Author: Chilingarian Babken

ARMENIANS HAVE ALL BASES TO BE CONSIDERED NATION HAVING UNIQUE CIVILIZATION, DIRECTOR OF “NORAVANK” SCIENTIFIC-EDUCATIONAL FUND SURE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Unlike many other
nations, Armenians have all bases to be considered a nation having
a unique civilization. At the May 4 discussion organized at the
“Noravank” scientific-educational fund, Gagik Haroutiunian, the fund
Director expressed such an opinion, presenting results of a survey
on the theme “Armenians’ Political Orientations” held among famous
politicians. According to him, those bases are: Armenians’ origin,
the Armenian language occupying its unique place in the Indo-European
family, the Mesropian letters, Armenian Apostolic Church, literary
heritage, architecture and, according to some specialists, even the
Armenian dance. In Gagik Haroutiunian’s opinion, it is not just a
fact having historic meaning.

According to him, orientations of civilization have a very important
role in the present world as the “civilization” conception has moved
to the global strategic political field. According to Haroutiunian,
conflicts of civilizations of the present and future will be main
directions and main danger of the global strategic policy. “Not taking
into account approaches of civilization in political developments
may cause serious danger for any nation, and Armenians are not
an exception,” the speaker mentioned. According to the speaker,
some strategy must be worked out in sumilar conditions which will
allow avoid danger and use possibilities. The unigue civilization
orientation of Armenians that must be combined with upmost involvement
in world processes may serve as such one. The speaker mentioned that
Anglo-Saxons, Chineses and Jews lead such a strategy today. In the
opinion of Tigran Sargsian, the Chairman of the RA Central Bank,
Armenians represent a civilizations existed once but today they are
not a civilized nation. According to him, the national electorate
of Armenia is today disrupted and is not able to form some valuable
standards and a system of moral norms. According to Sargsian, today
the Armenian nation needs an impudent program which will allow to
gather potential for turning point development. Hasmik Hmayakian,
an employee of the RA NAS Institute of Oriental Studies mentioned
that the same issue is today discussed in Egypt as well, but it is
studied in that country at the high state level. NA Deputies Vazgen
Manukian, Armen Ashotian, Khachatur Sukiasian, the RA President’s
Advisor on Security Issues Garnik Isagulian, representatives of public
organizations, experts participated in the discussion.

JEAN-LOUIS LAURENS ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO SUCCESS OF DEMOCRATIC REFORMS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The achievements over
the last 5 years that have passed since Armenia joined the Council
of Europe, as well as the prospects were discussed during the May
5 meeting of the RA National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
with Director General of the Council of Europe (CE) Political
Affairs Jean-Louis Laurens. It was noted that it has been a period
of active work and cooperation, during which the guidelines on the
country’s route from the Council of Europe to the European Union have
been outlined. Artur Baghdasarian presented the process of honoring
Armenia’s commitments assimed in the European parliament, noting that
after making the amendments to the RA Constitution, legislative reforms
are underway in the judicial, local self-government and territorial
administration systems and the RA Electoral Code. Pointing out the
importance of successful democratic reforms in Armenia, Jean-Louis
Laurens underlined the necessity of the legisalative bases and
political will for holding free and fair national elections in the
country. In his opinion, the political course that Armenia adopted
five years ago was of great significance for the country’s progress in
integrating into the large European family and adopting its system of
values. According to the RA National Assembly PR Department, Special
Representative of the CE Secretary General to Armenia Boyana Urumova
was present at the meeting.

RECORD BOXES TO CLARIFY COMPLETE PICTURE OF CRASH

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 20:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The complete picture of the crash will be clear only
after the record boxes discovered by the French and Russian specialists
at a depth of 680 meters are withdrawn, RA Security Council Secretary,
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan stated. In his words, although the
International Civil Aviation Organization and French specialists
requested the leading states for assistance, the world practice hasn’t
recorded a case when an object was withdrawn from such a depth so far.

“At present we can say for certain that the plane left Yerevan in a
working order, flew to the responsibility zone of the Sochi control
service and made a request for landing. The flying control officer
said the weather was unfavorable and the plane turned around and
headed for Yerevan. Being rather far from Sochi and entering the
Georgian responsibility zone the pilot requested Sochi once again. On
receiving the answer that the weather improved and that the plane can
return the pilot started coming in the land. When the height made
some 300 meters the control officer and the meteorological service
said the weather worsened and the plane should do another circle
and then land on another landing ground. Immediately after this the
communication with the plane was lost and as it was found out later,
it crashed into the water,” Serge Sargsyan said.

ARMENIAN AIRLINE EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO BEREAVED AFTER CRASH

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 4 2006

YEREVAN, May 4 (RIA Novosti) – The head of the Armenian airline whose
plane crashed into the Black Sea Wednesday killing all passengers
and crew issued a statement Thursday expressing his condolences for
the bereaved families.

Armavia Airlines Director General Norayr Belluyan said, “This terrible
day will never be forgotten. On behalf of the airline, I convey [my]
condolences to all those affected by the tragedy. We grieve with you.”

Investigators are searching for the black boxes of the A-320 Airbus
that plunged into the sea six kilometers form the coast, killing all
the 113 people onboard, including six children.

The head of the airline said, “There are no words to express all
the pain and suffering of thousands of people who have received
dreadful news.”

Belluyan said the airline had received “messages of condolence and
support from companies, organizations, and airlines, from hundreds
and hundreds of people.”

