LETHAL LANDS: A total of 11,108 hectares of land in Armenia remain mined with explosives, according to the American specialists Vivian Walker, the US charge d'affaires in Armenia.

Noyan Tapan reported November7 that the US government has spent $8.5 million on the humanitarian mine-clearance program, which is being implemented in Armenia jointly with the Armenian Defense Ministry.

POVERY REDUCTION: Within the framework of the credit project on Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility (PRCF), Armenia can receive the recurrent International Monetary Fund (IMF) credit of about $14 million, PanARMENIAN.Net reported November 8.

IMF permanent representative in Armenia James McHugh said the Armenian government fulfilled one of the key requirements of the PRGF and improved the level of tax collection in the current year that should lead to growth of the budget expenses for the social sphere.

GAS TO EACH HOUSE: The "HayRusGasArd" Russian-Armenian JSC intends to provide the same level of natural gas supply to Armenia by 2008 as the country enjoyed during the USSR central heating times, Azg daily reported November 8.

Currently, the overall figure of the Russian-Armenian gas company's consumers is 165,000. The company intends to increase the number of its consumers to 400,000.

KARABAKH ECONOMY: Officials in Nagorno Karabagh said that around 803 formerly state-run enterprises were privatized in the republic between 1998 and 2003 August, Armenpress reported November10.

The privatized companies have created 664 new jobs and makes only 85 percent of enterprises projected to be privatized.

TREATMENT IN MOSCOW: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, who has a history of heart problems left for Moscow November 11 to undergo medical tests in one of the local clinics there, the RFE/RL Yerevan bureau reported.

The statement of the Armenian government's press office said the one-week medical examination will have a "general" character. The statement did not specify whether he is suffering from a particular ailment at the moment. The 52-year-old premier, who has visible trouble breathing, had undergone a heart surgery in Yerevan four years ago and spent about two weeks in France last year for an intensive cardiac therapy.

FUNDS FOR HIGHWAY: On November 21 the concert "Road to Future," will be organized by the Armenia pan-Armenian Fund to raise money for the construction of the North-South highway in Nagorno-Karabakh, Yerkir daily reported November 11.

The project started three years ago has already had a lot of success thanks to generous donations from Armenians all over the world.
SIAMESE TWINS DIED: Female Siamese twins born in Yerevan November 12 died the next day, Armifo reported. It is the second case of the Siamese twins born in Yerevan this year. Last July doctors conducted surgery on Siamese-twin girls but the twins did nor survive. Doctors said that reasons of the birth of Siamese twins may be either of genetic nature or as a result of radiation influence.

RUSSIAN JET CRASHED: A Russian Mig-29 fighter jet crashed November 12 near the Lusaghbyur village, 15 kilometers east of Gyumri, Azg daily reported.

The rescuers found its wreckage and the body of its only crew, a first class Russian military pilot, Kostandin Kardash, 39. A special commission was set at Russian Air Force headquarters in Moscow, which is expected to arrive in Armenia today to investigate the incident.

AWARD FOR GENOCIDE BOOK: A book by historian Marco Impaglazio "Window to Genocide: Unpublished Documents on Armenian Massacres, 1915-1916," received this year's Minturno national award of Italy, Yerkir daily reported November 12. The book that was published by Guerini Publishing house in 2000, describes the massacres of Diarbekir and Mardin.

MILITARY COOPERATION: Russia will continue to deliver weapons and military hardware to Armenia "on privileged terms" and plans to modernize its military base there to further strengthen ties with its main regional ally, said Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov in the end of his two days visit to Yerevan.

RFE/RL reported November 13 that the Russian diplomat stated that the ongoing arms supplies, which have long been protested by neighboring Azerbaijan, do not threaten regional stability as they stem from the Russian-led Collective Security Treaty of several ex-Soviet states, including Armenia.

NEW US EMBASSY: The construction of a new building of the US Embassy in Armenia will be completed in December 2004, Arka reported November 13. The area of the new embassy, located near the Yerevan artificial lake, is 90,469 square meters. The territory will comprise a five- floored building of the Embassy, the office of USAID, a two-floored building for the Navy and storehouses.

LINCY PROGRAM COMPLETED: The program of building and reconstructing apartments in Armenia's earthquake zone with a total budget of $45 million has been accomplished, Armenpress reported November 13. The money was part of a $150 million grant, donated to Armenia by US-based Lincy Foundation of billionaire Kirk Kerkorian.

In total 143 buildings were built in the zone, of which 85 are in Gyumri, the others in Spitak, Vanadzor and other earthquake-stricken regions. Armenian authorities say the project was among the most successful ones implemented in the region over the past 12 years.