Few professionals dealing with a problem of the Armenian genocide recognition, are aware of the fact how closely are linked with each other the events of 1915 in Ottoman Turkey and those in Azerbaijan in 1918-20, political expert Levon Melik-Shakhazarov said at today's press-conference.

In this context, he criticized the work of Armenia's Foreign Ministry and said that it does not take the needed efforts for development of this issue and does not use its potential. "Mainly, our compatriots living in abroad have been dealing with a problem of international recognition of the Armenian genocide, thanks to their enthusiasm. And they are not even supported from Armenia. However, one should take into account that such a situation cannot last long", - he said.

"Our country has been taking no efforts to study materials in archives and to reveal all the facts that prove genocide. Moreover, scientists do not study the problem at the needed level, as unfortunately, they do not get the needed financing...This will undoubtedly negatively affect Armenia's positions in this issue", - the expert said.

He also added that historical facts are evidence of the fact that in 1918-20 250-270 thsd Armenians were killed in Azerbaijan. "There is little information about the genocide of that period, as immediately after those events, in 1920 all the archives were closed and we managed to open them in the 90-s", - he said.

Heritage Party Vice Chairman Armen Martirosyan has been summoned to the Special Investigation Service of Armenia for interrogation on April 22, Martirosyan told ArmInfo.

A criminal case on the basis of Article 309.2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (abuse of power accompanied by violence, use of weapons or special means) has been initiated at the Special Investigation Service on the basis of Martirosyan's application.

On April 9 simultaneously with Serzh Sargsyan's swearing-in ceremony Raffi Hovannisian took an oath in front of the people in the Liberty Square and then organized a march along Baghramyan Street to the president's residency. As a result, there were clashes with the police. Heritage Party Deputy Head Armen Martirosyan was beaten up.

 If evil tongues do not call Placido Domingo to Armenia, Taron Margaryan will remain of his position of the Yerevan Mayor till the expiry of his term, Hovhanness Sahakyan,

Secretary of the Republican Party of Armenia Faction in the Parliament told media in response to the question if he rules out Taron Margaryan's replacement in case of his re-election given the fact that RPA has changed 3 mayors over the last few years.

He said that the citizens of Yerevan like the incumbent mayor. That is why he tops the Republican Party List at the upcoming elections to the Elders' Council of Yerevan. Asked if the public dislike for the Republican Party will affect Margaryan's image, Sahakyan said that the there are citizens that dislike the Republican Party but there are also the ones pin hopes with the RPA.

"Taron Margaryan is part of the team his roots are connected with and this connection cannot affect him," Sahakyan said.

To recall, in 2010 the former mayor of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan lost his position after he beat up Aram Kandayan, the employee of the protocol service of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan's Administration. At the concert of world-renowned tenor Placido Domingo in Yerevan, Kandayan asked the wife of the former mayor to change her seat, as the given seats were for the Catholicos or the parliament speaker in line with the protocol.

 Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan is a perfect specialist but the system does not let him  demonstrate his professional skills, the first secretary of the Communist Party of Armenia, Ruben Tovmasyan, said at today's press-conference when replying to ArmInfo correspondent's question.

"President Serzh Sargsyan appreciates Tigran Sargsyan like a specialist. For this reason, he left him at the position of premier, paying no attention at rumors and criticism", - he said. He also added that the social and economic situation is hard in Armenia. This leads the people to the square where the
opposition leaders hold rallies.

He also added that he is not going to join Hovannisian's movement, as he does not have any ideological common points with the movement  which offers nothing new. "Only persons will change, but no radical change should be expected in the life of the country.  The authorities themselves do not know how to open the promised job places and how to develop economy", - he said.

Tbilisi. Georgian President, Mikheil Saakashvili, played 'a Russian game' and turned out to be 'a puppet' in Russia's hands - State Minister for Reintegration, Paata Zakareishvili, stated when commenting on the August war 2008.

Tbilisi. On Thursday, April 18, Maia Panjikidze began  her first official visit to Canada in the rank of the Foreign Minister of Georgia, the Press and Information Department of Georgian MFA  reported.     

Tbilisi.  In the framework f the official visit to the USA, First Deputy Defence Minister of Georgia Levan Dolidze and Deputy Chief of Joint Staff of Armed Forces of the country, Colonel Vladimir Chachibaya met with U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Eric Rubin and discussed security issues with him, the defence department's press- service reports on Thursday, April 18. 

Tbilisi. On Thursday, April 18, Prime Minister of Georgia Bidzina Ivanishvili met in Tbilisi with German diplomat, UN former Special Representative to Georgia Dieter Boden,  the premier's press-service reports.

Baku. April 21, a four-day official visit of the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to Israel will start. He will have a number of meetings with representatives of the Israeli government, in conversations which there will be discussed not only the strengthening of bilateral relations, but also the Iranian and Turkish subjects.  As the site IzRus said, the first meeting will be with Avigdor Lieberman - the former Chief Minister and current Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy and Defense.  After the conversation with Lieberman, the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan will travel to Ramallah to meet with the leadership of the Palestinian Authority.  April 22 Mammadyarov will meet with President Shimon Peres met Deputy Foreign Minister Zeev Elkin and visit the memorial Yad Vashem.

