Intrigue of the day

2008-06-02 20:31:00 Charles Aznavour in Yerevan

ArmInfo. Today evening the world known French singer of Armenian origin Charles Aznavour arrived in Yerevan. Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan met him at Zvartnots airport.

As ArmInfo correspondent reports, Charles Aznavour told journalists he is very happy for every his visit to the historical motherland.

Asked about the museum named after Aznavour, which is currently being built, the singer noted that it is a great honor for him. Within the frames of his visit, Aznavour will hold a meeting with Armenia's
leadership and others.







Politics

2008-06-02 19:31:00 Leader of Progressive Party of Armenia hopes Armenian authorities will manage to fulfill all the requirements of PACE

ArmInfo. The leader of Progressive Party of Armenia Tigran Urikhanyan hopes Armenian authorities will manage to fulfill all the requirements of PACE.

He told ArmInfo correspondent that the authorities will manage to overcome the crisis and fulfill all the conditions of the world community. He also added that for its part the opposition will try to do everything to hinder the authorities.


2008-06-02 18:58:00 Leader of Armenian Progressive Party Tigran Urikhanyan indignant because of mediation of US Embassy in the incident with human rights protector Mikael Danielyan

ArmInfo. The leader of Armenian Progressive Party Tigran Urikhanyan told ArmInfo correspondent he is indignant because of mediation of US Embassy in the incident with human rights
protector, head of Helsinki Association Mikael Danielyan.

He also added that more than a dozen of public organizations have already sent petitions to US Embassy in Armenia with a demand to stop any mediation of its employees. Urikhanyan categorically disproved all the accusations and event a hint that first he attacked Danielyan and that the incident was connected with the activity of the latter as human rights protector. He also said that attraction of US Embassy and other organizations may worsen the situation around the incident and "maybe an attempt to use all
this
for PR or other political goals'. Urikhanyan is afraid that US Embassy and other organizations may affect investigation and 'at any moment the investigation may become partial as a result of the western influences'.


2008-06-02 14:48:00 Former candidate for president of Armenia Arman Melikyan says he has not been invited to presidential Public Council

ArmInfo. 'I have received neither written nor verbal invitation from the Adviser to President of Armenia Garnik Isagoulyan', says the statement by the former candidate for president of Armenia Arman Melikyan received by ArmInfo Monday.

A. Melikyan mentions further in the statement that on May 30 Garnik Isagoulyuan said at his press conference that he had personally invited all the candidates for president to the presidential Public
Council. 'I believe it misunderstanding that will hardly promote the idea of forming presidential Public Council', A. Maelikyan says.


2008-06-02 14:43:00 Armenian opposition to fulfill its part of PACE resolution by applying to European Court for Human Rights: ex-vice speaker of Armenian Parliament

ArmInfo. 'Armenian opposition intends to fulfill the opposition-related part of PACE resolution by applying to the European Court for Human Rights: ex-vice speaker of Armenian Parliament, a member of the Armenian Pan National Movement headed by the first-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan Karapet Rubinyan said at Mirror Debate Club Monday in response to ArmInfo question.

He mentioned that PACE Resolution says that the opposition may appeal against the decision of the Armenian Constitutional Court on the presidential election to the European Court for Human Rights. 'As I know L. Ter-Petosyan's supporters are drafting a relevant claim. It is all they are required to do', he said. Rubinyan harshly criticized the authorities and outlined that the Presidential Public Council was created to imitate fulfillment of PACE requirements.

For his part, Leader of Christian Democratic Union of Armenia Khosrov Haroutiunyan called the creation of the above Public Council a positive initiative and an open tribute for consultations of all the political forces. 'Radical opposition headed by Levon Ter-Petrosyan refuses from participating in the Council, neglects the initiative by Heritage party to launch a dialogue with the authorities and opposes the establishment of a parliamentary commission to investigate 1 March incident quite in vain. Such an approach
dooms to failure any dialogue', he said.


