Politics


2008-01-21 10:03:00 Election campaign starts in Armenia
ArmInfo. Election campaign of RA presidential, contenders officially starts in Armenia today. It will be over a day before the election. The Central Election Committee of Armenia registered all the nine candidates on January 18, who submitted the documents for participation in the presidential election. Armenia's Prime Minister, Chairman of the Republican party of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, "Orinats Yerkir" party leader Artur Baghdasaryan, first President of Armenia Levon Ter- Petrosyan, Head of the "National Unity"
party Artashes Geghamyan , leader of the National-Democratic Union, ex-Prime Minister Vazgen Manukyan, Parliament vice speaker, "Dashnaktsutyun" party's Bureau member Vahan Hovhannisian, Head of the ALM TV Company, leader of the People's party Tigran Karapetyan, the "National Accord" party leader Aram Harutyunyan and ex-adviser of the NKR president Arman Melikyan. The preliminary results of the election should be announced on February 20 till 6:00 AM by
Yerevan time. The final results of the voting will be announced by RA CEC till February 26.



2008-01-21 09:50:00 Hrant Dink commemorated in Tbilisi
ArmInfo. An event named "Journalists - Victims of the Freedom of Speech" was held on January 19 in the Georgian ombudsman's office in memory of Editor of the "Agos" Armenian newspaper Hrant Dink, killed in Istanbul, as well as in memory of Giorgy Sanaiya, Anna Politkovskaya and many other journalists, who have become victims of their professional activity.

As the editorial office of the "Yerkramas" newspaper of the Armenians of Russia told ArmInfo, the event was organized and initiated by the "Armenian Center of Cooperation of Georgia" jointly with the Council
of the national minorities under ombudsman's administration. People's advocate of Georgia Sozar Subara and President of the Armenian Center of Cooperation of Georgia Karen Elchyan presented papers on the subject "Tendencies and Problems of Development of the Modern Journalism in the Region"; "Hrant Dink - Victim of the Article 301. Response of International Organizations to His Murder".
The event started with a minute of silence in memory of Hrant Dink. Representatives of Mass Media, the Armenian community of Tbilisi and other public organizations were present at the event.

Total of 111 journalists died within 2007 during performance of their professional duties, and this number exceeds the tragic statistics of the previous years. Hrant Dink is one of the first victims of 2007. The journalist's murder was condemned by Heads of the European structures and many international organizations.



2008-01-21 09:45:00 I have no doubt, the events of 1915 was genocide, Hrant Dink said in an unpublished interview
ArmInfo. 'I have no doubt, the events of 1915 was genocide', - Hrant Dink told Turkish journalist Alin Ozinian in October 2006 in an interview at www.genocide-museum.am site. To note, the interview was not published earlier.

Speaking about an attempt of diplomatic relations establishment with Turkey without preconditions suggested by Armenia and the committee of historians proposed by Turkey, Hrant Dink said that he does not think Turkey's attitude is an honest one. 'The Armenian side is more sincerely', - Dink said. He explained that he has doubts that the committee of historians will be of any use, as such policy will go on without relations and results.'This is the way which Turkey loves: no relations. I think Azerbaijan also
obliges such policy to Turkey. The Armenian side is more reasonable and expects more',- Hrant Dink said.



2008-01-21 09:43:00 Denmark does not officially recognize Armenian genocide in Ottoman empire
ArmInfo. Denmark does not officially recognize that Ottoman massacres of Armenians during World War I constitute a "genocide", Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller said in a written parliamentary answer.

As AFP reports, "In the government's opinion, this is a historical question that should be left up to the
historians," Moeller wrote in a written parliamentary answer, indicating that Denmark would not follow the lead of some 20 other pro-armenian countries, including France, that have labeled the killings "genocide" despite the position of historians.Moeller's note came in response to a question from extremist parliamentary member Morten Messerchmidt, of the far-right Danish People's Party and close to armenian lobby in Denmark, on whether "Denmark had officially recognized this genocide.""It is unfortunate that
the Danish government refuses to join other countries in recognizing this genocide," Messerschmidt told AFP.



2008-01-21 09:41:00 NKR defence minister: At present there is only one Armenian war prisoner in Azerbaijan
ArmInfo. Nagornyy Karabakh Republic keeps to strict arrangements regarding immediate returning of Azerbaijani army servicemen that came over the Karabakh party, the NKR Defence Minister Movses Hakopyan told journalists, as ArmInfo correspondent reports from Stepanakert.

He also added that after the relevant work with war prisoners they are returned to their native land via the Red Cross International Committee. At the same time Hakopyan worries about the attitude towards war prisoners in Baku. He also said that there few cases when the NKR Defence Army servicemen come over the Azerbaijani party. At present there is only one Armenian war prisoner in Azerbaijan, which came over the enemy party having served in the army for a week, and today he does not want to come back to his
native land. A criminal case was initiated against him.



2008-01-21 09:39:00 40 'fast' legal advice motor vehicles to run at the territory of Armenia at the election day
ArmInfo. A total of 40 "fast" legal advice motor vehicles will run at the territory of Armenia at the election day - 19 February, the leader of the project "Legal initiative, election - 2008", Gayane Markosyan, said at the seminar "For the love of well-informed citizen and voter".

