ARMGATE SPOTLIGHT

Your Open Gate to Armenia


Issue #53, November 29, 1999

Dear readers,

A year has passed since we sent the first issue of our Spotlight.
With kind support of Snark News Agency we were able to introduce
the first English language free electronic News Digest addressed to
readers both in Armenia and abroad. We are happy that our spotlight
has become so popular. It already has almost 1,000 subscribers
from all over the world, and this number is growing every week.
Thank you all for your letters, suggestions, comments, just for
reading our newsletter.

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$5.75 MLN COLLECTED DURING TV MARATHON IN LOS ANGELES FOR
CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH-SOUTH HIGHWAY IN KARABAKH
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27. (SNARK). $5.75 mln were collected during
the TV marathon conducted at Los Angeles and aimed at means
collecting for construction of North-South highway in Mountainous
Karabakh. The chairman of the Lincy Foundation Kirk Kirkorian
transferred $1 mln on the account of the Hayastan All-Armenian
Fund, which deals in construction of the highway. The Chairman of
the All-Armenian Benevolent Union Luise Simon-Manoukian
transferred - $350,000. The charity contributions were made by
7,000 individuals. It is noteworthy that some $25 mln are
necessary for the construction of 169 km highway North-South.
Plant, Grand Tobacco Armenian-Canadian plant and others.

ARAM SARGSIAN: ARMENIA WILL ONLY WELCOME ATTRACTION OF RUSSIAN
CAPITAL TO ECONOMY OF COUNTRY
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 26. (SNARK). Today the third meeting of the
Intergovernmental commission for economic and scientific-
technical cooperation between the Russian Federation and Armenia
took place in Yerevan. Greeting the participants in the meeting,
Prime Minister of Armenia Aram Sargsian noted that the period
between the second and third meetings was very important to
Armenia. Recently, stressed the Premier, a new Government has
been created. This Government is going to continue the line of
its predecessors, which aims at strengthening the cooperation
with Russia. The Premier also expressed gratitude to the
administration and the people of Russia for assistance and
support rendered in those dreadful days after Oct 27.

THE QUESTION OF CONSTRUCTION OF GASMAIN IRAN-ARMENIA TURNS ON
FINANCING BY ARMENIAN SIDE
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 25. (SNARK). The main problem in the way of the
implementation of the project of the Iran-Armenia gasmain is the
financing by the Armenian side, charge d'affaires ad interim of
Iran to Armenia Ekma Tokla Horbani announced to SNARK. "I think
that this issue will find its solution", added the Iranian
diplomat. May we remind that the construction of the gasmain is
estimated at $120 mln. According to the project Armenian will
receive from 1 to 2.5 bln cubic meters of gas a year. The primary
variant of the intergovernmental agreement foresaw that Armenia
would undertake the whole of financing of the project. Then an
idea of creating a consortium arose and such organizations as the
"Gasprom" Russian JSC, Gaz de France French company wished to
take part in it. Big Chinese companies have recently announced of
their interests in the project as well.

IN CONNECTION WITH SUCCESSFUL START OF CLINICAL TESTS OF
ARMENIKUM, THREAT OF INRUSH OF AIDS PATIENTS FROM ALL AROUND THE
WORLD INTO ARMENIA HAS BECOME TANGIBLE
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 24. (SNARK). In connection with the successful
start of clinical tests of the "Armenikum" preparation used in a
medical treatment for AIDS, a threat of uncontrollable inrush of
AIDS patients into Armenia has become tangible. This urged the
Armenia Government to engage in making efforts towards the
regulation of this process and to try to legalize it. Minister
for Health Care of Armenia Hayk Nikoghosian introduced the draft
of amendments to the law "on prevention of contracting AIDS" to
Armenian parliament. MPs approved of the above mentioned legal
initiative of the Government and adopted the law in the first
reading.

DASHNAKSOUTUN PARTY SUPPORTS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT'S POLICY DIRECTED
TO REGULATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
YEREVAN. NOVEMBER 32.(SNARK). The Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Dashnaksoutun (ARFD) supports the policy of the
Armenian President Robert Kocharian aimed at regulation of the
Armenian-Turkish relations, however Armenia should not forget the
Armenian Genocide of 1915 in Ottoman Turkey, the deputy political
representative of Supreme body of ARFD Armen Roustamian said to
Snark correspondent while commenting results of the OSCE Istanbul
summit.

FOR 9 MONTHS $75 MLN INVESTED TO ARMENIA'S ECONOMY
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23.(SNARK). According to the preliminary data,
for 9 months, 1999, the volume of the direct foreign investments
to Armenia's economy made $75 mln. The same showing made $143 mln
for the analogous period in 1998, SNARK was informed at the
Armenian Ministry on Statistics, State Register and Analysis.
Large sums have been invested to the Armentel, the Yerevan Brandy

NEW BANKNOTES OF 500 AND 5,000 DRAMS TO BE ISSUED AT BEGINNING OF
2000
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 25.(SNARK). At the beginning of 2000, the 500-
dram and 5,000-dram banknotes of new pattern are to be issued in
Armenia, the Head of the Department on emission operations and
money reserves of the Central Bank of Armenia Gevork Tumanian
informed. The talented Armenian architect, author of the general
plan Alexander Tamanian will be pictured at the 500-dram
banknotes and the Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanian will be seen
at the 5,000- dram banknote. All banknotes of 1993-1995 will be
in circulation till January 1, 2004.


During the last week subscribers of SNARK News Services could
also read (to learn subscription details visit www.snark.am or
send mail to snark@arminco.com):

- DUE TO ITS RESOURCES, SECOND UNIT OF ARMENIAN NUCLEAR POWER IS
ABLE TO WORK TILL 2025
- IV FORUM OF YEKRAPAH PUBLIC ORGANIZATION TO BE HELD DECEMBER3-4
- YEREVAN'S BREWERY CELEBRATED PRIZE WON IN GENEVA
- TENDER FOR PREPARATION OF A NECESSARY PACKAGE OF INFORMATION
FOR PRIVATIZATION OF THE HRAZDAN HYDRO POWER STATION IS
ANNOUNCED
- NEW DRAFT LAW ON PROTECTION OF COPYRIGHT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
UPON SUGGESTION OF WTO
- VARTAN OSKANIAN: ARMENIA WOULD WELCOME TURKEY'S ENTRANCE INTO
EUROPEAN UNION, HOWEVER A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS IN THIS COUNTRY
SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN
- HAS NAKHICHEVAN DECIDED TO DISMEMBER FROM AZERBAIJAN?
- VAHE GABRIELIAN: US PRESIDENT HIGHLY APPRECIATED EFFORTS OF
ARMENIA'S AND AZERBAIJAN'S PRESIDENTS AIMED AT SETTLEMENT OF
KARABAKH PROBLEM
- YEREVAN BRANDY PLANT RETURNING TO CIS MARKETS
- NEW-TYPE STREET CARD PHONES ABLE TO CALL TO ANY PLACE IN WORLD


Meanwhile on our site WWW.ARMGATE.COM you will find:

- Armgate News Center. Updated on daily basis Armenian news from
different sources
(http://www.armgate.com/news)
- brief Travel Guide to Armenia
(http://www.armgate.com/travel)
- more than 100 photos of beautiful Armenian churches and views
(http://www.armgate.com/churches)
- constantly updated information about Armenian Enterprises &
Organizations from SPYUR Information Service
(http://www.armgate.com/spyur).

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ARMGATE