Author: Chakrian Hovsep

ARMENIAN ECOLOGISTS PREPARING COUNTER-ATTACK ON ISSUE OF LAYING
HIGHWAY VIA SHIKAHOGH PRESERVE

YEREVAN, JUNE 6. ARMINFO. Armenian ecologists will be thoroughly
prepared for the public hearings of the issue for laying a highway
Armenia-Iran via Shikahogh preserve, say a number of ecological NGOs.

President of the Association for Sustainable Human Development Karine
Daniyelyan says that today there is nothing more important than the
protection of the preserve. The very idea of laying a road via the
preserve is unacceptable. The Armenian government cannot lay a road
at nature’s detriment even if it is strategically important. There
have been many examples of the authorities damaging nature for the
sake of declared national and economic interests. “But officials
inhale the same air as ordinary people do,” says Daniyelyan. He also
quotes UN as reporting that in Armenia forests are in 8 times worse
state than worldwide while with the above highway to cause a 6 bln AMD
damage to Shikahogh.

NOTE: opened in 1958 Shikahogh preserves rare species of flora and
fauna – over 1,100 species of plants with 70 of them on the verge of
extinction.

News24, South Africa
June 5 2005

EG pardons 6 ‘coup plotters’
05/06/2005 18:19 – (SA)

Malabo – Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema on Sunday
pardoned six Armenian pilots who were sentenced to prison for their
alleged roles in an attempted coup last year, according to a decree
read on national radio.

The “total pardon” is for “the Armenian nationals being held at
Malabo’s central prison,” the decree dated June 4 said.

The president granted the pardon as a “humanitarian gesture” on the
occasion of his 63rd birthday.

The six Armenians, who have always claimed their innocence, are to be
immediately released and handed over to “competent authorities” who
will see that they are repatriated to Armenia, according to the decree.

The Armenian pilots were sentenced with others in November in
Equatorial Guinea.

They were accused of taking part in a plot to overthrow Nguema which
also involved suspected mercenaries who were arrested in Zimbabwe
for alleging picking up weapons there to use in the coup attempt.

British businessman Mark Thatcher, the son of former British prime
minister Margaret Thatcher, was accused of partly financing the
alleged plot and pleaded guilty in South Africa to violating its
anti-mercenary law and paid a R3m fine in January.

Edited by Elmarie Jack

AN ATTEMPT OF PROVOCATION DURING THE MEETING THE JUSTICE BLOC

A1plus

| 21:05:05 | 03-06-2005 | Politics |

Today the long-expected meeting of the representatives of the Justice
bloc and the residents of Vanadzor took place. From the member-parties
of the bloc only Viktor Dallakyan and deputies of the People’s Party
had arrived in Vanadzor. Especially Viktor Dallakyan was warmly
greeted by the people. But the impression was not such for a long time.

A woman who had come to the hall with the secretary of the mayor
who is member of the Republican Party, realized the planned scene,
“We, residents of Kirovakan live well enough. What do you want,
Viktor? Our streets are well lit, and I am mother of a dead soldier,
I do not want change of authorities so that there will be no war”. She
had not finished her speech yet when a wave of discontent passed
through the hall and the women left the hall.

Dallakyan said in his speech that “Armenia has become a country
of prostitution and begging. Today the most defenseless person in
Armenia is the Defender of Human Rights upon whom the methods of 1937
are implemented. The authorities will soon appear in the Noubarashen
isolation ward in striped clothes”.

The deputies referred to the fuel problems, “A1+”, the return of
the deposits, the Karabakh conflict, mentioning that there can be
no conversation about compromise when Azerbaijan says that they will
give no land to Armenia, and that Nagorno Karabakh is the inseparable
part of Azerbaijan. Deputy Grigor Haroutyunyan said that “They say
everything is fine in Armenia and they force people to go to the
round dance. Nothing is fine in Armenia.

“In Armenia the change of authorities is the most urgent problem in
the agenda”, announced the members of Justice. The people applauded
and the meeting finished.

FIRST FLIGHT FROM MUNICH ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

Pan Armenian News
03.06.2005 06:13

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 3 the first flight from Munich launched by
Lufthansa Airline arrived at the Yerevan International Airport of
Zvartnots. As Regional Director for Russia and CIS Gunther Ott said
during a press conference in Yerevan, the company will exercise three
Munich-Yerevan-Munich flights every week. The flights from Munich to
Yerevan are scheduled for Monday, Thursday and Sunday, flights from
Yerevan – on Monday, Thursday and Friday. As it was reported earlier,
Lufthansa offered special prices for the passengers departing form
Yerevan to Europe, North America and Africa. Starting with June 3,
2005 the passengers will have the opportunity to leave Yerevan for
any German city (Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, Dresden, etc.) for $229,
for any European city for $349, for Africa and North America for $559.
According to the source, the special offer is in power June 3-October
24. Tickets can be booked till June 30, 2005, IA Regnum reported.

TURKEY DID NOT ALLOW THE NATIONAL TEAM OF MACEDONIA TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN

A1plus

| 17:23:04 | 03-06-2005 | Sports |

The National team of Macedonia was not able to arrive in Yerevan
yesterday evening, as it was planned, in order to take part in the
match with the Armenian national team on June 4. The plane in which
the Macedonian team was coming to Yerevan was forced to return to
Skopje from Turkey.

After losing a day the Macedonian national team will arrive in Yerevan
today at about 8:00 p.m. Factually, the Macedonian footballers will
arrive only 24 hours before the game, which may considerably affect
the game tomorrow.

Besides, the coach of the Macedonian team has invited 8 new players
to the team among whom there are 2 goalkeepers. After this game it
will become clear which team will take the 5th place in the group.

