Author: Dabaghian Diana

"IAC is no longer effective", Adbashyan Claim

ArmRadio.am
17.08.2006 18:23

The Regulations of the International Aviation Committee (IAC) prevented
from modernization of the aircraft fleet in Armenia, a well-known
aviation worker Dmitry Adbashyan says in an interview with "Iravunk"
newspaper, Arminfo reported.

The IAC registration and certification rules Armenia has got are
contrary to the ICAO codes. "Once, we brought in two planes which we
failed to register. We asked IAC to register them. The ICAO codes
did not require certificate for registering such a brand but IAC
claimed one.

By the way, one article of the IAC codes said that one should have a
certificate for registering such a plane while another article gave
the list of documents one should present to register it and there was
certificate mentioned in it. While the ICAO codes clearly said that
for having his plane registered an owner has just to prove that its
worthiness, with no certificate required," Adbashyan says.

Reference to the regulations of ICAO did not allow Armenian aviators
persuade IAC of the necessity of certificates for the purchased
planes. They in IAC stated that brand certification is necessary if
a company acquires more than 2 planes. ICAO has no such rule and in
Russia they invested it just to earn money. There are over 500 such
planes in the world, so, according to IAC, it is obligatory to have
their brand certificate.

IAC rules were very much different from the international standards
So, if there are so many contradictions between the IAC and ICAO
rules, which ones Armenia should adopt? "Of course, there are, and
we should adopt the ICAO rules," says Adbashyan. "IAC is no longer
effective. There is ICAO and we should cooperate with them and,
in some cases, with their European counterparts," says Adbashyan.

The point in this particular case is not so much if the pilots or the
planes were guilty for the Sochi and Irkutsk crashes. The point is
that IAC – who says that it is exclusively professional structure –
has allowed or, at least, has failed to prevent those cases from being
politicized. In the Armavia case, IAC has failed to professionally
substantiate its position and to prove that its findings are true. And
even if in this particular case IAC is professionally right and fair,
we can still see that it can no longer normally regulate its own
functions and decisions. This proves that it is stagnating, and not
only Russian but also our relevant authorities should do something
about it, "Iravunk" writes.

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08/15/2006
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1. ARF Supreme Council Sets Up Lebanese Relief Fund
2. Kocharian, Putin Discuss Bi-Lateral Relations
3. Turkey Wants Clarity from UN Before Committing Troops to Lebanon Ceasefire
4. Government Reports Continued Growth In Tourism

1. ARF Supreme Council Sets Up Lebanese Relief Fund

YEREVAN (Yerkir Daily)–In an announcement issued Tuesday, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation Supreme Council outlined efforts to join the
international effort to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts for Lebanon
by setting up special bank accounts for donations to the relief efforts to the
Lebanese-Armenian community.
"All communities in the Diaspora have embarked on efforts to assist the
Lebanese-Armenian communities," the announcement stressed.
"In order to provide assistance to our brethren, the ARF Supreme Council of
Armenia has set up special accounts in ArExImBank. For donations in Armenian
drams the account number is 2380002225190700 and for donations in US dollars
the number is 2380002225190301," the ARF announced.

2. Kocharian, Putin Discuss Bi-Lateral Relations

SOCHI, Russia (Armenpress)–Armenian president Robert Kocharian met with his
Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin Tuesday in the Black Sea resort city of
Sochi, where they discussed bilateral relations, including economic and
cultural matters, as well as a number of regional issues.
Putin highly praised the positive development of cooperation in trade between
the two countries and expressed his conviction that Russian-Armenian economic
relations will prove successful.
Kocharian emphasized the importance of establishing effective cooperation
mechanisms in the communication, transport and investment sectors.
The two leaders also discussed the successful progression of events in
relation
to the "Year of Armenia in Russian" program.
The delegation Kocharian arrived in Sochi Tuesday to participate in the
non-official summit of the Eurasian Economic Association, which will conclude
Thursday. Armenia is participating in the summit as an observer.
At the airport, Kocharian was met by the governor of Krasnodar province
Alexander Tkachov, Russian deputy foreign minister and executive secretary of
Eurasian Economic Association Grigori Rapota and Armenian consul in Sochi
Vardan Azoyan.
Members of the Eurasian Economic Association are Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have
observer status.