TALKS ON RESTORING ABKHAZ SECTION OF GEORGIAN-RUSSIAN RAILWAY HELD IN MOSCOW

Apsnypress, Sukhumi
4 May 06

Sukhumi, 4 April: Negotiations continued today in Moscow over the
restoration of the Abkhazia section of the Transcaucasian Railway
[connecting Georgia and Russia]. Taking part are representatives of
Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia and Armenia.

The Abkhaz delegation consists of Andrey Turukin, representative of
the republic of Abkhazia to the government of the Russian Federation
on railway issues, Guram Gubaz, director-general of the Abkhaz railway
directorate, and his deputy, Daur Avidzba.

Georgia is represented by Irakli Ezugbaia, director-general of the
Georgian Railways Ltd and Iuri Chavchanidze, director of railway
infrastructure. The Armenian delegation is headed by the head of
Armenian Railways, Ararat Khrimyan.

The Russian delegation is led by Mikhail Akulov, the vice-president
of the joint stock company Russian Railways, who is also chairing
the meeting.

“At yesterday’s meeting we discussed general principles for the
creation of an international consortium, its name, form of ownership,
i.e. all organisational issues. No specific decisions have yet been
made,” Turukin told Apsnypress by telephone.

Today a protocol of a general organisational character is to be signed.

Turukin said that the document should reflect that the sides are in
agreement over the creation of a consortium. The consortium will
most likely be called the Caucasus Railway Consortium. “This will
probably be an open-type joint stock company, given the fact that it
will be necessary to attract investment and create shareholdings,”
Turukin said.

At the meeting, the consortium’s place of registration was also
discussed, though the sides have yet to reach consensus on this
issue. The Russian delegation proposed that it be organized in
Russia. “Then, some international body will be invited to prepare a
business plan. This should be an authoritative international body,”
he said.

The protocol, he said, will reflect these considerations.

“This is the first protocol. It will signed today by all the
sides. Abkhazia is a full participant in these talks, not merely an
adjunct party. We insisted that Abkhazia be represented as a fully
fledged participant,” Turukin said.

He added that the meeting is going forward in a very constructive
working atmosphere. “The sides comprehend the fact that this is
an important matter, that infrastructure must be restored. In the
future we will discuss the levels of equity and the principles of
dividing equity, and who will enter the consortium with what shares,”
Turukin said.

GOVERNMENT APPROVES DRAFT LAWS ON ARMENIAN FLAG AND ARMENIAN EMBLEM

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 04 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. At the May 4 sitting,
the Armenian government approved the draft law on the flag of the
Republic of Armenia and the draft law on the emblem of the Republic
of Armenia, which will be submitted to the RA National Assembly in
prescribed order. The respective ministries were assigned to make
clarifications about some formulations and include them in the above
mentioned draft laws. According to the RA Government Information and
PR Department, with the aim of choosing the text and music of the RA
anthem, the government decided to institute a prize for the anthem’s
text and a prize for its music (both in the amount of 700 thousand
darms (about 1,560 USD). The government allocated 2 mln drams from the
2006 reserve fund to the RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues for
the purpose of holding a competition, providing information, and paying
the remuneration of the authors of the selected text and music. The
indicated decisions were made in connection with amendments to the RA
Constitution. According to the decision of the RA Prime Minister, a
commission will be set up for selecting the RA anthem’s text and music.

WHOLE WORLD CONDOLES WITH ARMENIA

A1+
[11:46 am] 04 May, 2006

Different countries of the world are sending their condoling messages
to Armenia and Russia in connection with the crash of the “Armavia”
airplane “A – 320.”

The personnel of USA President George Bush has already expressed
condolence on the disaster, “We sincerely console with Armenians and
Russians as well as with the families of innocent victims.”

According to the agency “IRNA” the Foreign Ministry of Iran has also
sent consoling message to Armenians.

SECOND PLANE WITH RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS SET OFF FOR SOCHI

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 02:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Second plane of Armavia air company having aboard
journalists and relatives of the victims of the crash of A-320 plane
set off for Sochi. First plane Yak-42, which departed for Sochi at
4:00 p.m.

has already returned to Yerevan safely. It had abroad Armenian
citizens, who were in Sochi during the crash.

We note that 20 psychologists from Armenia are at the tragedy venue
to assist relatives of the victims.

NOR ZHAMANAKNER PARTY PRESENTS ITS CONDOLENCES AND EXPRESSES SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AND RELATIVES OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Nor Zhamanakner
(New Times) party Chairman Aram Karapetian, the party board and
thousands of party members deeply mourn over the May 3 tragedy that
happened to the Yerevan-Sochi plane, present their condolences and
express support to the families and relatives of more than a hundred
victims. This was said in the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the
party’s press service.

MEMORY-EVENING DEDICATED TO MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS TAKES PLACE IN NUBARIAN ARMENIAN NATIONAL SCHOOL OF CAIRO

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006

CAIRO, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A memory-evening dedicated
to memory of the Armenian Genocide victims took place on April 28
at the Blktanian hall of the Armenian Nubarian National School of
Cairo. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s
Press and Information Department, RA NA Deputy, historian Levon
Mkrtchian made a report at the event. L.Mkrtchian spoke about the
Armenian Cause, different aspects of international recognition of
the Armenian Genocide as well as about Armenia-Turkey relations. The
speaker presented approaches of the Republic of Armenia in the issue
of establishing relations with Turkey. Numerous representatives of
the Armenian community of Egypt, political and cultural figures were
present at the event.