Friday 1 January 2016

Armenian News ... A Topalian... St David's Cathedral


Dedication of St David's Cathedral Statue, Wales 
as reported on Armenian TV: 


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1m-HPv4oJaEMWVRbGlvaDBwS3M/view?pref=2&pli=1 



armenpress.am 

FIRST PART OF NORTH-SOUTH ROAD CORRIDOR OPENED
29 December, 2015


YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29. The opening of two-way traffic
of the first part of the road (tranche 1) Yerevan-Artashat and
Yerevan-Ashtarak has been held in the framework of "North-South Road
Corridor Investment Program". "Armenpress" reports that the overall
funding of the North-South Program, Tranche 1 amounted to 70 million
USD. It was realized by the loan funds secured by the Asian Development
Bank and cofinancing by the Republic of Armenia.

The President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan attended the
opening ceremony of the first part of the North-South Road Corridor.

According to Chief Executive Officer Artur Sargsyan of the "North-South
Road Corridor Investment Program" SNCO, the road is of international
level and it will have more than a 30-year life.

Regarding the criticism by some persons that the Georgia road of the
same kind is better and no noise is heard while driving, Sargsyan said
that there is no difference in terms of quality, and there is noise
while driving on the road, as the junctures have not integrated yet.

President of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen Arsen Ghazaryan
emphasizes that the highway will contribute not only to the development
of business, but will also make Armenia a transit country corresponding
to European standards.

"The road will bring speed, flexibility, European culture. It will
contribute not only to the development of business, but also will
turn Armenia into a country having a transit function," Ghazaryan said. 


armenpress.am
16 THOUSAND SYRIAN-ARMENIANS, 1000 IRAQI-ARMENIANS 
AND 130 UKRAINIANS HAVING REFUGEE STATUS SETTLED IN 
ARMENIA
29 December, 2015

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 29. The Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Refugees is one of the primary organizations
in expressing support and assistance for integration for more than
16.000 persons who settled in Armenia because of the long war in Syria
according to the official data. The External Relations Associate at the
Armenian Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) Anahit Hayrapetyan, during the interview with "Armenpress",
mentioned that people, moved to Armenia from Syria, have got used to
the conditions here, got introduced to the market, as well as they
have a great potential for integration.

-How many persons moved to Armenia since the beginning of Syrian war
and how many of them were provided a citizenship and refugee status?

- The calculation is done through the principle how many people have
come in and come out. Overall, about 19 thousand people arrived
in Armenia from Syria from who 16.000 people settled here. 80% of
Syrian-Armenians have Armenian citizenship, about 20% - residency
status of various duration and only 500-600 persons - refugee status.

However, regardless of citizenship or refugee status, we equally
provide the same assistance to all of them if we see such need during
our planned visits.

-In general, what kinds of programs were implemented for displaced
persons from Syria in 2015?

- First, almost 90 percent of people settled in Armenia are from Syria
who receive assistance starting from basic first aid to the business
loans. For example, when a displaced family arrives in Armenia, they
get the necessary items for passing the first days: Children's diapers,
cooking and hygienic supplies, food and sleeping pad. Then, the family
is provided a bank account to which the flat fee reimbursement amount
is transferred, of course, if it is not located in the city center.

-How aid for displaced persons from other countries differs?

-there is a very big difference between the aid provided to displaced
persons from Syria and, for instance - from Iraq and Ukraine. A total
of about 1,000 persons emigrated from Iraq and we helped them to stand
up and with housing. Emergency assistance and integration programs
are being implemented for 130 Ukrainian emigrants who have a refugee
status in Armenia.


RFE/RL Report
Armenian PM Admits Slower-Than-Expected Growth
Sargis Harutyunyan
29.12.2015

Economic growth in Armenia in 2015 has fallen short of a 4.1 percent
target that was set by the government a year ago, Prime Minister Hovik
Abrahamian acknowledged on Tuesday.

"We are going to have a growth rate of about 3 percent or even
slightly more than that," he told reporters. "We will calculate and
present [precise growth data.] But that will not solve the issue of
ensuring the people's welfare."

Abrahamian blamed the slower-than-expected growth on external factors,
presumably including a recession in Russia that has significantly
reduced remittances from Armenian migrant workers. "We need to achieve
double-digit growth," he said. "But the existing realities do not
allow for such a possibility."

"If the government had been headed by someone else or if all our
ministers had been replaced nothing would have changed fundamentally,"
the premier added, defending his cabinet's economic record.

Abrahamian insisted in August that the government "will do everything"
to achieve the 4.1 percent growth target. He cited official statistics
showing that the Armenian economy expanded by 4.5 percent in the first
half of this year.