3. Turkey Wants Clarity from UN Before Committing Troops to Lebanon Ceasefire

ANKARA (Combined Sources)–The Turkish government led by Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan Monday signaled that it will await a UN resolution on a planned
international force for Lebanon before making a formal decision on whether  to
contribute troops, although the office of the Lebanese prime minister had
earlier listed Turkey among the six countries that have already agreed to send
troops to bolster the UN force there, the Turkish Daily News reported
"A new resolution to be adopted at the UN Security Council in the coming days
is expected to bring more clarity" to the terms of the planned deployment, the
prime minister’s press office said in a written statement following a senior
level meeting at the office of the prime minister.
At the meeting, Erdogan discussed the conflict with senior government and
military officials. Present were Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Defense
Minister Vecdi Gonul, outgoing Chief of General Staff Gen. Hilmi Ozkok and his
successor, Land Forces Commander Gen. Yasar Buyukanit, who takes office next
week.
However, Gul will travel to Lebanon and Israel Wednesday for a one-day
visit to
discuss the aftermath of the ceasefire between the two countries, Foreign
Ministry said Tuesday.
-In the interest of preventing further regional unrest–and mindful of
Turkey’s
violent legacy in the Middle East–the Armenian National Committee of America
this week expressed the Armenian American community’s opposition to the
prospect of Turkish armed forces being deployed between Lebanon and Israel as
part of a future peacekeeping operation.
In an August 9 letter to President George W. Bush, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian
called upon the Administration to oppose any proposal to include Turkish
troops
in such a deployment, noting that, "Turkey’s presence on Lebanese soil will
only make the current situation even worse."  He added that, "as Armenian
Americans–the sons and daughters of a people who endured genocide at the
hands
of the Ottoman Turkish government–we are especially mindful of raising the
legacy of Turkey’s brutal Ottoman rule over the Middle East and unnecessarily
introducing a nation with history of destabilizing behavior into an already
complex and highly sensitive region."
Stressing that, "Turkey’s record of persecution and genocide has left deep
scars in the collective memory of the Lebanese people," Hachikian explained
that, "it would be immensely insensitive on the part of the United States to
promote Turkish participation in an international peacekeeping force that will
need every ounce of credibility and goodwill that it can muster in order to
succeed in such a highly delicate and challenging mission."
Late on Sunday, a statement released by the office of Lebanese Prime Minister
Fouad Siniora said Morocco, Indonesia, Italy, Turkey, Spain and Malaysia had
agreed to send troops on the condition that "all the Lebanese parties accept
their participation," Agence France-Presse reported from Beirut.
The Lebanese government’s statement followed a telephone conversation between
Erdogan and Siniora earlier on Sunday. According a report by the semi-official
Anatolia news agency, the conversation took place upon Siniora’s request
and he
informed Erdogan about recent developments following the release of Resolution
1701 of the UN Security Council, under which a ceasefire between Israel and
Hezbollah took effect Monday.
The agency’s report didn’t elaborate whether the two prime ministers talked
about Turkey’s possible contribution to the planned international
stabilization
force in Lebanon, while it said that Erdogan and Siniora exchanged views
concerning the upcoming process in Lebanon.
The Turkish statement described the UN resolution as "an important step to
stop
the fighting before the crisis in Lebanon reaches more serious proportions and
to find a permanent settlement to the problem," adding that "Turkey will
consider its possible contributions to finding a permanent resolution to the
problem [in Lebanon] in the light of developments. It is expected that a new
decision to be approved by the UN Security Council will shed more light" on
the
peacekeeping force.
On Sunday, Foreign Minister Gul reiterated that Ankara would look favorably on
sending peacekeepers to southern Lebanon only after a full ceasefire was
achieved, while Turkey’s expected participation in the international
peacekeeping force has also become a matter of debate on the international
platform.
Pro-Israeli commentators in Washington advocate a leading role for Turkish
troops while others, including Britain’s Robert Fisk, expressing concern.
Fisk,
a seasoned left-wing Middle East analyst and a correspondent for The
Independent, says a Turkish move to send a contingent to the Lebanon force
would be "unwise." He believes the international force plan will not work.
Noting that the people of southern Lebanon have not been consulted "about the
army which is supposed to live in their lands," Fisk said recently, "So when
this latest foreign army arrives, count the days–or hours–to the first
attack
upon it."

