RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan will leave for Ukraine on official duty on November 20-22. {BR} November 21 the RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan and the Ukraine Supreme Rada President Vladimir Litvin will meet. They will sign a memorandum about the inter governmental cooperation of the RA National Assembly and Ukrainian Supreme Rada. Within the framework of the visit Arthur Baghdasaryan will...

On November 17 Robert Kocharyan signed the Law on introducing changes and amendments into the RA Law on the Citizens who have not served in the RA army violating the stipulated order. {BR}

Today deputy defense minister, general lieutenant Arthur Aghabekyan received German Ambassador to Armenia Heike Renate Peitsch. {BR} The parties discussed the issues referring to the upcoming visit of the delegation of the German armed forces to Armenia and possibilities of holding consultations in the security field. Gen. Lieut. Aghabekyan presented the Ambassador the NATO Individual Partnership...

The swearing ceremony of newly appointed chairman of the Court of Appeals on Civic Issues Tigran Mukuchyan took place today. {BR} Assuming the post Tigran Mukuchyan swore to abide by the Constitution and laws, be impartial and human when administering justice. Congratulating Mukuchyan with the appointment Armenian President Robert Kocharian said he expects honest and impartial activities and expressed...

Human rights defender Larisa Alaverdyan made a statement calling upon the state bodies to respect human rights. “The Yerevan facilities construction program bases upon anti-constitutional acts pregnant with undesirable consequences that sometimes led to tragic outcomes. {BR} “Mass indignation of the citizens deprived of property, public condemnations of the process of property deprivation as well...

November Armenian President Robert Kocharian signed a decree on introducing amendments to the RA law “On Veterans of the Great Patriotic War”. {BR} According to the amendments, from January 1, 2006 the monthly premium to the veterans will make no less than 10 000 AMD.

On November 15 the Irani Islamic Republic President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad received the head of the RA President’s staff, President of the Armenian-Irani links coordinating inter governmental committee Artashes Toumanyan. {BR} Artashes Toumanyan delivered Robert Kocharyan's message in which he greeted the President of the country, the new Government and the people. Kocharyan voiced hope that the friendly...

On November 17 the CIS Inter Governmental Summit will start its 26th plenary session in Saint Petersburg. Drug addiction and drug trafficking in the CIS area will be at the center of attention of the Summit. RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan will make a speech in the session. {BR} Within the framework of the Inter Governmental Summit the RA NA President will also have two-party meetings with the...

The RA Referendum Central Committee informs that the publishing of the ballots of the Constitutional Referendum will start on November 18, 10:00 a.m., according to the 25th article of the RA Law on Referendum. {BR} The publishing of the ballots will be realized in the publishing house of the «Tigran Mets» CJSC.

Today the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will leave for Strasbourg to participate in the CoE Ministers’ Committee 115th session. {BR} November 17 Vardan Oskanyan will make speech as one of the main speakers of the session. November 18 the RA Foreign Minister will leave Strasbourg for Los Angeles and San Francisco to participate in the Pan-Armenian Fund Armenia annual TV marathon.

On 16 November the civilized world celebrates the International Tolerance Day founded by the United Nations. In this connection the RA Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan has made an official statement. {BR} "One could just join the numerous true words about the need of being more tolerant and respecting others' rights, which undoubtedly sound nowadays more than actually. However, I believe that on this...

Today RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan received Russian Accounts Chamber Chairman Sergey Stepashin. {BR} Russian Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov and Chairman of the Armenian Control Chamber Gagik Voskanyan were also present at the meeting. The parties discussed the legislative and practical activities of both structures. S. Stepashin presented the NA Speaker the work of the Russian Accounts...

The Armenian delegation led by head of the president administration, chairman of the intergovernmental commission for coordination of Armenian-Iranian ties Artashes Tumanyan met in Iran with the Energy Minister, Deputy Minister of Oil and Deputy Foreign Minister of the country. {BR} Artashes Tumanyan and Energy Minister Parviz Fattah exchanged views about the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline construction...

Today Tajikistani President Emomali Rakhmonov arrived in Yerevan on a short-term visit.{BR} He met with RA President Robert Kocharian to discuss the issues referring to bilateral cooperation.

On November 9-13 the PACE President Rene van der Linden visited Turkey at the invitation of the President of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. During the visit he called on Turkish authorities to speed up the reforms for the accession to the EU and also to ensue their implementation. {BR} He has mentioned the importance of the freedom of religion and in this context warned of considerable danger...

By the November 14 decree of Robert Kocharyan RA Civic cases Court of Appeal President Marat Katvalyan has been resigned of his post because of advanced age. {BR} By another decree the Lori region Court of First Instance judge Gevorg Ayvazyan has been resigned of his post according to his appeal.

Director of the “Millennium Challenges” Corporation John Danilovich has sent a message to Robert Kocharyan informing that on November 8 the Corporation directors’ council has re-elected Armenia as a country corresponding to the financing of the “Millennium Challenges” fund. {BR} John Danilovich congratulated Armenia on being re-elected on behalf of the US Government and voiced hope that the dialogue will be continuous as a result of which...

The RA Defender of human rights Larissa Alaverdyan was in Georgia on official visit together with the representatives of her administration. {BR} The aim of the meeting with the Georgian Ombudsman Sozar Subari was to discuss issues about the educational and cultural rights and the preservation of the cultural heritage of Armenians in Georgia. The Ombudsman got acquainted with the condition of the...

On November 15 the Governmental delegation with the RA PM Andranik Margaryan at the head will leave for Tunisia to participate in the 2nd phase of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which is to take place on November 16-18. {BR} Governmental delegations of more than 170 countries, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and the most prominent private companies of...

By decree of Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan Lilit Asatryan was removed from the post of the RA Deputy Minister of Culture and youth Affairs. {BR} According to another decree Arthur Poghosyan was appointed to the above mentioned position.

Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Alcee Hastings. {BR} The parties discussed organization works for the constitutional referendum. The RA FM presented the domestic political situation in Armenia on the threshold of the referendum and also approaches and arguments of the government. The interlocutors also touched upon the latest developments,...

Today RA President Robert Kocharian signed the decree on convening a special sitting of the National Assembly. {BR} The agenda includes the discussion of the bill “On State Budget for 2006”, a number of issues referring to the tax service and amendments to the law “On State Pensions” and “Minimal Monthly Salary.”

Today the RA Foreign Ministry signed an agreement on consultations with the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The agreement was concluded by Ambassador Kim Jae-sup and RA Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburdyan. {BR} The agreement provides for holding of diplomatic consultations within the framework of bilateral relations, economic and cultural ties, cooperation within the UN and other...

Today RA Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan met the head of the Democratization administration of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Vladimir Shkolnikov. {BR} Referring to the issues about the Institution Mrs. Alaverdyan mentioned about the law level of awareness of the population about human rights especially in rural places, and the absence of the regional representatives of...