Armenia's Economic Pulse

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

The two parties in the USA are identical when you look at what they do instead of what they say they will do. Obamacare=Romneycare; both want NDAA passed; bothwant war; both are lapdoggs of coorporations. It is important for this coorporate facist state to create an illusion of two very different parties so that the voters think they have a choice but in reality they have as much choice at electing a good leader as you do of traveling at the speed of light.

well I agree the 2 party system does greatly impair a genuine democratic system. A more robust democracy would have multiple parties, with significant competition amongst them. That's not to say that the two parties in the US are quite similar in many aspects....

[Mos]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

The two parties in the USA are identical when you look at what they do instead of what they say they will do. Obamacare=Romneycare; both want NDAA passed; bothwant war; both are lapdoggs of coorporations. It is important for this coorporate facist state to create an illusion of two very different parties so that the voters think they have a choice but in reality they have as much choice at electing a good leader as you do of traveling at the speed of light.

Well for example, when it comes to foreign policy, the President doesn't really make the decisions. All the decisions of foreign policy are made by a select amount of people in the CIA and State Department. Those select people have some heavy anti-Armenian and pro-Turkish bias. That's why it's silly for Armenians to believe that any US President would recognise Genocide even if they promise they will. The big defence companies and other multi-national companies have their own influence on other levers of US policy. Of course this is expected. In the end of the day money talks. Doesn't matter what system. The US in particular though is under heavy influence of lobbying/special interest groups that even more and more people are pointing out and a fluid democracy is hampered by the genuine lack of choices in terms of politics. Not to mention, the system of elections (electoral college). I find Armenia's political system more democratic than that of the US. I don't see how a few million people in a few swing states choosing every election is democratic.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

900 INDIAN STUDENTS ENTER YEREVAN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY IN 2 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 1, 2012 - 16:37 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenian Education Minister has listed rise in
the number of foreign students and the expansion of the relevant
infrastructures among the development prospects in the field.

"Student housing is currently a serious problem. For instance, the
demand for Indian students' accommodation is much bigger than we can
provide," Armen Ashotyan said, adding that about 900 Indian students
entered Yerevan State Medical University in the past 2 years.

"We can afford a bigger student inflow, in case of establishment of
a new student accommodation center," Minister Ashotyan said.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

IRAN, ARMENIA START BUILDING JOINT HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER PLANT

Press TV
Nov 8 2012
Iran

Iran and Armenia have started the construction of a joint
hydro-electric power plant (HPP) on the Aras River, which borders
the two countries.

The construction of the plant started on Wednesday in a ceremony
attended by Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan and Iran's Energy
Minister Majid Namjou.

With the completion of the project, some 1,700 megawatts of electricity
will be generated annually for domestic production in Iran, said
managing director of East Azarbaijan Regional Water Company, Arsalan
Hashemi.

According to Hashemi, the HPP has the capacity to produce 260 megawatts
and includes two 130-megawatt plants, one in Iran and the other one
in Armenia.

The project is financed with USD 560 and 500 million in credits
respectively from Armenia and Iran.

Iran and Armenia agreed to build the joint plant during Namjou's
one-day trip to Armenia in June.

The plant is being constructed simultaneously in Armenia's Meghri
and Iran's Qarachilar regions.

AR/HJL/MA

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

FARS News Agency, Iran
November 17, 2012 Saturday


Armenia Severely Affected by Western Sanctions against Iran



TEHRAN (FNA)- The western sanctions against Iran have had dire
consequences for Armenia, including an acute shortage of food and
agricultural products in the country, the Armenian media said.

According to a report by the Armenian MIR TV, the western sanctions
have caused a halt in the supply of polymeric raw material from Iran
to Armenia for the past two weeks, which entails negative consequences
for the country's agricultural sector and processing industry.

The report also said that tens of companies and factories in Armenia
were shut down due to the shortage of raw materials which were
imported from Iran. Meanwhile, exporting these products from other
countries will take about 30-40 days, which will likely result in a
hike in prices and lower quality.

Also, Armenia is faced with a shortage of sulfuric acid and caustic
materials used for water purification due to the western sanctions
against Iran, added the report.

The Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers) of Armenia
(UMBEA) has addressed Prime Minster Tigran Sargsyan with a request to
help resolve the problem, it said.

In recent years, Iran and its Northern neighbor Armenia have boosted
cooperation, signed agreements on energy cooperation and agreed to
cooperate in technology and research and to enhance ties in commerce
and economy.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and his Armenian counterpart
pledged in December 2011 to further expand "high-level relations"
between their nations and, in particular, give new impetus to the
implementation of joint energy projects that have fallen behind
schedule.

In early October, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi and his
Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian met at the UN Headquarters in
New York to discuss bilateral ties and regional and international
issues.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

THE GLOBE SPOTS INCLUDES ARMENIA IN THE LIST OF TOP 10 COUNTRIES TO VISIT IN 2013

http://www.armradio.am/en/2012/11/26/the-glob-sports-includes-armenia-among-top-10-countries-to-visit-in-2013/

18:46 26.11.2012

The Globe Spots has included Armenia in the list of top ten countries
it recommends the tourists to visit in 2013. Armenia is the 5th in
list topped by Portugal. Mozambique is second. Kyrgizstan and
Panama come third and fourth respectively. The list includes also
Rwanda,Cuba,Ukraine,Malawi and Canada.

"Despite its rather well developed tourism infrastructure, Armenia
still flies under the radar of most travellers. Boasting having been
the first to embrace Christianity, the country provides ample proof
of that assertion," the Globe Spots says.

"Fortunately, those willing to dig a little deeper will discover
a truly amazing country with a beautiful landscape, but will also
encounter genuinely nice people always ready to offer them a shot
of aragh (introduced by never-ending toasts), or welcome them at
their khorovats picnic... or both," the website writes.

The Globe Spots reminds that "with visa requirements being lifted
for EU citizens, starting in January, there's even less reason to
pass on this one."

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

GEGHARKOUNIQ PRINCIPAL: "WE NOW HAVE YEREVAN AND A 150 KILOMETER BORDER OF EMPTY COMMUNITIES."
Grisha Balasanyan

http://hetq.am/eng/articles/20903/gegharkouniq-principal-we-now-have-yerevan-and-a-150-kilometer-border-of-empty-communities%E2%80%9D.html

10:26, November 26, 2012

Residents in the border villages in Armenia's Gegharkouniq Province
are leaving in greater numbers every year.

Simple proof of this is the decreasing enrollment of area schools.

Families just don't see a future for themselves in the province. Local
school principals have voiced their concerns that if the trends
continue this section of Armenia's border with Azerbaijan will be
empty of Armenians altogether.

Artash Khloyan, principal of the Kakhakn village high school, told
Hetq that in 1996 the school had 117 students. Today, that number
has dropped to 40. So has the number of grades; from ten to six.

"Those who have the means are leaving the village. They are going
to other parts of the country or overseas. I fought in the battle
to liberate Kelbajar in 1993 and am trying the best I can to keep
people here. It's a bad situation and the same is happening in all
the villages," said Khloyan.

When I asked what the reason for the exodus was, Khloyan advised me
to ask those in government instead.

"I'd rather not say because it would be critical of those in power.

The government isn't treating rural residents in the correct manner.

Village folk feel neglected and alone with their concerns. The
government must do much more to assist those in the villages. Right
now, the government is more concerned with building high-rise
buildings in Yerevan. What we now have is the capital, Yerevan,
and a 150 kilometer stretch of border full of empty communities."

Khloyan said the absenteeism is a problem because students don't have
proper clothes or shoes to wear to school. Many families can't even
pay for textbooks.

The Kakhakn school is in pretty bad shape. The roof is constantly
leaking when it rains. The windows are so old that it's tough to keep
the classrooms warm in winter. There is no running water in the school.

Nelli Vardanyan, principal of the neighboring Arpounq village high
school, says that the number of students in her school is also
dropping. The village practically sits on the border with Azerbaijan.

The school has an enrollment of 104, but a number of the grades have
been merged.

The principal says that while entire families aren't leaving the
village, the number of seasonal workers heading for Russia and
elsewhere is on the rise. Most families say that they can't afford
to raise more than two kids.

The village has no cultural club for youngsters to gather and pass
the time of day.