Let us remind you once more that the Youth teams will play at 3:00
p.m. by local time in the Hrazdan stadium, and the National teams –
at 8:00 p.m. by local time in the Hanrapetakan stadium.

FRENCH “NO” TO EU CONSTITUTION CASTS DOUBT ON EU ENLARGEMENT

Pan Armenian News
31.05.2005 04:06

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairperson of the CDU Angela Merkel stated that
the negative outcome of the referendum in France over the passing
of the European Constitution confirms that the opinion of the CDU
over Turkey’s accession to the EU is correct, reported the Yerkir
newspaper referring to Zaman Turkish edition. In her wards, CDU/CSU
parties should reconsider their opinion over the talks on Turkey’s
accession to the EU. In his turn, Saarland Prime Minister Peter Muller
noted that the French “no” to the Constitution casts doubt on the EU
enlargement. He also emphasized that after the latest expansion the EU
needs rest and, like the Turkish case, the questions of accession of
Romania and Bulgaria to the EU should be reconsidered. On the other
hand, German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer noted that in spite
of the negative response of the French to the European Constitution,
he respects their decision. He noted at the same time that it would
create difficulties for the EU.

AFTER WARSAW

A1plus

| 15:21:53 | 30-05-2005 | Official |

“After the Warsaw meeting of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents
new possibilities have appeared in the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict”, announced the Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

The Armenian Foreign Minister has said that the date of his coming
meeting with the Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov is not
yet clear. Before that Oskanyan will meet the OSCE Minsk group
co-heads. The meeting will take place in June.

Agence France Presse
28 mai 2005 samedi 2:16 PM GMT

Une ronde de 163 km autour de la plus haute montagne d’Arménie

EREVAN

Quelque 200.000 personnes ont formé samedi une chaîne ininterrompue
de 163 kilomètres autour du mont le plus élevé d’Arménie et ont fait
la ronde pour célébrer le 87ème anniversaire de la proclamation d’un
Etat arménien et une fête religieuse, a constaté l’AFP sur place.

Tous coiffés d’un chapeau couleur abricot et de vêtements aux tons
vifs et se tenant par la main, les participants ont commencé à 15
heures une ronde traditionnelle de 15 minutes autour du mont Aragatz,
d’une hauteur de 4.090 mètres.

Le chanteur français d’origine arménienne Charles Aznavour et des
centaines d’autres Arméniens venant de l’étranger y ont pris part. Le
président arménien Robert Kotcharian était également de la partie.

“Le rétablissement d’un Etat arménien en 1918 a été un bouleversement
non seulement historique mais aussi psychologique (…). Le 28 mai
est la fête de la renaissance d’un peuple qui avait été poussé
jusqu’aux limites de la destruction”, a déclaré dans un message le
président, faisant allusion au génocide arménien de 1915.

La ronde a été suivie d’un festival animé par environ 200 groupes de
danseurs professionnels.

Des rondes ont été aussi organisées dans d’autres pays par la
diaspora arménienne autour d’églises, d’écoles arméniennes et de
centres culturels.

La ronde, dansée depuis des temps très anciens en Arménie, était par
le passé censée chasser les mauvais esprits, sa forme symbolisait la
vie de l’homme et le mouvement vers la droite, la réussite.

Sunday Telgraph (Sydney, Australia)
May 29, 2005 Sunday

NSW blown away by the support

by PETER JENKINS

THE Waratahs were swamped by good luck messages from around the globe
before last night’s Super 12 final in Christchurch.

In the heart of Christchurch, at the five-star hotel where NSW have
been based since Wednesday, the team room was adorned with emails and
faxes from supporters scattered throughout not only Australia but
Fiji, Switzerland,

Armenia, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Great Britain and New Zealand.

“The support has been absolutely terrific,” skipper Chris Whitaker
said before the Jade Stadium showdown. “We’ve been blown away by the
sentiment and volume of messages coming through.

“It means a lot to the guys to see just how passionate the NSW
supporters are and just how many there are out there, all around the
world.”

A high percentage of the well wishes were from expatriate
Australians, including one in Armenia who went into the detail of
where the country could be found on the map.

“But there have been foreigners writing as well,” Waratahs media
manager Djuro Sen said.

“There have been a lot of Fijians sending us luck. A lot of them
mention Lote Tuqiri. But it has really had an impact on the players.
They can’t believe the level of support.”

NSW Premier Bob Carr sent a personal message to the side.

But the political links have not ended there. Former State Opposition
leader Kerry Chikarovski went one step further and flew to
Christchurch for the game.

Ms Chikarovski was one of more than 300 fans to attend a function at
the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday afternoon, where the NSW Rugby
Union had booked out a function room to entertain its supporters.

“There was no barrier to anyone coming along,” NSW Rugby Union chief
executive Fraser Neill said.

“But there was a dress code being enforced. You had to be wearing
blue.”

IMF allocates 34.2m dollars for economic growth in Armenia

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
27 May 05

[Presenter] The executive council of the International Monetary Fund
on Wednesday [25 May] approved a quarterly programme on allocating a
34.2m-dollar loan to Armenia. The first 5m dollars of the allocated
loan will be sent to Yerevan in the near future.

The funds are earmarked for reducing poverty and securing economic
development in the country. According to IMF experts, the
implementation of this programme would be easier if the volume of
taxes collected from GDP increased. The correlation between taxes and
GDP has not been higher than 15 per cent in our country over the last
few years [as heard]. The goal of this programme is to organize
reforms in the tax and customs sphere.

[Passage omitted: the IMF permanent representative held a news
conference]