President Serzh Sarkisian similarly put a positive spin on Armenia's
macroeconomic performance in 2015 when he hosted an annual reception
for leading Armenian entrepreneurs last week. He argued that despite
adverse external influences the domestic economy has continued to grow
and the national currency has only slightly depreciated over the past
year.

Citing the economic situation in Russia, the International Monetary
and the World Bank said this spring that the Armenian economy will
barely grow or may even contract in 2015. Both institutions revised
their projections upwards in the following months.

The head of the World Bank office in Yerevan, Laura Bailey, said last
week that Armenia's Gross Domestic Product will increase by at least
3.2 percent in real terms in 2015. She forecast that growth will slow
down to 2.2 percent in 2016.

The Armenian government set the same growth target in its 2016 budget
proposal approved by the parliament earlier in December.


armradio.am
TOP 100 PLAYERS OF 2015: HENRIKH MKHITARYAN RANKED 
17TH
29 Dec 2015
Siranush Ghazanchyan


Sky Sports has counted down the top 100 players of 2015 as ranked
by WhoScored.com.

After every game, WhoScored.com gives players competing in Europe's
top five leagues a mark out of 10 based on a wide range of statistical
data.

Each player received an average score for 2015, and to qualify for
the list, players had to have made at least 20 league appearances.

With an average rating of 7.618, Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan
is placed 17th.

"One of the most talented players in the world," according to Jurgen
Klopp, but the Armenian appears to have benefited from the appointment
of Thomas Tuchel at Dortmund.

The attacking midfielder is in WhoScored's Bundesliga team of the
season at the winter break with a rating of 7.9 and has provided the
joint-most assists along with Rafael. 


A Story from Assadour Guzelian, London
“Ararat” Armenian Brandy and Winston Churchill 

29 October 2015 was a special day for Sotheby’s Auction House.
Under the auspices and with the participation of Albert, the Crown
Prince of Monaco, an auction was organised on the occasion of
the 50 th anniversary of Winston Churchill.

The main organisers of the event were Prince Albert of Monaco, the
British Ambassador to Monaco and the former Prime Minister and
current Ambassador of Armenia Dr. Armen Sarkissian. The entire
proceeds of the auction was allocated to Prince Albert’s charities
related to climatic changes.

Items being auctioned were the drinks, cigars and menswear of
renowned brands and others objects favoured by Churchill.

During the auction the main attention was focused on the statue of
Churchill by the well-known sculptor Oscar Nemon and a decades old
bottle of “Ararat” Armenian brandy with an interesting background history.

Many years ago, this unique bottle of Armenian brandy was sold at an
auction by Christy’s for more than GBP15, 000. According to the
documents provided the bottle was filled from the same barrels from
which for many years Stalin supplied Churchill with “Ararat” Armenian
brandy.

The exclusive bottle of brandy was donated to the auction by former
Prime Minister and current Ambassador of Armenia Dr. Armen Sarkissian.

Sotheby’s auction house was filled with many high class aristocrats.
What happened at the auction next, surpassed everyone’s expectation;
The 70 year old “Ararat” was sold for GBP 80,000, which is equal to
USD 120,000!

The participants to the auction with amazement and admiration spoke
about Armenia and the Armenians. Hopefully the unprecedented
success of the Armenian brandy in misty Albion will help to promote
the fame of “Ararat” brand.

When and where did Churchill first drink the Armenian brandy?

My wife Vivienne and I had the pleasure of enjoying the friendship of
Winston Churchill’s daughter Sara for many years, starting from late
1960s. When for the first time she was invited to dinner, she noticed in
our sitting room on the piano, a bottle of “Ararat” Armenian brandy.
She looked at the bottle with amazement and said,

“From 1945 until his death, my father used to drink this brandy.”

Then Sara told us when and where did Churchill first drank the “Ararat”.
During the Yalta Conference In 1945 February, after the dinner Stalin
asks Churchill if he wishes to have a drink?

“I like a brandy with my cigar”, answers   the British Prime Minister.

The host offers Churchill “Ararat”, the best Armenian brandy.

According to Sara, Churchill “falls in love” with “Ararat” Armenian
brandy and asks Stalin;

“Where can I purchase few bottles of this brandy?

Stalin instructs the Soviet ambassador to the U. K to present Churchill
with a case (12 bottles) of “Ararat” every month.

“My father passed away, but we continued receiving every month a
case of “Ararat”. Many years later, someone realises that the Embassy
has been

 sending brandy to a “dead” Churchill for the past ten years!
Unfortunately from that day on our source of the Armenian brandy dried
up! By the way, added Sara, I used to enjoy “Ararat” as much as my
father”.

After the dinner only the empty bottle of ‘’Ararat’’ remained on the
dining table!

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