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US PRESIDENT'S ADMINISTRATION INTENDS TO REDUCE VOLUME OF ITS AID TO ARMENIA IN 2003
FEBRUARY 5. The US President's Administration
intends to reduce the volume of its aid to Armenia in 2003. According
to the Administration's inquiry submitted to the US Congress, the
volume of aid to Armenia makes $70mln plus additional $3mln for
military needs, the press-service of the Armenian Assembly of America
told ARMINFO.
However, assistance for development of vocational competence of the
Armenian servicemen has been increased to $750,000 as against the
$400,000 planned for 2002. It should be noted that the US-rendered
free assistance to Armenia makes $94.3mln this year. According to the
Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), the reduction of aid to
Armenia may lead to destabilization in the region. AAA Director for
Government Relations Bryan Ardouni said it is early yet to forecast
how much Armenia will receive in 2003. "Last year the Administration
applied for a similar sum for Armenia, but, in the end, this sum
doubled," he said. Ardouni is of the opinion that the Armenian
forces in the Congress will do their best to secure the necessary aid
for Armenia.
The aid was reduced because of curtailment of the budget provided for
free assistance to independent countries in 2003, which totals
$755mln against this year's $784mln.
SALE OF TWO AMERICAN MILITARY FRIGATES MAY DESTABILIZE SITUATION IN
MIDDLE EAST
FEBRUARY 5. The sale of two American military
frigates may destabilize the situation in Middle East, ARMINFO
learned from the press-service of the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) protesting together with American Hellenic Institute
against the sale of frigates in Ankara. Both organizations have
already applied to the US Congress for suspension of the sale.
The US Defense Ministry came out with a proposal of selling two fully
equipped Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates to Turkey. The
transaction is estimated at $100mln. ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparyan said the above proposal may break stability and create an
atmosphere of tension in Middle East. "Activation of military
construction in Turkey poses a threat to Armenia, Greece, Cyprus.
Armenia cannot be sure in its security, having such an overarmed
neighbor," Hamparyan said.
It should be noted that Turkey already has 7 Oliver Hazard Perry
class frigates.
ARMENIAN GAYS AND LESBIANS IN U.S. AND EUROPE INTEND TO SUPPORT
THEIR HOMOSEXUAL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMENIA
FEBRUARY 5. Armenian gays and lesbians in the U.S.
and Europe are going to support their homosexal brothers and sisters
in Armenia. Particularly, the Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association
(AGLA) in Paris is going to open a center for gays and lesbians in
Armenia.
According to Chairman of the AGLA Misha Merouzhan, sexual minorities
are persecuted by the authorities in Armenia. The AGLA was
established recently and aims at rendering moral and social support
to gays and lesbians all over Europe. Homosexuals face serious
problems in Armenian communities abroad becoming social outcasts.
Meanwhile, the Armenian Gay and Lesbian Association of California is
also concerned about the state of homosexuals in Armenia and has
created a special fund to support them. There are three Armenian
homosexual organizations in the U.S. with branches in Washington, New
York, Boston, San Francisco, the largest one located in Los Angeles
and with the age of their members ranging from 16 to 60. There are
similar associations in Canada, Australia and Great Britain, each
having 200-300 members.
ARMENIA'S JUSTICE MINISTER PROMULGATES DETAILS OF GOVERNMENT'S
NEGOTIATIONS WITH ARMENTEL
FEBRUARY 5. At a meeting today the parliamentary
commission probing into the Government's activities in the telecoms
sector, Armenia's Justice Minister David Haroutyunyan promulgated the
details of the Government's negotiations with the ArmenTel company.
He said that besides the introduction of the per minute fee for
intracity phone calls the negotiating parties discussed ArmenTel's
investment commitments to the Government and the authorities' debts
for telecom services. Haroutyunyan said the Government's debt totals
2.250 bln AMD, however, ArmenTel agreed to write off all the debts
accumulated prior to Mar 1998. The Government in its turn agreed to
reduce the company's investment commitments by $35 mln. ArmenTel
undertook to settle the issue of digitization of ATXs of 800 villages
of the country in the near future and to submit a new investment
program to the Government by Mar.
Commenting on the results of the Government-ArmenTel negotiations,
the commission's chairman, Vazgen Manoukyan, said the prolongation of
the free talk limit from 120 minutes to 360 minutes is not a great
achievement. As a matter of fact, the state of telecoms in Armenia
aggravates from year to year instead of rising to the international
standards.
MOUNTAIN SKIING RESORT IN TSAKHKADZOR TO ENJOY STATUS OF NATIONAL
PARK
FEBRUARY 5.The participants in the meeting
chaired by Minister of Production Infrastructure and Territorial
Administration Hovik Abrahamian discussed the problems of the
health-resort in Tsakhkadzor, Kotayk region.
The meeting recorded that during the last few years violations of law
were committed in Tsakhkadzor in such spheres as land lease, signing
of contracts and registration. The meeting decided to invalidate all
the aforementioned contracts not registered by the State Register of
Armenia. The meeting also made a decision on the termination of
construction carried out without permits.
The meeting participants also approved the schedule of measures to
solve the problems of Tsakhkadzor and nearby territories of the
Kotayk region. The document stipulates the giving of status of
national part to Tsakhkadzor.
It is to be noted that in Soviet times Tsakhkadzor was one of the
largest sport centers where the USSR national teams in different
sports were regularly training. Interestingly, Armenian President
Robert Kocharian spends his holiday in Tsakhkadzor. He is fond of
mountain skiing and snow-tractor driving.
EX OFFICIALS TO GO ON FIGHTING AGAINST AUTHORITIES' "TYRANNY"
FEBRUARY 5. The members of the Public Council for Protection of Basic Human Rights and Freedoms said today they are going to continue struggling against the "tyranny" of the presidential administration, the injustice of the police as well as for the right of citizens to elect and to be elected. To recap, the council is chaired by the ex education and science minister of Armenia, Ashot Bleyan, and includes representatives of the Armenian Pan National Movement, formerly ruling in Armenia. During the meeting the members of the council decided to prepare a statement concerning the incumbent authorities' protracting the ratification of the European Convention "On Protection of Basic Human Rights and Freedoms" dated Nov 4 1950. To recap, Armenia committed itself to join this convention in connection with its entering the CE. The council also summed up the results of its three-month activities and evaluated them positively.
GROWTH OF MONETARY BASE IN ARMENIA IN 2002 TO CONTRIBUTE TO
DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMY
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