The Information Channel Felist.Com -*-------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear frends! Arminfo news agency inform Intrigue of the day 2008-05-02 15:41:00 Governmental corruption and large shadow economy made Armenia potentially vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing schemes: US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2007 ArmInfo. Endemic governmental corruption, a significant organized crime presence, and a large shadow economy made Armenia potentially vulnerable to money laundering and terrorist financing schemes, say the US State Department's Country Reports on Terrorism 2007. Armenia's counterterrorism contribution included its continued commitment to overflight and landing rights of U.S. military aircraft, additional security support to U.S. facilities in Armenia during times of terrorist alert, and the renewed deployment of peacekeeping forces in Iraq. In addition, Armenia joined the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, and expressed interest in joining the Convention for Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. In September, a delegation of inspectors from the UN Counterterrorism Committee Executive Directorate visited Armenia to ascertain its progress in complying with UNSCR 1372, and found that 12 of the 13 legal counterterrorism instruments had already been implemented or were soon to be implemented. And in July, the Armenian government succeeded in adapting the EU export control list of "dual-use" commodities to its own national control list. The Financial Monitoring Center (FMC), a U.S.-supported financial intelligence unit within the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), continued to make investigative strides against money- laundering. During the first nine months of the year, the FMC received twenty-four suspicious transaction reports (STRs), compared to twenty-three STRs during the same period in 2006, and six STRs in 2005. Under its current mandate, the CBA can freeze temporarily financial assets while referring the STRs to the competent authorities for further investigation. However, it must rely on private financial institutions to self-monitor and lacked an integrated IT system to store information on financial entities or individuals of concern. At the end of the year, no cases involving terrorist financing were uncovered or prosecuted. The FMC received Egmont Group membership this year. Armenia improved border security by maintaining an automated Border Management Information System (BMIS) that documented and stored the names of travelers at nearly all official points of entry, and contained criminal and terrorist watchlists as updated by the Republic of Armenia Police (RAP) and National Security Service (NSS). While Armenia has no bilateral agreement with the United States governing the sharing of information on travelers, the NSS and RAP shared information with the U.S. Embassy when they discovered fraudulent U.S. visas or other documents of interest to the United States. Although Armenia continued to strengthen its counterterrorism capabilities and enhanced its counterterrorism cooperation with the United States and other international security organizations, its geographic location, porous borders, and loose visa regime still provided ample opportunities for traffickers of illicit materials, persons, and finances. Politics 2008-05-04 12:29:00 RA DM: All those guilty in incident, as a result of which four RA citizens were taken captive, will be punished ArmInfo. All those guilty in the incident, as a result of which four citizens of Armenia were taken captive, will be punished, RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told journalists yesterday. To recall, about fortnight ago, four citizens of Armenia Vanik Zmboyan (Gavar), Artyom Zohrabyan (Noraduz), Karen Torosyan (Noraduz) and Aghasi Yenokyan (Noraduz) got into the Azerbaijani party in Nakhchivan direction. S. Ohanyan confirmed the rumours about the incident reasons. He said that the incident happened as a result of interpersonal relations in the Army. According to the unofficial information, a group of civil guys came to help their friend, who has recently moved to the new unit. A conflict started among the young man and the comrade-in-arms, and the "brothers" arrived at the unit by cars for resolution. A scuffle happened and, to stop it, the commander had to shoot in air. RA DM indirectly confirmed this information and said that "the policemen interfered and an escape took place". Since the visiting young men were bad aware of the place, one of the cars turned in a wrong direction and, having passed the mined territory, turned out to be at the Azerbaijani side. As the minister said, a communication was established between the command of the relevant Armenian and Azerbaijani units. "The captives are in a normal state, and they will be returned the next few days after a certain work", the minister said and added that one conclusion may be drawn out of this event: a more serious control is required over the moral and welfare and the level of discipline. He added that one should not forget that Army is a large male society, where the elements of self-assertion are inevitable. "However, we shall draw the relevant conclusions. A criminal case has been instituted, all those guilty, including some persons among the command, if such are revealed, will be punished", S. Ohanyan emphasized. 2008-05-04 12:25:00 RA DM: Purpose of militaristic statements of Azerbaijani authorities is specific preparation of own people and solution of internal political problems ArmInfo. The purpose of the militaristic statements of the Azerbaijani authorities is a specific preparation of its own people and solution of the internal political problems, RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told journalists yesterday. He said that the Armenian party does not overestimates such statements, however, it does not underestimates the work being carried out in the Azerbaijani Army. "On the contrary, we make conclusions and take additional measures to enhance the military efficiency of our Army", the minister said and added that the balance under direct contact of forces in the present conditions of neither war nor peace is preserved. "All of us should understand that we are in such a geopolitical region and such a situation when we have to always be ready to oppose the threats", the minister emphasized. 