Melbourne
On the 28th of June, the Melbourne Branch of the Chamber held its first networking event. According to Paul Vartan Gulbenkian, the night was very successful, with positive feedback from all 37 participants. Topics discussed included writing a business plan, business management, advertising, marketing and importing/exporting basics.

Sydney
The Sydney branch will be holding its next networking event on the 25th July. Click here for details of the evening's programme. Don't forget to RSVP by 11th July.

The 2005/2006 Platinum Directory is reaching the final stages of completion, and will be officially launched in September this year. This year's directory is bigger and better than last year's, and features an updated and greatly extended community section.

It is the time of year again to renew your Chamber membership!! Memership renewel letters will be sent out by the end of this month, and will include your personalised membership card. Please note that our annual membership fee is unchanged at $110 including GST. This membership card will have special benefits attached to it, which will be outlined in our next newsletter.

 Sydney Networking Function

The Chamber is proud to be able to present the following speakers at our Networking Evening to be held at the Ensemble Theatre on the 25th of July:

• Joe Chnorhokian from Wizard Home Loans
• Harry Kiujian from Mission Armenia
• Simon Totonjian from Country Net Solutions
• Armen Inejian from Hyecom

We will not be accepting any other presenters for the evening, although enquiries will be welcomed for future occasions.

PLEASE RSVP BY THE 12th of JULY TO info@armenianchamber.com.au

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 Property Less Volatile than Shares
Source: AFR

Investors should put more of their portfolios into direct property, according to a report commissioned by an industry body.

Atchison Consultants, in a report for the Australian Direct Property Investment Association, looked at more than 20 years of returns from different asset classes. It concluded that, although shares delivered the best returns, retail property came close, delivering a 12.8 per cent return, against 13.4 per cent for shares, but with less volatility.

It also said that direct property investments reduced the chance of a negative return in a portfolio. Over 20 years, a fund that increased the proportion of direct property in its portfolio from nothing to 30 per cent would lower its chance of a negative return from once every 10 years to once every 44.

“It seems to us that if investors over the last 10 or 20 years had their time again, they would have done much better it they’d increased their allocation to direct property,” the president of the association, Macquarie Bank’s Richard Cutler, said.

“Logically the only way to adjust asset allocations is up.”
Macquarie Bank’s Richard Cutler

Ken Atchison, of Atchison Consulting, thought an appropriate allocation to direct property would be between 20 per cent and 30 per cent, compared with the typical 10 per cent.

The strongest argument against direct property investment is the lack of liquidity. “It’s not a liquid investment and nor does it intend to be,” Mr. Cutler said. “But people have liquidity in other areas of their portfolios. The liquidity issue gets talked about but it’s a little bit emotive.”

Other findings include:

• Direct property has the lowest downside risk other than cash.
• Industrial property delivered the best income return (as opposed to growth) over the 20-year period, with 9.2 per cent compared with 4.2 per cent from Australian shares and 4.9 per cent from residential property.
• Direct property income returns had the lowest levels of volatility.

Although both felt Australian investors ought to have more money in direct property, they noted that Australian allocations were higher than elsewhere in the world where 5 per cent was typical.

“Asset allocators won’t read this and double their allocation to direct property,” Mr. Cutler said.

“But it gives them good grounds to think about adjusting their allocations, and logically the only way to adjust them is up.”

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Rosy Blue's managing partner, Harshad Mehta has been appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Armenia in Mumbai, India. As founding director of Rosy Blue, Mehta has contributed to the economic development of Armenia, with the company currently owning two factories- Diamotech in Talin, and Lori in Nor Hadjin, in partnership with Arslanian Cutting Works. Together they produce more than US$75 million worth of polished diamonds annually. For the past three years, Rosy Blue has invested US$15 million in the region, generating work for 1000 people in an area where unemployment levels are otherwise high. Rosy Blue has developed their plants to rank amongst the leading diamond cutting factories in the world. Mehta also envisions investing US$5 million in a jewellery manufacturing plant in the near future. "I am humbled and delighted with this appointment" says Mehta. "Armenia and India have great potential to develop a bilateral trade and cultural relationship. Internationally, both countries are blessed with intelligent, creative, and peace-loving people. It is my wish and hope that I can play an important role to achieve this goal for both our nations, which I love and respect".

