From Itar-Tass:
Armenia, Iran to sign gas pipeline agt early April
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
The negotiations with Iran regarding the construction of a gas pipeline to Armenia reached the final stage, Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsesyan said on Tuesday. The sides have already reached accords on the main technical parameters of the pipeline.
From Associated Press:
A representative of a leading human rights organization was beaten by assailants on Tuesday and blamed the Armenian authorities for the attack, which left him hospitalized in serious condition.
Mikael Danielyan, the chairman of the Armenian Helsinki Foundation, was attacked by four assailants who cornered him in an alley near his home, according to his wife and the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights.
The McKinsey Quarterly (free registration required) has a good piece about Armenia’s software industry. Something quite in vogue, I believe there was an article in The Economist not too long ago…
Geopolitical problems and macroeconomic reforms are currently
preoccupying Armenia, but to achieve long-term growth and lift itself
out of poverty the former Soviet republic must also grapple with
microeconomic policy. Armenia should focus on developing the industry
sectors that have the best chance of competing globally and on
eliminating any barriers to productivity within them. Our study of this
landlocked economy in the Caucasus (Exhibit 1) suggests that software
and IT services are among its most promising sectors.
More on Kocharyan’s troubles, from Mediamax news agency:
“The overthrow of the regime of Armenia’s illegitimate president Robert Kocharyan is inevitable,” Albert Bazeyan, the chairman of the Republic Party and leader of the radical opposition, said in Yerevan today.
Addressing a briefing at the Armenian National Assembly today, Bazeyan stated the opposition’s resolve to obtain the holding of early “free and fair” presidential election.
“Although the power will formally go to the speaker of parliament or the head of the government after the president leaves, diarchy will be established in the country until the new election is held and the main levers will be in the opposition’s hands,” he said.
This from Transitions Online:
As the opposition prepares to challenge the president, Kocharian and his government play the good cop/bad cop routine.
AZG.am has this piece calling for a boycott of British ambassador to Armenia Thora Abbott-Watt.
This story has been simmering for a while, ever since the ambassador made her famous comments about the genocide.
From Turkish Daily News:
US: Opening Turkey’s border with Armenia would bring benefits
Deputy Secretary of State says opening of the gate would bring significant gains but is aware that Azerbaijan opposes the idea
ANKARA - Turkish Daily News
The United States believes there would be dramatic benefits of opening a border gate between Turkey and Armenia, although neighboring Azerbaijan is opponent of such a move, a top U.S. official has said.
This from the American Chamber of Commerce:
Yerevan. A Roundtable, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia (`AmCham’), took place on March 23rd 2004 in the Queen Erato Room of the Armenia Marriott Hotel.
more…
From Arminfo:
The mayor’s office has called on the police to ban a picket to protest against illegal construction in Yerevan’s green areas. The picket, however, took place on 27 March despite the presence of more than 20 policemen in uniform and in civilian clothes who avoided being filmed.
The organizer of the picket and leader of the Armenian social and ecological party, Armen Dovlatyan, said that Yerevan would become a desert if the illegal construction were to go on.
Representatives of NGOs, the faculty of botany of the Yerevan State University, the institute of zoology and the institute of botany of the Armenian botanical society, the academy of ecology and other organizations took part in the picket.
This story from ArmeniaNow.
Dissatisfaction from last years’ election rumbles on… Read the article
Azad-Hye.com was launched recently. It focuses on Armenian news from the UAE.
There is a email list as well, which has the usual news.
This from ArmenPress (by way of Groong):
YEREVAN, MARCH 26, ARMENPRESS: Deputy trade and development minister, Tigran Davtian, predicted today that the average amount of annual investments in the Armenian economy will from now on range between $200 million-250 million. Speaking to a news conference today, he said last year some $230 million had been invested, of which $160 million were direct investments, $40 of it came from a Russian-Armenian deal known as Assets for Debt, by which Armenia handed over some of its leading enterprises to Russia in return for its almost $100 million debt to Moscow. He said the amount of aggregate investments in Armenia since its independence is nearing $1 billion.
