According to RA Ministry of Diaspora, there are 75 Armenology centers outside Armenia. However, not all of them are active due to lack of funds. The centers, which are mainly sponsored by Armenian funds and organizations, have appreciable achievements in Armenology development and national identity retention.

Meanwhile, according to data from Armenian National statistical service, revenues from provision of internet services more than tripled in 2009 reaching 10 404.2 million drams. Revenues from mobile communications services made 105 766.6 million drams, while fixed line phone service revenues closed at 40 341.2 million. Lucine Harutyunian, 19, was named the 200 thousandth subscriber of Orange-Armenia, having bought a SIM card in a shop. At an official event organized by Orange, she was presented with a notebook and a subscription to Orange’s “Internet Now” tariff plan.

The Armenian parliament debated amendments and changes to a number of laws: On Taxes, On Budget System and On Local Self-Government. The revision of the list of local taxes caused a heated debate among MPs. In particular, representatives of Prosperous Armenia offered to organize additional hearings, involving all interested stakeholders to finalize this package of legislative initiatives.

The process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has entered, so to speak, homestretch, the most interesting fact being Armenia’s (for the first time) more advantageous situation in comparison with Turkey. In this regard, the visit of U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg to Yerevan was a landmark event that almost clashed with the arrival of first Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov. U.S. and Russia have obviously decided not to interfere with each other in forcing Turkey to ratify the Protocols, meanwhile clearly adhering to their own interests.

The140th birth anniversary of Komitas was marked in Kaiser-Wilhelm Church in Berlin last week. The event started with a service offered by Archimandrite Eghishe, the spiritual leader of the Armenian community of Berlin.

The internal political life of Armenia acquired its former course, and the past week was marked by the visits of a number of distinguished guests from neighbouring countries. Yerevan hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, Prime Minister of Georgia Nikoloz Gilauri and Mayor of Moscow Yuri Luzhkov. The week was also devoted to various estimates by political forces and experts concerning the trilateral meeting between the Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia in Sochi.