Armenian and Iranian Culture Ministries signed an action plan for 2013-2016.  Acting Minister of Culture of Armenia Hasmik Poghosyan and Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran Seyed Mohammad Hoseini signed the document in Yerevan, Friday.

The Iranian minister said that the two parties will organize culture weeks and participation of their representatives in international festivals, competitions and exhibitions. In addition, the two countries will enhance cooperation in the sphere of cinematography, particularly, joint film production and demonstration of films by Armenian and Iranian organizations.

Mutual visits of museum and library specialists, students and experts as well as organization of seminars and conferences are expected. The two parties will enhance cooperation of the National Library of Armenia and the National Library and Archive of Iran.

A delegation of the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance headed by Minister Seyed Mohammad Hoseini is on a return visit to Armenia on April 18-20. The visit program includes meetings with Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, Acting Minister of Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan, Acting Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan. The delegation is expected to visit Etchimadzin, Zvartnots Temple, Matenadaran Museum of Ancient Manuscripts, and the Blue Mosque in Yerevan. It is noteworthy that Armenia is expected to apply for inclusion of the given mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Tigran Sargsyan will remain Prime Minister of Armenia. The relevant decision was taken at the Apr 18 session of the Executive Body of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA). The session was chaired by Leader of the RPA, President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.   

To recall, on April 9 the Government resigned after the swear-in ceremony of the Armenian President. According to the Constitution, the President is to appoint the new premier within 10 days after taking the office. The new Government is to be formed within 20 days after the premier's appointment.

 Proparco (Investment and Promotion Company for Economic Cooperation) and Ameriabank signed a USD 15 million credit facility agreement, it being the first investment of Proparco in Armenia and the second one in South Caucasus. The official website of Ameriabank says that the CFA signatories are Mr. Jerome Bertrand-Hardy, Deputy Chief Investment Officer at Proparco, and Mr.  Artak Hanesyan, Chairman of Management Board-General Director at Ameriabank. The signing ceremony was attended by Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Armenia Mr. Henri Reynaud.

Agribusiness plays a key role in the development of Armenia's economy. This new financing project implemented by Proparco and Ameriabank will open new long-term financing opportunities for small and medium businesses in food processing industry, boosting Armenia's economy and adding new jobs.

Jerome Bertrand-Hardy said: "As a first operation in Armenia, Proparco is proud to support Ameria Bank, a leading financial institution with a dynamic growth strategy which supports investments in the agribusiness sector. This sector is indeed one of the main focuses of Proparco in the Caucasus region and in Armenia in particular. Its market position, financial strength, competent management and privileged partnership with development finance
institutions make it a partner of choice".

"We welcome Proparco's entry to Armenia. We highly appreciate our partnership with Proparco, enabling us to diversify our loan portfolio and increase SME lending. This credit facility will allow us to keep financing SMEs, particularly those with their focus on Agribusiness/Food processing, considering them as the main drivers of our national economy. Under this credit facility SMEs will be able to obtain long-term financing to expand their businesses, strengthen their competitiveness" - commented Artak Hanesyan, Ameriabank General Director. He said that in Q1 2013 the Bank increased SME lending by 15%. Hanesyan added that in 2013 the Bank is going to increase its SME loan book by 75%.

French Ambassador Henri Reynaud said that Proparco's activity in Armenia will contribute to consolidation of Armenian-French economic relations. This meets the priorities of the activity of the French diplomatic mission in Armenia and is the specific expression of the French Development Agency's policy launched several years ago.  

According to the Analysis and Financial Ratings of Armenian Banks prepared by the Agency of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo), in 2012 Ameriabank was among the top three leaders of the Armenian banking system by the loan book amount, having increased this index by 7.9% versus 2011 to 153 bln AMD. In the loan book the share of SME loans made up 14%, or 21.3 bln AMD (12% y-o-y growth). By this indicator, the Bank was among the top ten leaders.

PROPARCO is a Development Finance Institution jointly held by Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD) and public and private shareholders from the North and South. Its mission is to catalyze private investment in emerging and developing countries with the aim of supporting growth, sustainable development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). PROPARCO finances investments that are economically viable, socially equitable, environmentally sustainable and financially profitable. PROPARCO is one of the main bilateral development finance institutions in the world. It invests on four continents encompassing the major emerging countries and the poorest countries, particularly in Africa, and has a high level of requirements in terms of social and environmental responsibility.

Ameriabank is a dynamically developing bank and one of the most stable and largest financial institutions in Armenia. As the first Investment bank in Armenia, Ameriabank has been providing a large package of innovative investment services since 2007. Now Ameriabank, as a universal bank, offers a wide range of comprehensive banking services to its both corporate and retail clientele.