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

ANTI-IRAN SANCTIONS DAMAGING ARMENIA ECONOMY: ARMENIAN PM

http://www.tehrantimes.com/component/content/article/103590

On Line: 27 November 2012 15:36
In Print: Wednesday 28 November 2012

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan says the U.S.-engineered
sanctions imposed against the Islamic Republic are damaging the
economy of Armenia.

"International sanctions practically nullify our opportunities to
work with Iran. This creates serious problems for Armenia," Sargsyan
said in an interview with Interfax on Monday.

"At the same time we face problems exporting goods to the Middle East,
which reduces the opportunities for diversification and creates more
difficult conditions for competitiveness with higher transport fees,"
the Armenian premier said.

The illegal US-engineered sanctions have been imposed on Iran based
on the unfounded accusation that the Islamic Republic is pursuing
non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program.

Iran rejects the allegations, arguing that as a committed signatory to
the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and a member of the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has the right to use nuclear technology
for peaceful purposes.

In addition, the IAEA has conducted numerous inspections of Iran's
nuclear facilities but has never found any evidence of divergence
toward military objectives in Iran's nuclear energy program.

[KarotheGreat]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

Syrian Armenian businessmen want to invest in Armenia

Syrian Armenian businessmen want to invest in ArmeniaNovember 30, 2012 | 12:08

YEREVAN. – A consultation meeting was held Thursday with the Syrian Armenian businessmen who wish to make investments in Armenia. The event was moderated by Armenia’s Diaspora Minister, Hranush Hakobyan.

First, Hakobyan welcomed the entrepreneurs’ desire to conduct business in Armenia and encouraged them to settle in the country as well, Diaspora Ministry press service informs.

In his turn, Armenian Development Agency (ADA) Director Robert Harutyunyan noted that his agency stands ready to assist Syrian Armenians and provide them consultation, and added that ADA has designed ideas which could be brought to fruition with joint efforts.

Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National Center Director Varazdat Karapetyan informed that a twenty-day course, which includes around thirty Syrian Armenians, has successfully started. Also, he expressed a readiness to discuss any and all business plans.

The Syrian Armenian entrepreneurs spoke about their businesses in Syria and preferences with respect to starting new business ventures in Armenia.

State Revenue Committee’s (SRC) Taxpayer Service and Tax Procedures Department Head Karen Beglaryan, stated that it is necessary to be informed about Armenia’s tax and customs laws adding that SRC stands ready to provide necessary consultation.

The interlocutors outlined the primary business directions that are feasible in Armenia.

Next week the Syrian Armenian businessmen will meet with Armenia’s entrepreneurs to discuss the options for cooperation.

At the end of the consultation meeting, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan advised the Syrian Armenian businessmen not to launch any business activity in Armenia without consulting with the country’s state-run specialized organizations, so as to avoid risks.

http://news.am/eng/news/130614.html

Good prospects to finalize talks on free trade area by next autumn - Stefan Fule

Good prospects to finalize talks on free trade area by next autumn - Stefan FuleNovember 30, 2012 | 13:47

If the reform process is accelerated, talks on free trade area with Armenia may be finalized by the time of 2013 Eastern Partnership summit, EU Commissioner Stefan Fule said speaking at the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum.

“If the reform process is accelerated and we maintain the current pace of negotiations of Association Agreements, including the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas with the Republic of Moldova, Georgia and Armenia, then the prospects of finalizing these negotiations by the time of the Vilnius Summit in November 2013 are good,” he said.

The forum brought together over 200 representatives of civil society organisations (CSOs) from Eastern European countries and the European Union. Representatives of civil society from six partner countries and their counterparts from the European Union discussed further the contribution of the Forum to the implementation of the Eastern Partnership.

http://news.am/eng/news/130634.html

What is that smell in the air? Is it the Armenian oligarchs being xxxxed over? I think so, and let us hope that their hold on the country will end soon!

[Haykakan]

Re: Armenia's Economic Pulse

I will believe it when i see it. Nothing wrong with being hopeful though.

What is that smell in the air? Is it the Armenian oligarchs being xxxxed over? I think so, and let us hope that their hold on the country will end soon!