She said that from 15 January to 15 March "hot telephone line" will function ar the territory of the republic 080-080-804, and citizens may apply free for legal advice. For fast reaction to the signals about violation of voters' rights, 40 motor vehicles will run at the territory of the republic (10 in Yerevan and the rest in other regions). The "crew" of the motor vehicle will consist of a lawyer, civil activist, observer and a journalist in case of necessity.



2008-01-21 09:37:00 RA Police denies statement of Orinats Yerkir Party's representative that falsifications during election are being prepared
ArmInfo. RA Police denies the statement of Orinats Yerkir Party's representative that falsifications during election are being prepared.

To recall, at a press conference on January 16, the head of campaign headquarters of Orinats Yerkir Party's candidate Heghine Bisharyan expressed surprise at the fact that a greater sum is allotted for
printing passports in 2008 than in 2007. She also declared about possibility of falsifications during the coming presidential election by way of printing "extra" passports. In this connection, the press service of RA Police made a statement denying these declarations. According to the statement, the same sum is allotted for printing passports in 2008 as in the previous years. As to forged passports, the Police recalls that earlier, it had already denied this. The Police also say after election lists were placed
at www.elections.am and posted to the polling stations, no statements about inaccuracies in the lists were received from Orinats Yerkir Party.



2008-01-21 09:27:00 OSCE MG Co-Chairmen to prepare new variant of base principles
ArmInfo. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen will prepare new variant of the core principles basing on the proposals given in Baku and Yerevan, Russian Co-chair Yury Merzlyakov told at a press conference in Baku, January 18, APA reports.

According to him it would not be right to assess the issue as divergence between the parties. "One party demands independence, the other refuses it. Each of the parties gives interpretation to the core principles' points important for them. There should not be such divergences after the principles are coordinated," he said. French Co-chair Bernard Fassier said that sometimes the parties demonstrate such different positions that it shows rightness of the co-chairs, who have decided that the core principles should
be determined before the settlement of the conflict. He noted that the co-chairs decided to give time to the parties to withdraw from their positions a bit, in order to assess the highlights, not the details. American co-chair Matthew Bryza did not attend the press conference, as he
left Baku earlier.







Economy


2008-01-17 12:50:00 It is offered to create joint cluster in chemical and mining industry of Armenia
ArmInfo. During the session, dedicated to the issues of development of the chemical and mining industry in the republic, RA Minister of Trade and Economic Development Nerses Yeritsyan proposed the idea of creation of a joint cluster, the Ministry's press-release reads.

N. Yeritsyan exemplified the successful experience of Belgium. He is sure that creation of a joint cluster in the chemical and mining industry will allow to correctly form the problems, determine the goals and assure knowledge transfer. It is also proposed to create a research fund, which will contribute to the search of business-partners, attraction of investments and implementation of scientific developments. The session participants, representatives of the chemical and mining enterprises, as well as international
financial institutes agreed to come back to the next discussion of this idea two months later.


Finance and banks


2008-01-21 10:38:00 Exchange rate of dram against US dollar and EUR
ArmInfo Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 305,5 drams for 1 dollar, 444 drams for 1 EUR and 12,1 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 306,5 drams for 1 dollar, 448 drams for 1 EUR and 12,4 drams for 1 Russian ruble.



2008-01-18 21:05:00 ARARATBANK to receive US$5 million loan from EBRD to finance small and medium-sized business in Armenia
ArmInfo. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) will extend a credit worth US$5 million to ARARATBANK. The loan is repayable over 5 years. The loan agreement was signed between Chairman of ARARATBANK's Board Ashot Osipyan and Head of EBRD office in Armenia Michael Weinstein, Friday.

According to Weinstein, the EBRD thoroughly selects banks for cooperation and this agreement, which is the result of fruitful work with the Armenian bank, is high assessment for ARARATBANK.

As Ashot Osipyan said, the loan will be provided for on-lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises at an annual interest rate of 14-16% and is repayable over 5 years. He expressed confidence that the loan will by all means contribute to development of Armenia's real sector.

To note, the participants in the EBRD program on crediting small and medium-sized business in Armenia are Armeconombank, ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank, Inecobank, and Anelik Bank. Araratbank became the
fifth participant in this program. In addition, ARARATBANK is a participant in Izmirlian Fund's program on crediting small and medium-sized business, as well as the KfW program on development of a sustainable market for housing finance in Armenia.

According to ARARATBANK's data, as of January 1, 2008, the total capital of the bank made up 4.6 bln AMD, assets - 27.8 bln AMD, general obligations - 23.1 bln AMD. The share of provision of crediting in the assets was 33,1% or 9.2 bln AMD, most part of which being credits targeted at economy. As of this date, the mortgage portfolio of the bank totalled 1.1 bln AMD, the net profit - 315.8 mln AMD.


Social


2008-01-18 18:13:00 First Radio DJ in Armenia Sedrak Davtyan died at age 45
ArmInfo. A famous radio DJ in Armenia, Director of City FM Radio Sedrak Davtyan known as DJ Sedrak died at the age of 45.

Armenia media report S. Davtyan was hospitalized on January 17 in the morning and died in hospital. S. Davtyan was born in Aleppo. He graduated from Yerevan State University. He was the first Radio DJ
in Armenia. He had worked at Hay FM, Radio Burg, City FM radio stations and on H1 and Shant TV channels for long years. The panikhida is scheduled for January 18 at 5:30pm at St Gevorg Church (Noragavit). Funerals will be on January 19 at 2:00p.