VTB contributed to bilateral trade between Russia and CIS countries.

Normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, as well as settlement of the Karabakh conflict reached a deadlock, and important role in this process played Azerbaijan, zigzagging from Turkey to Iran and backwards. Lack of national identity influenced the position of Caucasian Tatars in the region: on the one hand they are Shiahs and they must have a propensity for Iran, on the other hand they call themselves Turks, thus giving preference to Turkey.

Facilitation of custom procedures to promote product turnover between the countries, cooperation between commercial structures, state and private organizations, as well as promotion of joint investments, conferences, business forums and other events were also in focus.

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.

A couple of years ago I had a chance of an interview with Robert Sahakyants and one could not assume at that time that he would leave the world so soon. We all knew he was ill, but no one suspected how serious the illness was. He was one of those without whom, in his opinion, everything would sink in sweet syrup. All that you'll read further are his direct words, as we thought no one could speak of Robert Sahakyants and the world surrounding him better than he himself. For some reason he always spoke Russian, although he knew his native language perfectly well. Call it freak of a genius if you like, but now that he is gone words, however beautiful they might be, are needless.

For the past month the focus of Internet-users and IT specialists around the world has been on three main events, namely the completion of the new operating system Windows 7 - the product of Microsoft Corporation, the release of the fast browser Chrome by Google and the work on our own operating system (OS).

On April 11, the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) begins to celebrate the Easter, one of the six patronal festivals. From sunset till late night all the churches of the Armenian Apostolic Church serve Liturgy that marks the end of Lent and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The celebration of the dead and resurrected god dates back to the ancient Egyptian religion, when the Egyptians celebrated the death and resurrection of God Osiris. Present Christian Easter takes its origin from the Old Testament. The old Jews celebrated the Passover (Pesach) as the holiday of exodus of Jews from Egypt.