Politics

2007-09-02 10:28:00 Leader of Greens Party of Azerbaijan advocates opening border with Armenia

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan should open the border with Armenia and establish economical and diplomatic ties with this country, Mais Gulaliyev, the chairman of Greens Party of Azerbaijan told the Trend news agency.

Accorgimg to Gulaliev, the party has carried out geopolitical research over the region and prepared proposals on the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno- Karabakh. The issue will be discussed at a roundtable on 11 September.

Gulaliev said that the package of proposals basically stipulates economical, public- political ways to solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The chairman of the Greens Party ruled out the armed solution to the conflict. It is unreal, moreover, only the Azerbaijani opposition desiring replacement in power can benefit from it. "The opposition understands it cannot come to power through elections in the near future", he noted.

Forces, desiring accession to power take every effort to make the Government use armed interference and achieve replacement in the Government in this way. In case war is broken out, the international organizations will take every effort to replace the state power, even if NATO forces strike blows on Azerbaijan without delay," the party leader said. "Azerbaijan should take out Armenian from the economic blockade and put this country under its economic dependence," he said.


2007-09-02 10:24:00 Tigran Torosyan: Nagorno Karbakh's international recognition is a matter of time

ArmInfo. The Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Tigran Torosyan congratulated the residents of Nagorno Karabakh Republic on the 16th anniversary of the Republic's independence.

The NA Speaker's felicitation, received by ArmInfo, says that 16 years are not a long time for history, but for a state, having gone through the furnace of war and having stood the tests of peacetime, it is an important development stage, at which the will and ability for independence and dignified life of Karabakh's people became undeniable. The fact of existence of the second Armenian state is undisputable and the march of history is non- reversible. Day by day Nagorno Karabakh gets more and more powerful,
free and democratic a country, the international recognition of which is a matter of time.

"I congratulate Nagorno Karabakh on the 16th anniversary of independence, and pay my tribute to the memory of the fallen in the war-the soldier-liberators, being sure that today their work has its worthy imitators in the name of their homeland's and the world's security", the Speaker's message says.


2007-08-31 16:33:00 Turkish diplomat warns Israel and the USA about possible consequences of passing the resolution on Armenian genocide in the US Congress

ArmInfo. Notwithstanding the Turkish Government's countermeasure concerning passing the resolution on Armenian genocide in the US Congress, nothing threatens the Jewish community. owever
this fact, will most probably have its influence on Turkey's relations with Israel and the USA, the Turkish Ambassador to the USA Nabi Sensoy warned in his interview with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

"I can't really deny that the passing of the Armenian genocide resolution will influence the relations between the countries. It is doubtless". A similar statement was also made last week by the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Levent Bilman in response to the ADL's declaration, the source adds, recalling that last week the US Jewish group Anti- Defamation League (ADL) declared about its recognition of the Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey. "We hope that the US Jewish groups will take a neutral position
on this issue. However, we realize that this is a very sensitive issue for the Israeli people and the Jewish community. What we need is to find the truth", the Turkish diplomat summed up, implying the necessity of Armenian side's consent to the Turkish Prime Minister's initiative to form a joint commission of scientist-historians for studying the events of 1915. To note, the Armenian side is against this initiative, justly believing that the Armenian genocide is an unquestionable fact.


2007-08-31 16:28:00 Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian president for his birthday

Arminfo. Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan.

As official site of the Russian president informs, the congratulation says in particular:
Dear Robert Sedrakovich, I wish you strong constitution, creative energy, further success in all your deeds for the benefit of Armenia.


2007-08-31 16:20:00 Statement by Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry another diplomatic step

ArmInfo. The statement by Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry regarding the 14th anniversary of the so-called "occupation" of Kubatli region by Armenians is another diplomatic step that country takes every year, David Babayan, Karabakh political expert told ArmInfo.

