Politics
2007-02-28 19:48:00 Ticket of Republic party is led by Aram Sargsyan, Smbat Ayvazyan and Suren Abrahamyan
The ticket of the Republic (Hanrapetutyun) party is led by its leader Aram Sargsyan, MP Smbat Ayvazyan and former Mayor of yerevan and interior minister Suren Abrahamyan.
The spokesman of the party Suren Surenyants says that the party has failed to form an electoral bloc with other opposition parties. So, it will run on its own.
Mar 2 Aram Sargsyan will say if he will run as a single-mandate candidate or not.
2007-02-28 19:01:00 Rumors about nomination of Artur Agabekyan for NKR presidency are not true
The rumors that ex Deputy DM of Armenia, ARFD member Artur Agabekyan will be nominated for Nagorno-Karabakh presidency are not true, says the vice speaker of the Armenian parliament, ARFD member Vahan Hovhannissyan.
ARFD has never had such goals. Agabekyan will certainly be on the party's electoral ticket after Hovhannissyan and the chairman of the parliamentary commission on foreign affairs Armen Rustamyan.
To note, a few days ago ARFD members met with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Nagorno-Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassyan. The official sources say that the sides discussed the Karabakh problems but rumors say that the key topic was Agabekyan's nomination
for the post of Armenian Defence Minister.
2007-02-28 18:47:00 Ticket of People's PArty of Armenia led by Stepan Demirchyan, Albert Bazeyan and Grigor Haroutyunyan
Today People's Party of Armenia determined its ticket for the May 12 parliamentary elections in Armenia.
The list comprises 73 people. On top are the leader o the party Stepan Demirchyan, the leader of the National Revival party Albert Bazeyan and secretary of the board of PPA Grigor Haroutyunyan.
Demirchyan says that he will not run in the single-mandate elections.
2007-02-28 18:39:00 Azeri officials have repeatedly admitted that they have schizophrenia: vice speaker of Armenian parliament
The international public opinion, international organizations and mass media as well the Azeri and Armenian societies are the key target of the Azeri and Turkish propaganda, the vice speaker of the Armenian Parliament Vahan Hovhannissyan said during today's discussion "Armenian Response to Azeri and Turkish Propaganda."
Hovhannissyan noted that their news are often contradictory and this is a good chance for Armenia. Azerbaijan is trying to scare the Armenian public with tales about huge oil budget and big population.
Their goal is to raise panic in the Armenian society but they will not succeed as the Armenian society is winner rather than loser.
Hovhanissyan said that it is not right to endure or ignore this propaganda. "We must remember that Azerbaijan has always been stronger than Armenia - in 1994 its budget was much bigger than that
of Armenia, but Armenia has always been able to cope with the Azeris and has defeated them," says Hovhannissyan.
The Azeri public is also a victim of Azeri propaganda: the Azeri authorities keep convincing their people that Azerbaijan is much stronger than Armenia and will force it to its knees.
They keep talking about war but why aren't they starting it? In fact, they are not going to attack Armenia: they have just started a multi-million Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railroad project. Hovhannissyan
noted that this project is much more dangerous for Armenia than Azerbaijan's threats. So, Armenia must ask international organizations to veto arms transportation via that road.
2007-02-28 14:11:00 Azeri Military Prosecutor confirms voluntary transfer of Azeri soldiers to Armenia
In the interview with Day.az, Military Prosecutor of Azerbaijan Khanlar Veliyev confirmed the facts of Azeri soldiers' voluntarily pass over to Armenian side. This was an explanation for the becoming-frequent cases of "Azeri soldiers taken hostages by Armenian side. The surrender of Azeri military men happens deliberately". "Unfortunately, such facts take place," Kh. Valiyev said.
He pointed out that in each case criminal acts are launched and behavior of the both sides are thoroughly investigated.
However, a paragraph later the Azeri Prosecutor - as if he forgot his previous statement, declared that - "nowadays, the facts of desertion in Azeri army is at the zero point." And so, the Military Prosecutor contradicts both with himself and with the numerous statements of Azeri Mass Media. These lately reported that 5 (!) Azeri soldiers got blown up on a mine in the midground at Karabakh and Azeri armed forces contact line. It was reported that by walking through the mine-studded territory the militarymen
attempted to pass over to Armenian side and surrender there.
