee is fixed at the rate of 2,700 drams instead of currently acting tariff at 3,200 per a month. Above 360 minutes per a month the juridical persons are also obliged to pay 4 drams for each additional minute of talk. An opportunity of unlimited talk is also offered in the case when besides the rental fee (2,700 drams) 2,400 more drams will be paid. A tariff at 1 drams per a minute (over 360 minutes) will be introduced for Internet-communication. As ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the "ArmenTel", the per minute fee will be introduced for the subscribers of the ATX 36;39;42;45;46;52;53;54;56;57;58. The press office said that in the nearest future the ATXs 22;23;24;26;27;28;77 will join them. It should be noted that the Directors' Board of the "ArmenTel" company last year made a decision to introduce per minute fee for intracity telephone talks as far back as Sept 1, 2002, but this decision was not put into operation because of disagreements with the government of Armenia. 11 FULL-LENGTH FILMS PRODUCED IN ARMENIA IN 2001 JANUARY 24. Eleven full length and eight documentary films were produced in Armenia last year, Armenian Minister of Culture on the Youth and Sport Affairs Roland Sharoyan said in his annual report yesterday. He said another 3 full length films are expected to be shoot in 2002. Sharoyan added that the number of exhibits increased by 6,700 in 2001. The country's libraries received about 40,000 new books. About 3,000 exhibits were exported in 2001, due to which the state budget received 500,000 drams. The minister said due to the ministry's contribution, archaeological digs were carried out at Tsitsernavank and Aghtsk, where the tomb of the Armenian Arshakuni dynasty is located. ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH CELEBRATES DAY OF COMMEMORATION OF PROPHET HOVNAN (JONAH) JANUARY 24. Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Jan 25 the day of commemoration of prophet Hovnan (Jonah). As ARMINFO has learned from the press office of the Holy See of Echmiadzin, prophet Jonah is one of the 12 minor prophets. According to the Bible, the word of the Lord came upon Jonah ordering him to go to Nineveh to prophesy among the indigenous pagans. However, Jonah rose up to flee from the presence of the Lord unto Tarshish. However, when Jonah was on board the ship in the open sea the Lord sent out a mighty tempest and the terrified mariners cast Jonah forth into the sea so that she cease down from her raging. Jonah was swallowed by a great fish and spent three days and three nights in its belly praying ceaselessly. Freed by the Lord he went to Nineveh and cried against it prophesying its early destruction. The whole population of the Assyrian capital rose up to pray thus saving its city from destruction. In his dispute with Pharisees Jesus adduced Jonah's prophecies many centuries after. Armenian Apostolic Church has always observed this holiday on Thursday during the Primary Lent to show that one can win the Lord's mercy and favour by sincere repentance. "BANK ANELIK" BECOMES SERIOUS COMPETITOR FOR WESTERN UNION AND MONEYGRAM JANUARY 24. In 2001 the turnover of private transfers through the system of money transfers of the "Anelik" bank made $155 mln, which is twice as much as the last year's showing. As the chairman of the board of the Armenian "Anelik Bank", which is the founder of the system of the same name, Samvel Chzmachian informed in the talk with an ARMINFO correspondent, the circumstance that tendency of sharp growth of international forming system "Anelik" is observed lately, attracts special attention. Thus, out of the total turnover of means the $75 mln are not connected with the transfers of money tp Armenia or from Armenia. The banker thinks that it speaks not so much about the insufficiency of the Armenian market, as it was initially concentrated on serving the Armenian diaspora abroad, but about the successful expansion of geography and development of infrastructures of the system of transfers of the "Anelik". Today over 100 banks in 1,000 towns of 46 countries of the world work by the system "Anelik", Its branch in Moscow has been elected the center of banks working through the Anelik system. Among these countries - Russia, USA, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Great Britain, Belgium, South Africa, Tanzania, Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Uruguay and so on. This year the geography of the system, based on the banking transfers of the US dollars without opening accounts will be widened and will involve 70 countries. Chzmachian expressed hope that the share of the international forming system in the nearest years will reach 70% level. Moreover, works are being carried out on regulation of the system of transfers in Russian roubles, which will except