However, every time making such statements, Azerbaijan confirms its unconstructive stand on Karabakh conflict settlement. First, the firing-points in Kubatli were buttoned-up by NKR Armed Forces and not
by those of the Republic of Armenia. Second, none of the four UN resolutions mentions that RA troops "seized" the so-called "occupied" territories. Third, the acts by NKR Defence Army on neutralization of the firing points of the Azerbaijani army cannot be characterized as "occupation." Although the status of these territories has changed, occupation implies a planned action of seizure, while NKR had never planned occupation of any territory beforehand. It had to neutralize Azerbaijani army units around the
periphery of its borders. "Azerbaijan made our country to do that. Thus, it is not occupation, but liberation of the given territories from the military bases of the rival. Otherwise, NKR would be unable to exist any longer," D. Babayan said.

Unfortunately, over these years, official Baku neither did any steps to really settle the conflict nor even demonstrated desire to do it. Azerbaijan considers the issue only from the territorial point of view. If it really wants to settle the conflict, it must revise the philosophy of its vision of the settlement process and try to settle the reasons of the conflict and not its consequences, D. Babayan said.


2007-08-31 16:18:00 CPA leader: Communist party of Armenia was and still remains the only radical opposition

ArmInfo. The Communist party of Armenia was and still remains the only radical opposition in the country, first secretary of the Central Committee of Communist party of Armenia Ruben Tovmasyan said at today's press-conference in "Pastarq" club.

He said that the party does not take part in the recently organized active consultations of the oppositional camp on principle. "A pseudo-opposition gathers there, which is directed by the authorities, Russia, Europe and the USA. The communists have their own way", Tovmasyan said. In addition, he categorically disagreed with the opinion that the Communist party turned out to be in self-isolation as a result of numerous innerparty cleanups which caused split of the party into several communist parties. "We are
not in self-isolation, we actively cooperate with the Communist parties of CIS countries, China, Cuba, which assist us spiritually", R. Tovmasyan said.


Economy

2007-08-31 16:25:00 Ukrainians not to see Armenian fat any more

ArmInfo. According to the instruction of the Chief State Inspector of the Ukrainian Veterinary Medicine, import of pigs, their meat and products made of it from Armenia to Ukraine is banned started August 30 in view of affection of the home pigs with African swine fever in the territory of this country.

As RUpor reports, a number of measures have been implemented in Ukraine at present to avoid entry and spread of the African swine fever.


Finance and banks

2007-08-31 11:19:00 Results of Currency Transactions in Interbank Market for August 30

ArmInfo. The transactions in the Interbank currency market for August 30 made up $100,000 (33.630 mln drams), which is lower than the previous trading day indicator 4,5 times. According to the data of the commercial banks, the average exchange rate of USD fell by 0.1 point to 336.30 AMD/$1 USD. The data of the Armenian stock exchange say the currency transactions on the floor made up $1.900 mln (639.004 mln drams), which exceeds the similar indicator of the Interbank market 19 times. The average weighted rate
at the exchange made up 336,32 AMD/$1 USD.


2007-08-31 11:18:00 Exchange rate of dram against US dollar and EUR

ArmInfo Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 335,5 drams for 1 dollar, 456drams for 1 EUR and 12,9 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 337 drams for 1 dollar, 461 drams for 1 EUR and 13,15 drams for 1 Russian ruble.


Social

2007-09-02 10:36:00 Defence Ministry of Armenia grants certificate to Global Gold Company

ArmInfo. Armenian Defence Ministry gave a certificate to Global Gold Company for construction and restoration of 60km border road on behalf of the military unit 60913, the company told ArmInfo.

The certificate was given on August 15 2007. Due to the expeditionary road, military posts will operatively contact each other. Global Gold was the initiator of the road reconstruction. The road was in Syunik, Sisian region, near Marjan deposit that is explored by Global Gold.


