Mailing List Service Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform 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. HEADLINES OF 5 FEBRUARY GROWTH OF MONETARY BASE IN ARMENIA IN 2002 TO CONTRIBUTE TO DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMY PENSIONS OF CIVIL AVIATION AVIATORS OF ARMENIA TO BE EQUATED WITH THOSE OF SERVICEMEN MAINTENANCE OF CURRENT RATES IN LAW ON FIXED PAYMENTS TO MAKE SMALL MANUFACTURERS TO PAY TO STATE TREASURY BY 40% MORE THAN IN 2001 AMENDMENTS TO LAW ON PRIVATIZATION OF STATE PROPERTY AND UNFINISHED CONSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE BROUGHT IN CONFORMITY WITH CIVIL CODE AZERI FINANCE MINISTER TO DISCUSS ISSUE OF WB'S $60 MLN CREDIT TO AZERBAIJAN DURING HIS VISIT TO USA ARMENIAN AND RUSSIAN RESIDENTS HELD CONSULTATION ON SEVERAL BILATERAL AND INTERNATIONAL ISSUES ON PHONE ARMENIAN PRODUCERS OF AGRO-INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION HAVE CHANCE TO USE INTERNET TO FIND NEW SALES MARKETS ROBERT KOCHARYAN RATIFIED TWO AGREEMENTS OF COOPERATION "EURASIA" FOUNDATION ALLOCATES OVER US $140,000 FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF AUTHORIZED TRAINING CENTERS IN ARMENIA RAPA URGES PARLIAMENT TO DECIDE FOR PRESIDENTIAL DRAFT OF CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED TO REFERENDUM CONTROLLING CHAMBER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO FURTHER STUDY IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OF BUDGETARY PROGRAMS AND OTHER PROJECTS 15% INCREASE REGISTERED IN OUTPUT OF COPPER AND MOLYBDENUM CONCENTRATES IN ARMENIA IN 2001 ARMENIAN FM TO VISIT GEORGIA ARMENIA'S INDUSTRY AND TRADE MINISTRY PREPARES DRAFT OF MODEL CONCESSION AGREEMENT INCREASE IN OUTPUT OF "PURE IRON" PLANT INVOLVES ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS COLLECTION OF SIGNATURES FOR HOLDING SPECIAL SESSION OF PARLIAMENT INITIATED DESPITE HIGH TARIFFS FOR COMMUNICATION, ARMENIA OCCUPIES LEADING PLACE CONCERNING NUMBER OF INTERNET USERS IN SOUTH CAUCASUS LAW ON CIVIL DEFENSE NECESSARY IN ARMENIA KANAKER ALUMINUM PLANT TRANSFERS 30% OF "ARMENAL" JV's SHARES TO "RUSSIAN ALUMINUM" COMPANY TOTAL VOLUME OF BARGAINS IN ARMENIA'S SECURITIES MARKET IN 2001 MADE 5.5 BLN DRAMS NUMBER OF GRAVE CRIMES IN KARABAKH DECREASED BY 9.3% IN 2001 SECURITIES COMMISSION SUBMITS PROGRAM OF ACTION FOR 2002 TO NA ARMENIA-FRANCE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DISCUSSES KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROBLEM ARMENIA'S SECURITIES COMMISSION STARTED COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL COMMISSION ON SECURITIES OF RUSSIA ARMENIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER AND ISRAEL'S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA MET TODAY KARABAKH'S PRESIDENT MEETS WITH RED CROSS REPRESENTATIVES ARMENIA'S JUSTICE MINISTER CHALLENGED POSSIBILITY OF REGULATION OF PROBLEM OF PER MINUTE PAYMENT LEGALLY METAL PRINCE COMPANY INTENDS TO PURCHASE AKHTALA ORE MINING AND PROCESSING FACTORY 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