2008-06-02 14:40:00 Ex-vice speaker of RA parliament: Presidential election in 1996 in Armenia did not stand the test of democracy and were held with violations

ArmInfo. The presidential election in Armenia in 1996, as a result of which Levon Ter-Petrosyan was announced a winner, did not stand the test of democracy and were held with violations, ex-vice speaker of RA parliament Karapet Rubinyan said commenting, by ArmInfo's request, the democratic nature of 1996 presidential election. He said that he was at one of the election precincts in Lori region the voting day in September, 1996, and he observed for the "election to be held without violations". However, Rubinyan
said, later he knew about the facts of ballot stuffing, double and open voting and other violations from his friends. "I can only say that Levon Ter- Petrosyan recently called the results of 1996 election disputable, however, the scales of falsifications were incomparable with 2003 and 2008 elections", K. Rubinyan said.


2008-06-02 13:29:00 RPA deputy chairman: Main abettors of March 1 events not arrested as yet

ArmInfo. The main abettors of March 1 tragic events in Yerevan are still on the loose, deputy Chairman of the Republican party of Armenia, RA parliamentarian Galust Sahakyan said at today's press-conference in "Mirror" club. He said that February 19, 2008, presidential election in Armenia have got a positive assessment of the world community in general, and they met the democratic standards. Asked by ArmInfo why the situation in the country "heated" up to the hilt and led to March 1 events, G. Sahakyan replied
that the "abettors pushed the protest electorate to such events". "The investigation will reveal these abettors. I can only say that they are still on the loose. However, I am sure that they
will answer for what their deeds", G. Sahakyan said.

The parliamentarian also said that the temporary commission, being formed in the National Assembly, on investigation of March 1 events, will give answers to many questions the society is interested in.
"Moreover, representatives of the law machinery management will also answer to the Commission", G. Sahakyan said.


2008-06-02 13:28:00 RPA deputy chairman: Zhirayr Sefilyan not to expelled outside of Armenia without any legal grounds

ArmInfo. 'Commander of the Shushi battalion, Head of the "In Protection of Liberated Territories" organization Zhirayr Sefilyan will not be expelled outside of Armenia if there are no
serious legal grounds for that, deputy Chairman of the Republican party of Armenia, RA parliamentarian Galust Sahakyan said at today's press-conference in "Mirror" club.

To recall, the term of imprisonment of Z. Sefilyan, being under arrest and sentenced to one and a half year of imprisonment per Article "Illegal storage of arms", expires on June 9.


2008-06-02 11:37:00 Russian FM convinced upcoming meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders aims to lay basis for further work of foreign ministers with support of OSCE MG

ArmInfo. 'Impatience natural for some cases must not cast doubts on the mechanisms of the negotiations', Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov said at a joint press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan when asked to comment on the UN Resolution on the situation in the occupied territories.

'I'd like to add that the aspiration of the parties for sooner settlement of the conflict and normalization of the situation is clear, of course. It is always important. At the same time, there is great experience in management of various crisis situations, which requires consistent activity in the format that the parties once agreed to work in. And the impatience natural for some cases must not cast doubts on the mechanisms of the negotiations, especially, the mechanism that proved effective in practice', Lavrov
said. He mentioned that last year Mink Group Co-chairs made proposals to the parties, which do not solve all the issues necessary for a final agreement, but they made some breakthroughs in the greatest part of the aspects of future settlement. 'It is an official document kept at OSCE. It is a strong basis for future progress. I am sure that the upcoming meeting of the two presidents in St. Petersburg aims to lay a basis for further work of the two ministers with supp
ort of the Co-chairs. Of course, an agreement is possible only through direct negotiations but the parties have always highly appreciated the mechanism of the Co-chairs at our meetings. In this connection, I believe it necessary evaluating the situation when a proposal for settlement of conflicts outside the mechanisms created for it is put for public voting. It can hardly help our general efforts to create maximum constructive external atmosphere for the normal specific work of the parties', the Russian minister
said.

Asked to assess the prospects of Karabakh conflict's resolution given the opinion of some representatives of the Minsk Group that the settlement is possible quite soon in case of political will of the parties, Minister Lavrov said: 'In case of political will of the parties, everything must be done very quickly indeed. However, there are things that do not need hasty measures. Specific negotiations are
conducted on a very complicate issue. The parties confirmed their intention to further coordinate the remaining aspects of the problem. And there is strong decisiveness of the MG Co-chairs to support the
parties in it, which is very important. We reckon with another factor i.e. the domestic political calendar of Armenia and Azerbaijan. We believe it necessary for all the external players to avoid making any
careless steps and providing new ideas to the parties trying to help the process. In such cases consistency and devotion to the agreements achieved and especially to the agreements bringing results that will finally, I am sure, allow settling the conflict is an extremely important element of the general task'.