Unibank, which has issued a total of 145 thsd Visa and ArCa cards so far, has organized a round-the-clock (7/24) support service in order to ensure maximum comfort when serving its cardholders. The support service phone number is (+374 10) 555-385.

Unibank's press service told ArmInfo that one can request the support service to provide information about card accounts and ATMs, as well as to provide consultation in case problems arise when using the cards, particularly, when the card is swallowed by an ATM, lost or stolen; and to block the card by a telephone request.

The Analytical Review "Armenian Banks in Card Business" by the Agency of Rating Marketing Information (ArmInfo) says that as of 1 Oct 2012 Unibank's active cards totaled over 119 thsd , and the Bank was among the top five leaders by this indicator. The share of salary projects in the total number of Unibank's active cards was more than 31%, with the y-o-y growth of the absolute index being 18.4%. By the plastic transactions the Bank was among the top ten leading banks (almost 20% y-o-y growth). By the number of POS-terminals, the Bank held the third position (25% y-o-y growth), and by the number of ATMs - the sixth position. The Bank increased the number of its ATMs by 6 to 85. 47 of them are in Yerevan, the others are in the regions. Unibank issues and serves local ArCa cards and international Visa cards. The bank also issues Visa chip cards.

 A number of Armenian NGOs in Georgia have asked the Georgian Parliament to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but the Parliament has refused to do it, reports Caucasus Online.

One of the leaders of the parliamentary majority Levan Bardzenishvili said that Armenia has no ground for blaming Georgia.

"When the events took place, the Georgians acted as a worthy neighbor should: they provided shelter to Armenians and expressed their attitude to what had happened. It would be politically unfair to claim more.  Political recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Georgia is impossible," the Georgian MP said.

 Haypost has launched its new Call Center intending to increase the level of the service and customer interactions at all levels, "Haypost" CJSC press-service reported.

The Call center is equipped with the latest technologies which allow handling multiple calls simultaneously. Interactive Voice Response (IVR) integration ensures distribution of calls by divisions. Additionally, call recording enables monitoring the quality of the service.

For that purpose, Haypost has increased the number of the Call Center staff which was trained to meet the high-quality service requirements.

Adopting customer service professional approach and customer-driven quality Haypost Trust Management makes one step further on the path of modernizing and transforming the Armenian national postal operator into one of the leaders in the sector.

A group of Iranian parliamentarians has prepared a bill that gives Iran the right to insist on re-annexing Azerbaijani to Iran, Golos Rossii Radio reports.

The source reports that the bill that terminates Gulistan Treaty of 1913 and the Turkmenchay Treaty of 1928 between Persia and Russia is a political propaganda, first of all. It has no perspectives, but openly demonstrates the tension in the relations of Tehran and Baku. Historically, Azerbaijanis proved to be divided between two super powers on the basis of the above treaties. However, the political and public systems in their countries are also different. The views of the ruling elites in Tehran and Baku regarding the prior state and national interests do not coincide either.  Over the years of Azerbaijan's independence, the neighbors have accumulated many claims to each other at the state level. 

Director of the Russian Center for Public and Political Studies Vladimir Yevseev says Iran is dissatisfied with secularization and European lifestyle of its northern neighbors. Tehran is indignant at the close ties of Baku with Israel, USA and NATO. Baku, in turn, is concerned over active religious propaganda among Azerbaijani population by Iranian preachers. Baku is discontented at Tehran's support to Armenia in the Karabakh conflict. There are serious discrepancies also on the status of the Caspian Sea region and the hydrocarbon reserves.

These complicate relations prompt hotheads in Baku and Tehran raise provocative issue on unification of Azerbaijanis of the two countries under the flag of their country.

For the first time, one of the conflicting parties comes out for denunciation of the treaties of the 19th century that legitimize the existing borders and give the region certain stability.  Some parliamentarians come out for a referendum in the territory of Azerbaijan on Armenia's annexing to Iran. Another parliamentarian Mansur Hakikatpur has already began forming a Movement of 17 cities of the Caucasus to restore Iran's control over Azerbaijan. The
parliamentarian thinks that to fulfill its goals, the Movement may need a local war.

Not all politicians in Iran share these views, however. Former parliamentarian Heshmatollah Falahatpishe believes that aggravation of tension between Iran and Azerbaijan is not in favor for either Tehran or Baku.  Over the last decades disastrous changes have been observed in the world. Many ruling regimes have been overthrown. Treaties and agreements turn into pieces of paper, which sometimes results in deaths of dozens of thousand of people. The epicenters of such geopolitical shifts are in various parts in the world and in the given region.

Today, the maximum buying rates at commercial banks of Yerevan were 415,5 drams for 1 dollar, 542drams for 1 EUR and 13,2 drams for 1 Russian ruble. The minimum selling rates stood at 416,7 drams for 1 dollar, 545,5 drams for 1 EUR and 13,2 drams for 1 Russian ruble.