2008-05-04 12:23:00 RA Defense Minister: Situation on contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani AF somewhat normalized over latest days ArmInfo. "In fact, there were many cases of violation of cease-fire regime since early, 2008. However, it has been a week the situation normalized enough", RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan told journalists yesterday. "I tried to establish a contact with Azerbaijani authorities through ICRC and Personal Representative of OSCE Chair-in-Office, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk to stop the violations. I also gave an instruction not to open a return fire as not increase the tension on the contact line", S. Ohanyan said. Asked about possibility of recovering the telephone communication with the enemy on the contact line, the minister said that the communication is still available on some sections. "Of course, the communication could be recovered over the whole contact line if the Azerbaijani party wished it", S. Ohanyan said. 2008-05-02 18:55:00 Council of Europe and OSCE are responsible for March 1 tragic events in Yerevan ArmInfo. Having said that the February 19 presidential election was mostly complied with Armenia's accession commitments to the Council of Europe, the international observers assumed the responsibility for the post-election developments in Armenia and the March 1 tragic events, Levon Ter- Petrossyan, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition, said during the Second Congress of his supporters at the session hall of the Armenian government, Friday. According to him, since the previous presidential election, the CoE and the OSCE haven't evidently coped with implementation of their commitments before Armenia as a CoE member. "The Armenian authorities ignored PACE's demand to give air to the closed TV channels "A1+" and "Noyan Tapan". Armenia's ruling regime demonstrated how weak these European organizations are", Ter-Petrossyan said. Ter-Petrossyan pointed out that the CoE might restore its authority in the eyes of the Armenian people only if PACE insisted on the fulfillment of all the requirements of resolution 1609. At the same time, Ter-Petrossyan noted that the Armenian opposition did not pin big hopes on the European community and was going to change the present regime using its own resources. These words received standing ovation. 2008-05-02 18:30:00 Levon Ter-Petrossyan comes out for pre-term parliamentary and presidential elections in Armenia and calls on international donors not to restrict support to Armenia ArmInfo. During the Second Congress of his supporters, Friday, Levon Ter-Petrossyan, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition, said that pre-term parliamentary and presidential elections are the only way to dampen the tense domestic political crisis in the country. According to him, Armenian people is ready to build a free democratic society relieved of the criminal corrupted system and the dictate of monopolies. "However, people's hopes and ambitions contradict the essence of the criminal regime, and only the latter's liquidation from the political scene by means of pre-term elections may improve the situation", Ter-Petrossyan said. Ter-Petrossyan gave a positive assessment of PACE's resolution on the operation of democratic institutions in Armenia and pointed out that PACE had finally passed from words to actions. At the same time, he expressed concern about possible economic sanctions against Armenia. In this light, he asked the Millennium Challenge Cor poration and the US Government to refrain from limiting their financial support of Armenia as that would be a blow on the Armenian people. 2008-05-02 18:03:00 Leader of Armenian opposition is sure that there is no split in Armenian society itself ArmInfo. "There is no split in the Armenian society itself. Now more than ever it is united in non-admission of the present regime. The watershed is between the people and the authorities", Levon Ter-Petrossyan, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition, said during the Second Congress of his supporters at the session hall of the Armenian government, Friday. According to him, both those in power and the supporters of opposition disagree with the opinion about a split in the Armenian society. The supporters of the authorities try to base their opinion on primitive arithmetic, stating that there are 77% in their society. "They are trying to persuade themselves that if two of the presidential candidates - the secretary of the Security Council, I won't specify his name, and Vahan Hovhannisyan joined Serzh Sargsyan after the election, their voters mechanically joined them, too. However, it is quite the opposite: the people who voted for the secretary of the Security Council and Hovhannisyan couldn't even think that the latters would start cooperating with Serzh Sargsyan. Now they are even more embittered towards the pseudo-winner of the presidential race than the supporters of the opposition", Ter-Petrossyan said. The leader of the opposition thinks that "after the March 1 tragic events, the major part of Serzh Sargsyan's supporters started hating him". "As a result, the whole Armenian society is on one side of the political confrontation, and a small group of people with the repressive machine serving them is on the other side. The society has never been so united in our history after 1988 and 1991. So, there is no split in the society itself", the ex-president said. 2008-05-02 17:43:00 Levon Ter-Petrossyan is sure that new demonstrations will be held in Yerevan soon ArmInfo. I am sure that new demsnstrations will be held in Yerevan very soon and thousands of people will take part in them, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition Levon Ter-Petrossyan said during the 2nd congress of his supporters today. During these actions Ter-Petrossyan will inform the opposition of their further steps. For the moment the priority task of the national movement is to liberate all political prisoners. Otherwise no dialogue with the authorities is possible. "By keeping those people hostage the regime hopes for a ransom and submission on our part, but we, the people, will struggle until the last political prisoner is set free," Ter-Petrossyan said. He said that unlike the authorities the opposition would act in compliance with the law. "The people who tasted victory on Feb 19 will not retreat and will continue to fight for its rights till the end," Ter-Petrossyan said. 2008-05-02 17:25:00 Levon Ter-Petrossyan: Azerbaijan should understand that if it attacks Karabakh, it will be offered rebuff regardless of the domestic political situation in Armenia ArmInfo. "In case of Azerbaijan's military threat against Nagorno-Karabakh I'll call on my supporters to suspend their political activity and defend Karabakh", Levon Ter-Petrossyan, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition, said