'As regards the build of forces in the region, international treaties backed by a series of verified mechanisms regulate the parameters of armament. We proceed from this. I am sure that it is the stance of the Minsk Group saying that no military solution to the problem is possible. The three Co-chairs work on this basis and the president and foreign ministers do the same', the minister said.


2008-06-02 11:17:00 RA FM meet chairman of Union of Russian Armenians

ArmInfo. Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan met Head of the Union of Russian Armenians Ara Abramyan and the governing staff of URA in Moscow.

As RA FM press service told ArmInfo, during the meeting, E. Nalbandyan highly appreciated the programmes organized by URA since its foundation and wished success in the Union's future activity
aimed at welfare of the Armenian people. RA FM confirmed decisiveness of the Armenian authorities in activation of Armenia-Diaspora relations. He said that after the government's decision to create a Committee for Diaspora in the structure of the Foreign Ministry, the work on its formation has already started.

Moreover, the source reports that the minister visited the All-Russian exhibition and the pavilion "Armenia", where the samples of goods, imported to Russia from Armenia, have been represented. E.
Nalbandyan discussed the opportunities for implementation of joint programmes with the exhibition organization management.


2008-06-02 10:51:00 Ex-finance minister of Armenia appointed RA president's adviser

ArmInfo. By RA President Serzh Sargsyan's decree, Sergo Yeritsyan has been dismissed from the post of RA president's adviser.

As the presidential press-service told ArmInfo, by another decree of Serzh Sargsyan, ex- Minister of Finance and Economic Development Vardan Khachatryan has been appointed RA president's adviser.


Hi-Tech

2008-05-31 21:41:00 Conflict among natural monopolist and providers finally settled

ArmInfo. The conflict among the natural telecommunications monopolist, "ArmenTel" Company, and Armenia's Internet-providers has been finally settled. As Director on Operations of "ArmenTel" Company (Beeline brand) Alexander Birman told ArmInfo, the relevant Memorandum of Cooperation was signed on May 22. The text of the Memorandum has been sent to the market regulatory agencies - RA Public Services Regulatory Commission and RA State Commission for Protection of Economic Competition.

To recall, on April 30, a number of Internet-providers of Armenia prepared an appeal to the republic's market regulatory agencies, containing a demand to settle the situation in the telecommunications market caused by the aggressive price policy of "ArmenTel", expressed in the fixed different prices on
Internet-communication for corporate and private users. Along with it, the providers limited the access to the Internet-communication for their clients - "ArmenTel" subscribers. On May 12, ArmenTel"
spread a statement among the providers, expressing readiness to start negotiations on the situation settlement. As A. Birman said, the Memorandum contains a provision on creation of three working groups. One of them will be engaged in the general issues of Internet-market functioning, that is, determination of the peer- to-peer rules or traffic exchange among the providers, the issues of
providers' liabilities, etc.

The other group will deal with the issues of "direct wires" or "physical" channel from ATS to the user. "The problem of determining the "direct wire" term had to be solved here". The point is that ten years ago, when PSRC approved the rules of using "direct wires" and the prices, the section of the wire among the telephone stations and accruals for that fell from the filed of vision. This is the case when everything new is old again: we have just recovered the earlier existing rules", A. Birman said. The third
group will be engaged in the rules of using DSL- communication. As A. Birman said, the discussions on development of an optimal business- model are at the working stage.

Technical Director of the biggest Internet-provider of Armenia, "Arminco" Company, Head of the first working group Grigor Saghyan told ArmInfo that the tasks set should be fulfilled within the strictly defined terms. "If they are not fulfilled within a fortnight, the Memorandum cannot be called efficient", G. Saghyan said. He added that determination of the telecommunications network structure and precise differentiation of prices for use of the network as such and use of the Internet-communication within its
frames remains the key problem.