2007-09-02 10:29:00 Global Gold Corporation rebuilds school in bordering village of Arevis

ArmInfo. The new educational year in the remote bordering village of Arevis, Sisian region, Armenia, has started in a rebuilt school. The school is the only educational and public facility in the village, Arenis School Director Rita Grigoryan told ArmInfo.

She said the school has 6 pupils. This year, there is also a first-grader. The director and a teacher together try to teach the pupils all the subjects they know. Director thanked GGC for rebuilding and equipping the school, and for stationery. For his part, GGC Chief Geologist Henrik Mkrtchyan said the company is exploring Marjan gold and poly-metallic deposit not far from the village and feels itself responsible for the social and living conditions of the villagers. The company is ready to finance also
the higher education of the pupils.

Village headman Sasun Sahakyan told ArmInfo that it would be good if GGC created jobs in the village and invested in Marjan deposit to help the 25 families (142 people) who live on the insignificant profit from cattle-breeding and plantation.


2007-09-02 10:16:00 Armenia marks the Day of Knowledge

ArmInfo. Armenia marks the Day of Knowledge today - 35 thsd children stepped across the school threshold for the first time in their life.

On August 31, the head of the department of comprehensive schools of the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science, Narine Hovhannisyan, said that this school-year the number of first formers is 3000-4000 pupils fewer than in 2005-2006.

She emphasized that these schoolchildren will be taught under the 12-year system, which was introduced in Armenia last year. Moreover, unlike 2006, only the children, who were born in 2001, are to go to school in 2007. "Last year's experience showed that we were able to overcome all the problems and fears with 6 year old children," N.Hovhannisyan noted. As for the text-books, in 2007 the
first-formers will get new text-books free of charge, except those of singing and foreign language. Senior pupils will also get text- books for a certain sum. A new program of 12-year education was worked out, under which 11 thsd teachers were retrained.


2007-08-31 18:24:00 'HayPost' CJSC announces illegal stamps

ArmInfo. HayPost CJSC has learned that in 2007 at least 51 different illegal postage stamps have been printed, issued and are being sold both in and outside the Republic of Armenia, which resulted in significant losses for HayPost.

HayPost has applied to UPU to invalidate these stamps. These illegal stamps are issued in the name of "Armenia" and are not a valid means for postage. HayPost CJSC strongly denounces and condemns this practice. The company informs, that any mail item that bears an illegal postage stamp will be immediately confiscated by the Postal service, regardless its destination or contents. Currently, all post offices in Armenia have valid and official stamps for postage in stock, and these stamps will be sold in the case
of clients need stamps to send letters or parcels. Official and legal stamps bear the words POST and ARMENIA. Any other postage stamp is considered invalid or illegal.

HayPost is a national operator, which functions over the territory of Armenia via its 900 departments. Presently, a number of organizational changes are under way in the company, which mainly aim at providing stable and effective service for the consumers.


2007-08-31 16:49:00 Quality of public health service is low in Armenia

Arminfo. Armenia has occupied the 104th place by the quality of its public health care, the last data of World Health Organization for 2007 are evidence of it.

As Washington Profile reports, rating of the data showed that quality of medical service does not always depend on the scales of the country, population number and state of economy. Thus, public health service system of Kazakhstan is the best at the post-Soviet territory (64th place), Belarus (72 nd) and
Lithuania (73rd). It is noteworthy that the relatively "poor" Belarus is head of the "rich" Estonia (77th place) and Latvia (105th). Ukraine occupies the 79th place, Moldova - the 101st, Azerbaijan - the 109th, Georgia - the 114th, Uzbekistan - the 117th, Russia - the 130th, Kyrgyzstan - the 151st, Turkmenistan
- the 153rd, Tajikistan - the 154th. For comparison, China occupies the 144th place, India - the 112th, Poland - the 50th and Albania - the 55th.


2007-08-31 16:48:00 Armenia joins the list of five countries with the lowest death rate among the Republics of former USSR

ArmInfo. Armenia joined the list of top five countries with the lowest death rate among the Republics of the former USSR. Thus, according to CIA, in 2006 Armenia's index of death rate in the world was 8.23, and the country held the 109th position.