during the Second Congress of his supporters at the session hall of the RA government, Friday. According to Ter-Petrossyan, the opposition intends to continue its resolute fight "to relieve people of the criminal anti-democratic regime", however, at the same time, it will also try to avoid new shocks, particularly, if one takes into account the constant militarist statements of Baku. "Azerbaijan should understand at last that if it attacks Karabakh, it will be offered rebuff regardless of the domestic political situation in Armenia", the ex-president said. He assured that in case of resumption of military actions, his team-mates, most of which are being persecuted for political reasons by the present Armenian authorities and are currently detained, will found themselves in the first rows of soldiers again. Levon Ter-Petrossyan also demanded that the Armenian authorities should finally display real concern over the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and take specific steps to move the peace process forward. 2008-05-02 17:23:00 First president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrossyan suggests transforming Nationwide Movement he leads into Armenian National Congress ArmInfo. During the Second Congress of his supporters at the session hall of the Armenian government, Friday, Levon Ter-Petrossyan, the first president of Armenia, the leader of the opposition, suggested transforming the Nationwide Movement he leads into Armenian National Congress. According to him, having been formed before the presidential election for quite specific purposes, now the Nationwide Movement should acquire new content. The synthesis of public intolerance against the present regime will become the cornerstone of this movement, he said. "Today we hold our second congress, and we like this word. Moreover, taking into account the international experience of national-democratic liberation movements, I suggest transforming our Nationwide Movement into Armenian National Congress. At the same time, I want to stress that this is just a suggestion which needs further discussion during the next meetings", Ter-Petrossyan said. Ter-Petrossyan noted that for the time being they were planning to preserve the structure of the national movement formed in Dec 2007. At the initial stage, the future Armenian National Congress will not merge the parties constituting the national movement. They will continue to be independent political forces. But later the congress may transform into a centralized structure and even a shadow government. "I am sure that, based on the people's support, our movement will play the key role in the political life of the country," Ter-Petrossyan said. 2008-05-02 14:27:00 Fight in People's Friendship University of Russia was provoked by Azeris and Turks ArmInfo. The fight in the People's Friendship University of Russia was provoked by Azeris and Turks. The Embassy of Armenia in Russia reports that each May 1 the University conducts a gala, where students of different nationalities present their cultures. However, yesterday's concert ended in a fight of almost 20 people. At first, everything was OK: the participant groups were showing the originality and the richness of their national cultures. But, as soon as the Armenian group appeared on stage, some people from the audience began throwing bottles at them. The policemen forced the attackers - Azeri and Turkish youngsters - back from the stage, but just a few minutes later they threw bottles at the Armenian fans in the stalls. One bottle hit a young Armenian girl. The Armenian youths rebuffed. The police quickly reacted: they began forcing the Azeri-Turkish and Armenian groups out of the building. The wounded girl is in the hospital. Several people have been detained. Ambassador of Armenia to Russia Armen Smbatyan has instructed his employees to meet with the organizers of the concert and to find out what actually happened as well as to visit the wounded Armenian girl. Finance and banks 2008-05-04 12:41:00 Exchange rate of dram against US dollar and EUR ArmInfo Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 306 drams for 1 dollar, 477drams for 1 EUR and 12,7 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 309 drams for 1 dollar, 477 drams for 1 EUR and 12,9 drams for 1 Russian ruble. 2008-05-02 15:56:00 First international exhibition 'Finances. Credits. Insurance and Audit EXPO 2008' held in Yerevan ArmInfo. The first international specialized exhibition "Finances. Credits. Insurance and Audit EXPO 2008" opened at the House of Moscow in Yerevan, Friday. The exhibition will last till May 4. During the opening ceremony, Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Armenia Artur Javadyan highly estimated the organization of this exhibition aimed to raise the society's awareness of range of financial services provided in Armenia. The exhibition will by all means have a positive effect on further development of the Armenian financial system, he stressed. Javadyan added that such activities are an important step towards transparency of the financial sector and protection of consumers' interests. According to him, the CBA attaches much importance to the fact that exhibitions allow consumers to familiar themselves with the wide range of services and products of the financial system, compare and analyze them. Javadyan also pointed out that the CBA set up a department engaged in protection of consumers' interests, the goal of the department is to raise the awareness of consumers, implement educational programs and publish reference information. In his turn, the president of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia Arsen Kazaryan pointed out that the financial-banking system enjoys the highest level of enterpreneurship in Armenia. "The government program says that Armenia should become the financial center of the region. I hope that we will achieve this goal in the near future," Kazaryan said. 25 Armenian financial-crdit companies are attending the exhibition. They are presenting banking, investing, insurance and other financial services. The objective of the exhibition is to bring together all financial service providers and to familiarize people with their products: banking deposits, consumer, mortgage and other credits, insurance policies, investment fund and trust management schemes. The exhibition has been organized by LOGOS EXPO with the support of the Ministry of Economy of Armenia, the Central Bank of Armenia, the Armenian Development Agency, the Union of Banks of Armenia and the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen of Armenia. 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