Presently, an Azeri military serviceman is captivated on Armenian side. He had voluntarily passed the line of contact because he was oppressed by his fellow-militarymen. He surrendered to Armenian side and refuses to go back to Azerbaijan.
2007-02-28 10:59:00 Events Devoted to 19th Anniversary of Sumgait Pogroms To Be Held in Armenia Today
Events devoted to the 19th anniversary of Sumgait pogroms will b held today in Armenia.
A press-conference of the leader of an Initiative group for protection of Sumgait Armenians' rights will be held in the "Urbat" club with participation of the witness of tragic events Roman Hambaryan. By the initiative of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun, a procession will be conducted to the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial of the Armenian Genocide victims in Ottoman Turkey, in the neighborhood of which a monument to the victims of Sumgait events is raised. The ARFD has also organized a Round Table on the subject "Armenian Response
to Propaganda of Turkey and Azerbaijan".
Finance and banks
2007-02-28 14:23:00 Stockholm Exchange OMX Prepares to Acquire Armenian Stock Exchange (ArmEx)
The Stockholm Exchange OMX, which studies a possibility of integrating the South Caucasian countries
into a single floor where the Stockholm Exchange-sub-control Baltic and some Eastern European countries work, has submitted its proposals for reformation of the organized equity market to RA Central Bank.
As the RA CB's Chairman Tigran Sarkisian said at today's presentation of entry of the first corporate bonds of "Shen-Concern" CJSC in the Exchange, the OMX specialists have proposed Armenia to carry out about 70 events aimed at the creation of favorable working conditions for the exchange market. Part of them concerns legislative changes, including introduction of tax remissions for companies which enter their securities in the Exchange. T. Sarkisian informed that a package of OMX proposals was discussed in
the interested governmental structures and has been approved. According to him, after fulfillment of this program, the OMX is ready to acquire 35% of ArmEx shares at the first stage, with further share increase to 50% and then to 100%. According to the forecasts of RA CB, at a favorable development of reforms in the capital market, the annual circulations at ArmEx in 5 years my reach US $5 bln.
As of today, the ArmEx is a self-regulatory organization, the listing-list of which comprises the shares of about 30 companies with low level of liquidity. RA CB has prepared an equity market reformation concept, one of the main components of which is an admission of banks to the capital market to work with shares of companies with high ratings. RA CB itself prepares these ratings as yet, the list of which consists of 28 industrial and service companies, 10 of which are in category "B", including the "Shen-Concern"
that has emitted its bonds.
2007-02-27 23:35:00 INGO-Armenia Initiated First Competition in Armenia for the Best Research Study in Insurance
The "INGO-Armenia" Insurance Company has announced a competition for the best scientific work in
insurance with a prize fund of 4 mln drams. The latter one will be allotted to the competitors . The main prize is a possibility of advanced training in the Parisian campus of a well-known "SCOR"
French Insurance Company
As the "INGO-Armenia" told ArmInfo, the main purpose of the competition is the attraction of intellectual specialists with scientific-research abilities, determination of a scientific potential and professional level in insurance and opportunities for further development. The competition is being held for two categories: for HEE students and the specialists with high education.
The following demands are made to the competitors: the works should be related to the subject of insurance, the work subject should contain also the theoretical side of the object investigated, analysis of the relevant international practice, as well as the way for the problem solution, selected in Armenia, and the possible implementation models. Moreover, the works should contain references to the author-used sources, they should be presented in Armenian in a printed and e-version with no less than 30 pages
not taking into account the appendices and the references. The resume
and a brief annotation of the work are to be presented in Russian and English.
The applications should be submitted to "INGO-Armenia" Company till April 1, 2006. The contacts for detailed information: Tel: 54-31-34, 54-31-35, E-mail:
smargaryan@ingoarmenia.am.
2007-02-27 23:32:00 RA SB Carried Out First REPO-Contracts with Corporate Bonds
RA Central Bank has recently carried out REPO-Contracts with corporate bonds of "Shen-Concern" CJSC, first in the history of the country's financial market, RA CB's press-service told ArmInfo. The volume of the first REPO-Contract made up 18.6 mln drams with a 7-day repayment term and an interest rate of 4,75%.