He then praised local businessmen, who are increasing gradually the volume of their investments in domestic enterprises. He said the structure of investments is also changing from commerce to industrial investments.
Davtian also cited some other figures, particularly, related to IT sector, whose exports last year amounted to $50 million, 85 percent making software products.
From Groong. Anyone in New York in April can check this out. I’ll be there.
NEW YORK - Following its sold-out run in San Francisco, the Armenian Film Festival is bringing a program of feature-length and short films by and about Armenians to New York City. Screenings will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday, April 16, 17, and 18, 2004 at the intimate and historic 100-seat Millenium Film Workshop in the East Village. Each screening is designed as an approximately two-hour program.
This from Armenian News Network:
A pan-Armenian Cultural Festival will be held in Yerevan, Armenia on August 14-23, 2004. The festival is organized by the Armenian Ministry of Culture and Youth to promote cultural ties and cooperation between Armenian organizations and individuals in Armenia and Diaspora, present modern and traditional Armenian art forms, and promote expression of artistic and creative spirit in Armenia and Diaspora.
Raffi over at cilicia.com has posted this poll about Flats (Apartments) for sale in Yerevan.
Looks like prices are on the rise. On my last visit I saw some of the apartments on Abovian Street nearest to Republic Square had been converted into palatial-looking residences.
From ArmenPress:
The amount of cash sent home by Armenians working abroad, the main source of income for thousands of families, reached last year some $544 million, as much as Armenia’s budget was, showing an $85 million growth over the previous year.
According to Armenia’s Central Bank, Russia accounts for most of the remittances increasingly handled by local commercial banks. Some $395 million were remitted from Russia, followed by the USA- almost $60 million, Germany-$13.1 million and Switzerland-$10.2 million.
The amount of money transfers to USA from Armenia last year was $63.5 million, to Russia-$56.7 million, $40 million were remitted to the United Arab Emirates, $26 million to Turkey and $23 million to Iran.
Commissions charged for such services have considerably dropped as a result of growing competition among the local banks specializing in the business.
This from PanARMENIAN.Net
The first group of repatriates from Russia will arrive in Armenia from Russia in late summer, said Chief of the Department of Migration and Refugees under the Armenian Government Gagik Yeganian. It should be noted that he is in Moscow at present to acquaint Armenian citizens living in Russia with the details of the Armenian-Russian agreement on voluntary resettlement. It should be noted that the document, signed already in 1998, remained idle due to absence of mechanisms for its realization. In the course of the visit to Moscow members of the Armenian delegation met with the Consul of Armenia in Russia, representatives of Armenian non-governmental organizations, head of the New Nakhichevan Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Bishop Yezras and local Armenians. “These meetings are called to contribute to our compatriots getting to know about benefits being granted in case of their return to the fatherland. For example, many people do not know that in case of moving, the Armenian party will assume all property transportation expenses,” G. Yeganian said, noting that repatriates are generally preoccupied with issues referring to paper work.
This from Pravda
Surely this aid will be tied to purchasing Japanese farm equipment?The Armenian agriculture minister, David Lozhan, and an adviser to the economic section of the Japanese embassy in Russia, Masataka Esidzave, on Monday signed an agreement for the transfer to Armenia of a Japanese grant worth USD 1.8 million.
As reported by a Rosbalt correspondent, the grant would be used to buy fertilizer and agricultural equipment for Armenian farmers. According to Masataka Esidzave, Japan considers the South Caucasus to be an extremely important region, both politically and economically.
‘It is important to us that the South Caucasus be stable,’ he said, noting that Japanese financial aid was intended specifically to promote stability in the region. In 1997, Japan granted Armenia financial assistance worth more than USD 19 million.
Blogrel is born. A new blog about Armenia: Business, politics, the future and good lavash!
I will use this space to talk about the latest Armenian news, issues that affect Armenia and the Diaspora. It will be a mix of quotes from news sources such as Groong, ArmeniaNow, and my thoughts about business and development in Armenia.
- Matt
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