ARKA News Agency
March 26 2004

RA President receives US First Deputy Secretary of State

US Deputy Secretary of State and RA Mfa satisfied with the level of
Armenian-American relations

Ruling coalition of Armenia makes joint statement considering
internal political situation

RA NA Speaker receives directors of leading theaters

RA Deputy Military Prosecutor Gektor Sardarian appointed as the
member of RA Council of Justice

RA President and EU Special Representative discuss possibilities of
eurointegration

Mikael Melkumian released from position of the head of RA Department
of State Property Administration

Presentation of public organization `Center of Public Dialogues and
Initiatives’ takes place in Yerevan

The attempts of Azerbaijan to justify the murder of the Armenian
officer in Budapest to have a contrary effect

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RA PRESIDENT RECEIVES US FIRST DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ RA President Robert Kocharian received US
First Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage. Kocharian expressed
satisfaction with present level of Armenian-American relations. The
parties noted expanding of bilateral relations, discussed situation
and problems in South Caucasus and mentioned Karabakh settlement.
The U.S. First Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage arrived
today in Armenia with one-day regional visit. L.D. –0–

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US DEPUTY SECRETARY OF STATE AND RA MFA SATISFIED WITH THE LEVEL OF
ARMENIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ US Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage and RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian are satisfied with
the level of Armenian-American relations, RA MFA told ARKA. The
parties also agreed in opinion that the countries should deepen
political dialogue. The discussed situation in South Caucasus and
perspectives of development of the region.
US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage arrived in Yerevan
today. L.D. –0 –

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RULING COALITION OF ARMENIA MAKES JOINT STATEMENT CONSIDERING
INTERNAL POLITICAL SITUATION

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ Ruling coalition of Armenia consisting of
three parties (Republican Party, ARF Dashnaktsutyun and Orinats
Yerkir) made joint statement considering internal political
situation.
According to the Head of ARF D Faction Levon Mkrtchian, political
coalition has never denied presence of numerous social problems in
the country and it was confirmed during the visit of the regions by
coalition representatives. He stressed that in the base of coalition
lays understanding of collective responsibility and will for
settlement of given problems. `Creation of authorities takes place by
means of elections, not in between. Any artificial attempt to involve
the country in new election process can damage security of Armenia’,
coalition members think. The statement also says that `attempts to
break constitutional order and legality must be prevented’. According
to the Leader of Republican Party Faction Galust Sahakian, given
statement is the result of concern with the internal situation and is
addressed to all political powers of Armenia.
Presidential elections in Armenia took place in 2003. Opposition
considers these elections not legitimate. In result of elections
Robert Kocharian was re-elected for 5-year run. L.D. –0–

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RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVES DIRECTORS OF LEADING THEATERS

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian received
directors of leading theaters in the frames of International Theater
Day, RA NA told ARKA. The parties noted absence of the law regulating
activity of theaters, discussed existing financial problems of
theaters, necessity of translation of foreign movies in Armenian and
restoration of theaters in the regions. L.D. –0 –

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RA DEPUTY MILITARY PROSECUTOR GEKTOR SARDARIAN APPOINTED AS THE
MEMBER OF RA COUNCIL OF JUSTICE

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ According to a decree of RA President Robert
Kocharian, RA Deputy Military Prosecutor Gektor Sardarian was
appointed as the member of RA Council of Justice, RA President’s
press office told ARKA. L.D. –0–

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RA PRESIDENT AND EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE DISCUSS POSSIBILITIES OF
EUROINTEGRATION

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ RA President Robert Kcharian and EU Special
Representative to South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie discussed
possibilities of eurointegration. The parties discussed possibility
of Armenian involving in EU program `Expanded Europe: New Members’.
`For us it is very serious stimuli for bringing of reforms in the
republic in correspondence to European standards’, the President
said.
Talvitie in his turn noted the importance of development of regional
cooperation, activation of economic relations between the countries
of the region and Europe.
Parties exchange views on Karabakh conflict and constitutional
reforms. L.D. –0–

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MIKAEL MELKUMIAN RELEASED FROM POSITION OF THE HEAD OF RA DEPARTMENT
OF STATE PROPERTY ADMINISTRATION

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ According to the decision of RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian, Mikael Melkumian was released from
position of the head of RA Department of State Property
Administration, Government press office told ARKA.
Yesterday, RA Prime Minister released David Vartanian from position
of the head of state property administration. Deputy Minister Head of
Government’s Apparatus Karine Kirakosian was appointed on this
position. L.D. –0–

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PRESENTATION OF PUBLIC ORGANIZATION `CENTER OF PUBLIC DIALOGUES AND
INITIATIVES’ TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ Presentation of public organization `Center
of Public Dialogues and Initiatives’ took place in Yerevan. According
to the Chairman of Organization Aikaz Karapetian, the center plans to
play its role in establishment of civil society and democracy in the
republic. To do so, he said, CPDI will cooperate with governmental
and other organizations. `Our mission is to help citizens to protect
their rights by themselves’, Karapetian said. Director of IFES
Program to Armenia Albert Decie in his turn said that IFES and CPDI
cooperate in the frames of the program `Familiarity and Participation
of Citizens in Armenia’.
Director of USAID Armenian Representation Keith Simmons stated at the
presentation that USAID contributes to democracy by two ways –
cooperation with executive and legislative powers of Armenia and
assistance to civil society. `Given center will help solving this
last goal’, he said.
CPDI was registered in 2003. The Center will operate on sub-grant of
IFES in amount of $201 thousand. L.D. –0–

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THE ATTEMPTS OF AZERBAIJAN TO JUSTIFY THE MURDER OF THE ARMENIAN
OFFICER IN BUDAPEST TO HAVE A CONTRARY EFFECT

YEREVAN, March 26./ARKA/ The attempts of Azerbaijan to justify the
murder of the Armenian officer in Budapest will have a contrary
effect, according to Vartan Oskanian, the RA Minister of Foreign
Affairs. As he said, Azerbaijan may continue to speculate in murder
of the Armenian Lieutenant in Budapest, `but all efforts will work
against them’. The Minister noted that Armenia will do its best so
that the verdict of the murderer be fair.
On February 19, at 5:30 a.m. Gourgen Margaryan, the Lieutenant of
Armenian Armed Forces, who was in Budapest on business, namely for
learning English in the framework of `Partnership for Peace’ program,
was cruelly massacred when sleeping with an axe by an Azerbaijani
officer, who was there on the same program. The murderer was arrested
by the Hungarian Police. Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence confirmed
the fact that Ramil Safarov who committed a murder was in Budapest
for learning English in the framework of `Partnership for Peace’
program.
As the Hungarian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in
Armenia said in his interview to ARKA, the murderer wouldn’t be
extradited to Azerbaijan. According to the Ambassador, Safarov, as a
man who committed a murder the Hungarian land `will be confined to
Hungarian prison’. A.H. -0 –