To remind, the "Shen-Concern" CJSC had issued nominal, non-documentary discount bonds in December, 2006. The total par value of bonds will make up 160 mln drams to be placed by four equal transfers of 40 mln drams each till June 1. Each transfer envisages to issue 4,000 bonds with nominal of 10,000 drams per bond. The annual yield is fixed at the level of 9% per year. The term of the bonds circulation makes up 365 days.
According to ArmInfo data, the REPO-Contract was carried out with Armswissbank which has acquired half of the first transfer of bonds to the sum of 20 mln drams. As Tigran Sarkisian said at today's presentation of entry of the Shen-Concern's bonds in the market, the Concern's bonds should become a new efficient tool for the monetary and credit policy fulfillment. According to him, the further growth of the market of corporate bonds will contribute to the development of the financial sphere and will become a
stimulus for the real sector's withdrawal from shadow and the management efficiency increase.
To note, the CB has announced that the banks will be allowed to work in a preferred treatment with the debt securities of enterprises, which have got a high rating. The CB stated it is ready to independently participate in the process of stimulating the exchange market development, as well as a creditor in the last instance, accepting corporate bonds as a tool for REPO transactions.
Social
2007-02-28 14:42:00 Alexander Grigoryan, one of the most experienced journalists, passed away
Alexander Kh. Grigoryan, one of the most experienced journalists and the head of the General Department of Information under the NKR President, passed away, Tuesday.
From the very beginning of the liberation movement in Nagorno-Karabakh, A.Grigoryan devoted himself to the breakthrough of the information blockade and to the propaganda of his nation's striving for freedom and independence. A.Grigoryan joined the SNARK news agency which was in the forefront of the sources of independent information in the country, though 10 years of his work in this agency are not mentioned in his official biography for unknown reasons. The summary messages which were sent to the agency and
key international information channels from the Karabakh front were experienced by A.Grigoryan himself and written in his high professional manner. A.Grigoryan had a complicated character, but he was an honest and kind-hearted man.
The ArmInfo news agency formed at the basis of the SNARK presents its condolences to the A.Grigoryan's relatives and friends. A.Grigoryan made a great contribution to the formation of journalistic professional traditions and skills.
Culture
2007-02-28 20:07:00 The Key economic factor in restoration of Armenian Church Surb Khach in Turkey
"Economy is the key factor of reconstruction of Armenian church Surb Khach on the Akhtamar isle in
Turkey," Samvel Karapetyan, Chair of the public society on preservation of cultural-heritage and monuments Era, told journalists today.
He pointed out that the economic factor is based on tourists' interest in the isle. This tourism brings income to Turkish government. Despite this, the political factor of the reconstruction plays also an important role. "The world-known Surb Khach church prevented the state from acts of vandalism braking out there in 60s-70s - when Armenian churches and cultural memorials were destroyed," S. Karapetyan said and pointed out that there are many monuments still on the Akhtamar isle that need to be reconstructed.
Turkish government allocated 1.5 mln USD for reconstruction of Surb Khach church.
2007-02-28 18:42:00 They in Azerbaijan continue destroying Armenian monuments
They in Azerbaijan continue destroying Armenian historical and cultural monuments, says the coordinator of the Yerevan Office of the Research on Armenian Architecture Samvel Karapetyan.
He says that in the villages of Mirzik and Voskanapat of Khanlar district they have destroyed churches of XVII.
A year ago they destroyed Holy Virgin Church in Chiragidzor village of Dashkesan district. Karapetyan says that RAA has almost no information about Armenian monuments located in the Azeri territory.
They learn about destructions from individuals who turn out to have photos and films. Such pictures have been complied into a documentary film Jugha. This movie is the chronicle of ancient Armenian
cross-stones destruction by Azeri soldiers. Last spring the film was shown to European Parliament members. It was a real shock for them. Today, there are almost 500 copies of the film. Most of them are being disseminated in the United States. The objective of the movie is to enhance public awareness of Baku's "cultural genocide" against Armenian art and culture. There are copies in Armenian, English and Turkish. The Russian version will appear shortly.
To note, Jugha is a town in Yernjak province. In XV-XVII it was a big trade center of Armenia but in 1605 it was destroyed by Persian king Shah Abbas and the whole population was deported to Persia. Jugha was the center of the new school of cross-stone art. Dec 10-14 2005 Azeri soldiers razed to the ground over 2,000 Armenian cross-stones of Old Jugha. Despite documentary pictures Baku keeps denying its complicity in this crime.