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Source: www.armeniadiaspora.com

Aichi, June 07, Armenpress: Armenian prime minister Andranik Margarian attended today the official opening of the Armenian pavilion at EXPO-2005 Exposition in Japan's Aichi. Margarian was quoted by government press office as saying that events of this caliber, attended by representatives of around 200 countries and international organizations are in tune with global integration processes, providing a wonderful environment for establishment of economic, trade as well as cultural and humanitarian contacts among representatives of various nations.
"EXPO-2005 is a weighty promotion of multi-lateral cooperation," Margarian was quoted as saying, stressing also that all three nations of the South Caucasus were demonstrating their countries within one pavilion, named The Caucasus. Later in the evening a reception in honor of Armenian prime minister was to be held, after which the Armenian delegation was to fly to Tokyo for talks with Japanese government officials.

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 Toyota To Open Representation in Armenia
Source: www.armeniadiaspora.com



Tokyo, June 09, Armenpress: A Japanese delegation representing Japanese small and medium-sized businesses and Japan's International Cooperation Agency is now in Armenia to explore ways for opening a representation of Toyota company in Armenia as well as to examine on the ground Armenia's investment legislation and environment.

Japanese companies are particularly interested in establishing partnership relations with Armenian agricultural processing industry and high technology sector. Hrant Poghosian, a professor at Tokyo's International Christian University, who is also chairman of Armenian-Japanese Association, told members of the Armenian delegation, visiting Japan, negotiations are underway with Japanese Sumitomo company in search of opportunities to start joint ventures.

During a meeting today with prime minister Andranik Margarian members of the Association emphasized a June 24 Armenian-Japanese business forum to be held in Moscow. The Armenian-Japanese Association has around thirty members, including private businessmen and leading companies, such as Sumitomo and Mitsubishi. Prime minister Margarian and Japanese officials signed today in Tokyo an agreement on Armenian-Japanese technical cooperation.

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 Central Bank Law Aims to Strengthen Armenian Dram
Source: www.armeniadiaspora.com

Yerevan, June 30, Armenpress: A Central-Bank developed law on Hard Currency Regulation and Hard Currency Supervision enacted on July 28, seeks to strengthen the position and significance of Armenia's national currency-dram.

Under the new law all prices for all types of goods and services must be fixed in Armenian dram. It also demands that commercial banks and lending organizations which have the right to carry out hard currency transactions fix the prices of their services for clientele exclusively in drams. The law extends to all physical and juridical persons, regardless of whether they are citizens of Armenia or not. Failure to observe the law will be punished by administrative sanctions and penalties.

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 170th Anniversary of the first church in Singapore, The Armenian Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, constructed in 1835



We are privileged to announce that the Trustees of the church and the Armenian residents of Thailand, Singapore and Hong Kong, have with the blessings of His Holiness Karekin II Supreme Catholicos and Patriarch of All Armenians, His Eminence Archbishop Aghan Baliozian Primate of Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, decided to honour this historic anniversary with a schedule of Armenian Cultural, Social and Religious events, and it is the intention of His Holiness Vehapar, and His Eminence Sirpazan to honour the community with their presence during the activities, which this year also commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Martyrs of the Genocide. The NOTICE is at this stage to give everyone sufficient time to book their dates and travel plans to Singapore to help celebrate and commemorate, this historic occasion. The planned dates are Friday the 11th , Saturday the 12th and Sunday the 13th of November, with a possibility of a pre-event on Thursday the 10th of November. Travel Cafe Lane Cove are putting together a package for this event, so if you are interested in attending, please contact Harmick Hacobian on (02) 9427 1011.