Economy

2008-06-02 13:35:00 RPA deputy chairman is sure that prices will reduce by 30-40% by autumn, 2008

ArmInfo. The current rise in prices for many goods of prime necessity has been mainly stipulated for the world market tendencies, deputy Chairman of the Republican party of Armenia, RA MP Galust Sahakyan said at today's press-conference. He also said that the country's new government is full of decisiveness to mitigate the consequences of the price rise for the population to the maximum, including by further increase of salaries and pensions. "Moreover, the world market tendencies indicate that the prices will
reduce by 30-40% by autumn", the MP said.


Finance and banks

2008-06-02 11:25:00 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, 474drams for 1 EUR and 12,7 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 306,5 drams for 1 dollar, 476,5 drams for 1 EUR and 13,4 drams for 1 Russian ruble.


Social

2008-06-02 13:27:00 'Armavia' Company's first flight Yerevan-Riga

ArmInfo. "Armavia" Air Company carried out Yerevan-Riga-Yerevan flight on June 2.

As the Company's press-service told ArmInfo, the flight has been carried out by an airplane A-319 at 11:00 AM. It is scheduled to carry out the flight three times per week: on Mondays by "Armavia"
Air Company and on Wednesdays and Fridays - by "Air- Baltic" Air Company.

To note, the new flight Yerevan-Riga will allow 'Armavia' Air Company to cover both the Baltic countries and the whole Scandinavia.


2008-06-02 13:26:00 'Armavia' opens new flight to Dusseldorf

ArmInfo. On June 2, "Armavia" Air Company carried out the first scheduled flight .

As "Armavia" Company's press service told ArmInfo, this flight will open the travelers new opportunities to visit the European cities: Barcelona, Helsinki, Nice, Milan, Rome, Hamburg, Nurnberg, Munich, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Zurich, Vienna, Paris and others. Henceforth, the flight will be carried out twice a week: on Mondays and Thursdays.

"Armavia" Company continues its policy on development and extension of the net of routs. According to the source, the Company intends to open a new flight Yerevan - Marseilles -Yerevan on July 5.


2008-06-02 13:25:00 School in Nagorny Karabakh village of Verin Oratagh named after Baroness Caroline Cox

ArmInfo. A new school was put into service in the villages of Verin Ortagh, Martakert region, NKR.

ArmInfo correspondent to Stepanakert reports the school was built under aegis of the Hayastan All Armenian Foundation. The Armenian community in Toronto funded the project. The school will be named after Vice Speaker of the House of Lords of UK Parliament, Baroness Caroline Cox, who has been rendering versatile assistance to Nagorny Karabakh for dozens of years. Caroline Cox started her humanitarian assistance just from the very school in the village of Verin Oratagh.

In her speech at the opening ceremony of the school, Lady Cox mentioned that she passed the path from the school to the village of Vank when she visited Karabakh for the first time during the NKR
people's fight for freedom. She underlined that she is happy to pass the path again with her family already in peace conditions. She made many presents to the school. 'The school is the basis of the state'
was repeatedly mentioned throughout the event. For his part, NKR Minister of Education and Science Vladik Khachatyan stressed: 'If we continue implementing projects by such rates, all the construction
projects will be removed from agenda very soon'. He outlined the great support by the organizations and privates of the Armenian Diaspora to the NKR Government. It is already the 4th school built on the funds of the Armenian community in Toronto. The society 'Revival' had built the new school for 2 years. Earlier, the Armenian community in Toronto funded the construction of water and gas pipelines in the country. In his turn, Chairman of the community Mkrtich Mkrtchyan said construction of another school in
the village of Spitakashen, Martuni region, will be launched shortly.


2008-06-02 12:55:00 Levon Mkrtchyan: My resignation not to strongly affect changes in education

ArmInfo. 'My resignation from ministerial post will not strongly affect the changes in education>, RA Education and Science Minister Levon Mkrtchyan told journalists today. To recall,
three ministers from ARFD (Levon Mkrtchyan, Minister for Labour and Social Affairs Aghvan Vardanyan and Agriculture Minister David Lokyan), elected in the party's Bureau, decided to refuse of their positions. "We have already prepared a program of actions in education for 2008-2015. Moreover, each programme has its specific terms and financing has been envisaged for the next 5 years. In this
case, the personnel changes cannot strongly affect the educational system", L. Mkrtchyan said and added that he is ready to assist his successor by his advices, if necessary.