Washington Profile reports that the list of the countries with the lowest death rate among the Republics of the former Soviet Union comprises Turkmenistan - 8.60 (98th position), Tajikistan - 8.25 (108), Uzbekistan - 7.84 (116), and Kyrgyzstan - 7.08 (135). In the former USSR Russia demonstrated the highest index of death rate - 14.65 deaths per 1 thsd residents. Russia held the 29th position after Ethiopia and Cot d'Ivoire. The Ukraine's index was 14.39 and the country held the 30th position. Belarus - 14.02
(32nd position), Latvia - 13.66 (34), Estonia - 13.25 (38), Moldova - 12,64 (43), Lithuania - 10.98 (55), Azerbaijan - 9.75 (74), Kazakhstan - 9.42 (79), and Georgia - 9.23 (85) rank next. According to CIA, in 2006 the highest death rate was registered in Swaziland - 29.74 deaths per 1 thsd residents.

According to the source, the World Health Organization says that the main reasons of human death are cardiovascular, oncological, respiratory diseases, as well as lung disease, HIV/AIDS, gastrointestinal disturbance, tuberculosis, malaria, and road accidents.


2007-08-31 16:26:00 The Prosecutor General appoints acting prosecutor of Lori

ArmInfo. Major case investigator of the Investigative Department of RA Prosecutor General's Office Karen Martunik Shahbazian was appointed the acting prosecutor of Lori region by decree of the Prosecutor General of Armenia Avghan Hovsepyan, the press service of RA Prosecutor General's Office
reports.

To recall, the Prosecutor of RA Lori region Albert Ghazaryan was killed on August 25 not far from his house. An unknown person shot at him 4 times. Criminal proceedings have been initiated; an investigation team was formed, including experienced employees of the Prosecutor's Office, National Security Service and Police of the Republic of Armenia.


2007-08-31 16:22:00 Heirs of the clients of several insurance companies functioning at the beginning of the passed century at the territory of Ottoman empire will be able to get money compensation

ArmInfo.Ninety years later heirs of the clients of several insurance companies functioning at the beginning of the passed century at the territory of Ottoman empire will be able to get money compensation by the deposits of their forefathers, director of the juridical company "Vardges Egiyan", Arman Bagdoyan, said at the press-conference, Friday.

He also added that the total sum of compensation, that should be repaid by New York Life insurance company amounts to $11.5 mln, about $8 mln out of which has been already repaid. Bagdoyan said that compensation for the non-cash deposits will be transmitted to the accounts of the Armenian charitable organizations. A total of 1254 people from Armenia applied to get compensation and at present more than $3,5 mln were repaid to them. Then comes the USA - 896 applications and $2.6 mln repaid; France - 141 applications
and $656 thsd repaid, etc. He also said that money compensation will be also repaid to the heirs of the deposits insured by L'union Vie, Caisse Paternelle and La Confiance companies,legal successor of which is AXA. One can have the detailed information from the web site www.armenianinsurancesettlementaxa.com. Bagdoyan said that Armenian Justice Ministry is ready to assist the heirs of the deposits.


2007-08-31 11:27:00 International seminar dedicated to fighting trafficking in human beings to be held in Yerevan on 5-6 September

ArmInfo. International seminar, organized under the support of the Council of Europe and dedicated to fighting trafficking will be held in Yerevan on 5-6 September.

As ArmInfo was informed from press-service of the CE headquarters, the problems of trafficking in human beings and identification of certain ways of its solution will be discussed within the frames of the seminar. This is the eighth information and awareness raising seminar run as part of the Council of Europe's Campaign to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings, which aims to promote the widest possible ratification of the Organisation's Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. It will bring together
national and local politicians, officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations from Armenia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Georgia, Romania, and the Russian Federation. The seminar
will be opened by Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Baibourtian and Marta Requena, Head of Gender Equality and Anti-Trafficking Division in the Council of Europe.


