Viktor Yushchenko is leading in the presidential elections of Ukraine. Ukraine Central Election Commission representative who wished to remain unidentified informed this to ITAR-TASS correspondent. According to CEC representative, Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich is inferior to Yushchenko by 0,4%. {BR}

In the invitation of France Senate Chair Christian Ponslet, Armenian Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan will leave for Paris to take part in the meeting of Chairmen of South Caucasus Parliaments held by the initiative of Christian Ponslet on November 3-5. {BR} Tourism development and assessment of the cultural heritage are on the agenda. Political discussions on the regional problems are planned. During...

The first round of voting in the 31 October presidential election in Ukraine did not meet a considerable number of OSCE, Council of Europe and other European standards for democratic elections, concluded the International Election Observation Mission in a preliminary statement today.{BR} Nevertheless, the very high participation of the electorate and civil society in the election process show encouraging...

The Armenia organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) held its 8th Supreme Convention October 29-31 in Jermuk, Armenia. The Convention elected a Supreme Body (SB), which includes Armen Rustamian, Mikael Manukian, Levon Mkrtchian, Hrach Tedevosian, Spartak Seyranian, Hamlet Abrahamian, Bagrat Sargsian, Ashot Papazian and Vlad Kochunts. Armen Rustamian was elected the SB representative.

On October 29 at 15:55 PM shots were fired in the crossroad of Mashtotc Avenue and Tumanyan Street. Operational group arrived on the scene and found 2 corpses with gunshot wounds. {BR} One of the dead men is an Armenian from Georgia. The next is being identified. Shells of “Makarov” gun were found in the spot. Operational and investigation group managed to disclose the person having...

Conference on “Establishment of the environment more favorable for security through forming the public opinion” was finished in Yerevan. Representatives of Foreign Ministries of 25 states of European-Atlantic region, representatives of the accredited missions in NATO and officials of NATO Central Headquarters partook in it. {BR} Tatul Margaryan, Deputy Minister of Armenian Foreign Ministry...

President Robert Kocharyan has today held a working deliberation. Armenian and Nagorno Karabakh Government members partook in it. {BR} Kocharyan stated during numerous contacts with NKR President they have concluded that there is a task to regulate cooperation between the Executive Powers of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and to formalize the relations. President also said Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh...

A new report The National Integrity Systems TI Country Study Report - Armenia 2003 has been published today by Transparency International (TI) and TI’s national chapter in Armenia, the Centre for Regional Development (CRD)/TI Armenia. TI is the leading global non-governmental organisation devoted to combating corruption. {BR} The TI study assessed the effectiveness of the Armenian National...

Council of Social Investments convened Thursday its session in the government building to discuss a report on the work carried out for last three months.{BR} The session was presided by the Fund’s president and Armenian premier Andranik Margaryan. The work done was estimated as satisfactory.

Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan flew to Tbilisi on Thursday to attend 11th regular session of Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation to be held Friday.

Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan, welcoming participants of the first international conference of ArmAgroForum opened Thursday in Yerevan, stressed the extraordinary importance of the event and said large-scale programs are being implemented in agriculture, public health and education areas thanks to donor countries and international organizations.{BR}

The General Committee this morning decided to recommend the inclusion of three additional items on the General Assembly’s current agenda. The Committee, by a show of hands vote of nine in favour with none against and 14 abstentions, recommended the inclusion of an item on the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. The request was contained in a letter from the Permanent Representative...

Hamlet Gasparian, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: "Azerbaijan has always made unfounded statements about supposed ‘resettlement’ and other similar charges. Armenia has always refuted these charges and invited the international community to visit the region and see first hand for themselves. Azerbaijan has consistently opposed these Armenian proposals. {BR} We state...

Hamlet Gasparian, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, answers a question by Arminfo News Agency. {BR} Question: As reported in the Baku newspaper, 525, Azerbaijan’s FM Mamadyarov has announced that the Azerbaijani side is waiting for a response from Yerevan on the continuation of the Nagorno Karabakh peace process, since according to the Azerbaijani official, Armenian President...

Construction of a new Armenian settlement – Gohar district started in a deserted area a few kilometers far from Aleppo. Under the plan, there will be about 100 comfortable private residences in the district and it will be provided by all kind of modern equipment. {BR} Mohammad Nihad Mushantat, House Planning Minister of Syria, Aleppo Governor Usama Hamed Adi, Armenian General Consul to Aleppo...

Armenian government’s decision to make changes in ArmenTel company’s license has again produced no effect. The decision was to be enforced as soon as on Oct 28, however, the executive bodies adjourned the process for ten days.{BR} After giving careful consideration to the issue on changes and amendments to the license as well as the opportunity of signing compromising agreement with this...

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has today received Heikki Talvitie, EU Special Representative for Southern Caucasus. {BR} The meeting participants have dwelt on the present developments and trends of Karabakhi conflict settlement. Armenian FM introduced Armenia’s position on launching negotiations with Turkey over membership in European Union. Armenian President and Parliament...

Armenian president Robert Kocharyan met Friday with his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Sahakashvili, who came to Sadakhlo checkpoint at Armenia-Georgian border to welcome Kocharyan.{BR} After hearing the two countries’ anthems, the presidents greeted both sides’ delegations. Kocharyan is ser to meet Georgian PM Zurab Zhvania, Georgian parliament speaker Nino Burdzanadze, Georgian Church...

Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan met Friday with ministers and regional governors to discuss the government-funded programs on construction and repair of schools implemented in Armenian regions.{BR} The government expenditures related to the programs to be carried out in 2005 in education, culture and other areas were discussed as well. Margaryan says the government intends to increase the level...

Fifty-nine years ago, the United Nations was founded as an instrument of peace, human rights and development. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed the world nations with a message on Friday.{BR} "Each nation needs a government that truly serves its people. And we all need an effective United Nations – one that reflects the world we live in today, and can meet the challenges we will face...

Austria-based European Ombudsman Institute’s source said Thursday Armenian ombudsman institution had been given membership in the EOI.{BR} The institution applied for joining the EOI in this year May.

President Kochryan flew Friday to Tbilisi at his Georgian counterpart Mikhail Saakashvili invitation.{BR} Before his departure from Yerevan, Robert Kocharyan had a telephone talk with Russian president Vladimir Putin and discussed some urgent issues with him, Kremlin press service reports.

Government made a decision to permit Yerevan Mayor to lease out 256.0 hectares of the lands in Dalma Gardens without a tender up to 10 years to the citizens who have signed lease contracts with Shahumyan District Executive Committee and Malatia-Sebastia Commune Office by 31.03.2004. {BR} The decision provides that without proper contracts no lease contracts will be concluded with the unauthorized land-users.

Armenian Ecology Ministry is henceforth responsible for non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Government has made a decision on honouring the commitments Armenia assumed under the contract with International Agency of Atomic Energy. {BR} Ecology Minister was set a task to make the list for required information and data by December 10, 2004.