the losses of sum of clients during their conversion. Today the Anelik system makes serious competition in the markets of CIS for such international systems of transfer of means as the Western Union and MoneyGram. He expressed confidence that some reduction of commissions in these systems in the territory of CIS was directly connected with the competitive system "Anelik", the interests commissions on transfers of which, independently on the transferring sum, does not exceed 3%. WITNESS IN POGHOS POGHOSSIAN MURDER CASE ELUCIDATES HIS TESTIMONY JANUARY 24. Yura Navoyan, a witness in the case of murder of the Georgian citizen Poghos Poghossian, expressed his wish to elucidate his previous testimony. According to Navoyan, he recalled a number of details of the accident in the "Aragast" cafe. The witness notified the court of this on January 23. During the court sitting Navoyan stated that on January 9, after testifying in court he was going out of the courtroom and saw the presidential bodyguard Gurgen Arsenian. On seeing Arsenian, Navoyan recalled that it was he who approached their table in the cafe and called Poghos Poghossian. His suspicion concerning Arsenian Navoyan told to another witness Stepan Nalbandian, who, in fact, also told Navoyan that it had been Arsenian. It is to be noted that Navoyan, as he himself said, did not see the face of the one who approached their table in the cafe, and it was only his constitution that enabled Navoyan to recall Arsenian. But Stepan Nalbandian, who was invited to give additional testimony by the Prosecutor's petition, said he did not tell Yura Navoyan that it was Arsenian who called Poghos Poghossian. According to him, when Navoyan began to describe to him the one who approached their table, he [Nalbandian] supposed it might have been Arsenian, but he could not say for certain. Nalbandian gave a general description of the man who approached their table in the cafe, pointing out that he was of medium height and lean. Before, Nalbandian said he would not be able to identify the man. HEADLINES OF 24 JANUARY ARMENIAN CB TO MAKE INSPECTIONS AT CURRENCY EXCHANGE OFFICES JAN 24-26 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE DID NOT FULFILL STATE EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM GEORGIA RECEIVES ELECTRICITY FROM ARMENIA ONLY EUROPEAN UNION'S FURTHER DEVELOPMENT TO BE DETERMINED IN SIX MONTHS EU RENDERED 300 MLN EURO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA EU ABLE TO CONTRIBUTE TO ARMENIAN-TURKISH SETTLEMENT KARABAKH CONFLICT TO BE DISCUSSED AT CONFERENCE IN STOCKHOLM JAN 25 U.S. ASSISTANCE TO ARMENIA IN 2002 TO BE AIMED AT REDUCING POVERTY INFORMATION ACCESS BECOME PROBLEMATIC AFTER SEPT 11 EVENTS WORLD WIDE EU ALLOCATES 100 MLN EUR TO HELP ARMENIA CREATE NEW ENERGY SOURCES EU TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN CARRYING OUT EDUCATION REFORMS CANADIAN FDM COMPANY TO INVEST 12MLN. USD IN ARMENIA'S GOLD-MINING INDUSTRY ARMENTEL TOUGHENS WORKING CONDITIONS OF ARMENIAN INTERNET-PROVIDERS ALIEV BELIEVES IN NORMALIZATION OF BAKU-CE RELATIONS, BUT DOES NOT BELIEVE IN ACTION OF PROTEST UNDER SOCIAL SLOGANS NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF ARMENIA'S CONSUMERS CALLS FOR PROTECTION OF CONSUMERS' RIGHTS DEBTS HAVE TO BE PAID: WILLIAM TEYLOR US ENERGY COMPANIES DETERMINED TO PARTICIPATE IN PRIVATIZATION PROCESSES IN ARMENIA U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA IN CALIFORNIA MET WITH LEADERSHIP OF WESTERN DEPARTMENT OF ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA U.S. AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA IN CALIFORNIA MET WITH LEADERSHIP OF WESTERN DEPARTMENT OF ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVED BILL ON DIPLOMATIC SERVICE GOVERNMENT OFFERED TO PUT FUNCTION ON EXPLOITATION OF DWELLING HOUSES ON JUST DWELLERS SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT MEETS WITH HIS RUSSIAN COUNTERPART PRESIDENT'S REPRESENTATIVE SAYS SOME POLITICAL FORCES' CHARGES AGAINST KOCHARYAN ARE OF POPULIST NATURE "ANELIK BANK"'S CREDIT PORTFOLIO INCREASED BY 605 LAST YEAR PARLIAMENTARY COMMISSION CONSIDERS PRESIDENT'S VERSION OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT AWARDED WITH PRIZE OF INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR UNIFICATION OF ORTHODOX PEOPLES ARMENIA'S GOVERNMENT MADE A NUMBER OF DECISIONS TO IMPLEMENT LAW ON PROTECTION OF CONSUMERS' RIGHTS THREE MORE ENTERPRISES OF HEALTH-CARE SYSTEM WERE LIQUIDATED NAIRI HOUNANIAN SENT OPEN LETTER TO ARMENIA'S PRESIDENT DEFENDANT IN OCT 27 CASE BEGAN TO ANSWER QUESTIONS No information from Site can be used without prior permission of ARMINFO http://www.arminfo.am -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: http://felist.com/member/unsub?grp=media.arminfo http://felist.com/ mailto:ask@felist.com