2007-08-30 20:17:00 Forest business of Armenia extends borders

ArmInfo. ArmInfo News Agency conducted its own investigation on illegal deforestation and export of fine wood from the territories of forestry in Lori, Tavush and Syunik regions of Armenia.

Shots were made during this investigation, where lorries without number plates, loaded with wood, are traced. Transportation of the cut threes is organized by the "wood mafia" at nighttime. The lorries with fine wood can be seen on the republican highways almost every day. These are routes Shikahogh-Kapan-Goris in Syunik region, Dsekh-Vanadzor in Lori region and a highway Noyemberyan-Ijevan-Dilizhan in Tavush region. For security purposes, the shootings were carried out secretly. Numerous attempts to get explanations
from the management of "Armleskhoz" (Armenian Forestry) failed.

Moreover, Head of the "Gugark" forestry in Lori region Gagik Amiryan said that the existing 60 sawmills and furniture workshops, according to the local residents, use only wood, cut during sanitary cleanups. The explanations of the forestry representative seemed strange to the State Ecological Inspection of Armenia and the latter promised to investigate the actual proofs, given by ArmInfo. Despite this, by information of RA Prosecutor General's Office, one case on illegal deforestation near Shikhogh natural
reserve in Syunik region was investigated over the last three months, during which the violator paid penalty at the rate of about 250,000 drams. Moreover, the Ecological Inspection of Armenia detected illegal cutting of 200 cub m of wood in Tavush region of Armenia. Inspectors detained lorries, loaded with fine wood on Vanadzor-Yerevan highway. The traces of "criminal" forest working were found out in the territory of Noyemberyan forestry, which received no permission for cutting, even a "sanitary" one. In the
issue of illegal deforestation, the blame is laid only on forestry, however, it is obvious that more influential persons put strings of the executors, who control this business.

Meanwhile, according to the results of the recent economic investigations, carried out by OSCE order by the "Economy and Values" Center, the volume of annual deforestation in Armenia makes up 339 400 cub m that, in its turn, is equal to 169 700 cub m of a building board. The main wood products of 157 700 cub m is sold in the local market and that to the sum of $2,7 mln is exported to Russia, Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Moreover, unique products, that is, rootstocks with a trunk called warts are exported.

By the way, by clients' order, the woodcutters refused to sell the wood cut that day. By ArmInfo-available information, the fine wood, like oak and beech, with diameter of 25 cm are sold in the
"black market" at 72,000 and 24 thsd drams per one cub m. To note, the annual shadow turnover of wood business, upon results of the above-mentioned investigation, is estimated of $132 mln.


Ecology

2007-08-30 13:21:00 South-Caucasus countries need 250,00 Euro to organize joint guard of Front-Asian leopard

ArmInfo. The German Office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) applied to the donor organizations to finance the programme of joint measures to guard the front- Asian (Caucasian) leopard in the territory of South Caucasus countries. Earlier, the programme for saving and recovery of leopard's
population was carried out only in Armenia.

As Head of WWF's Armenian Office Karen Manvelyan told ArmInfo, the WWF's German Office intends to receive 250,000 Euro to implement a more large-scale programme. Armenia spent $95,000 over 5 years of implementation of the programme on protection of the Caucasian leopard habitation territories. Financing of the programme completed in June. Having lost financing, the WWF tries to find new sources for the project financing, as specialists say, absence of means deprived the rangers, who had been fighting against
poaching in the territory of Zangezour crest on the west of Armenia over several years, of earnings. Collection of beneficent means has been temporarily organized in the Yerevan Marriott-Armenia hotel, where a special box will be placed during a month for voluntary donations with the purpose of saving the leopard. The whole proceeds will be used to acquire equipment, uniform, binoculars, communication means and fuel for anti-poaching groups.