4. Government Reports Continued Growth In Tourism

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Armenia’s tourism industry continued its steady growth in
the
first half of this year, with the number of foreign visitors rising by 11.6
percent to over 122,500, a senior government official said on Tuesday.
Mekhak Apresian, head of the tourism department at the Ministry of Trade and
Economic Development, told the Regnum news agency that the figure is expected
to total at least 350,000 by the end of the year. The peak period of travel to
Armenia usually starts in August and ends in October.
According to official statistics, the country already had a record-high
318,000
tourists last year. Most of them are believed to be ethnic Armenians from
Europe and the United States. Government officials and industry executives in
Yerevan say the share of non-Armenian visitors has been steadily growing in
recent years.
The reported further growth of the tourism sector is supported by anecdotal
evidence, with virtually all hotels in central Yerevan fully booked at the
moment. Flying there is also not an easy task despite the increased frequency
of flights to the Armenian capital carried out by several major European
airlines.
President Robert Kocharian reiterated last week that the sector’s development
is a top economic priority for the Armenian government. Kocharian said the
country should be able to attract 500,000 tourists a year in the near future.
He also promised more government investments in the still underdeveloped
tourism infrastructure in regions outside Yerevan.
Local travel agencies say the sector’s more rapid expansion is also
hampered by
the relatively high cost of travel and accommodation in Armenia. Ara
Petrosian,
deputy minister of trade and economic development, estimated earlier this year
that the average foreigner has to spend approximately $1,000 on a one-week
stay
in the country.

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GERMAN EXPELLEES OPEN CONTROVERSIAL EXHIBITION

Expatica, Netherlands
Aug. 10, 2006

BERLIN – Germany’s movement of former refugees Thursday recalled its
suffering in the aftermath of World War II in a controversial Berlin
exhibition it hopes will become the core collection of a permanent
museum about ethnic purges.

There has been anger in Poland, the Czech Republic and other eastern
nations at the group’s plans for a memorial to 14 million dispossessed
ethnic Germans who fled from eastern Europe in the confusion after
the Second World War.

The 600-square-metre temporary exhibition in the Kronprinzenpalais
museum on Berlin’s central avenue, Unter den Linden, treats the German
experience as just one episode in a century of similar expulsions.

Other photos and souvenirs illustrate the 1915-1917 genocide of
the Armenians in Turkey. The flight of Jews from Nazi Germany and
the "ethnic cleansing" of the 1990s in former Yugoslavia are also
mentioned.

Polish Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski criticized the exhibition as
"an ominous, offensive and sad event." Deputy Foreign Minister Pawel
Kowal called it an attempt to manipulate history.

The venue is just across the street from the federal German History
Museum, where a temporary exhibition began in May, showing how the
refugees, an impoverished underclass in post-War Germany, struggled
back on their feet.

Erika Steinbach, leader of the German expellees federation BdV, said
Thursday just before the evening inauguration that she was still
planning a permanent Berlin memorial and documentation centre.

The BdV decided several years ago to shift its focus from the German
experience only to the wider pain of the whole 20th century.

Critics have accused the BdV of bias because it insists the expulsions,
which were allowed by the Allied powers, were unjust.

There are also fears that a memorial would undermine the message that
the Holocaust and other Nazi crimes were uniquely reprehensible.

The German government has been wary of the BdV plans, and instead backs
a European network to study expulsion history. The ranking speaker
at the inauguration was a non-cabinet official, Norbert Lammert,
the speaker of the Bundestag parliament.

Bernd Neumann, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s top culture aide, earlier
proposed that the less controversial federal exhibition on post-war
resettlement be made a permanent one.

The BdV exhibition, "Forced Routes, Expulsions in 20th Century Europe,"
runs until 29 October.

ARMENIAN HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL CENTER: TEMPERATURE IN YEREVAN NOT TO EXCEED +40C

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.08.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00

The temperature in Yerevan and throughout Armenia will not
change within next 3 days, senior specialist of the Armenian
Hydrometeorological Center Gagik Surenyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. In his words, the temperature will not exceed +40C in
Yerevan and the Ararat valley. In Surenyan’s words, there is no
broadcast received for the second half of August.

WHO IS MR. EVANS?

Lragir.am
9 Aug 06

The Lragir has learned that certain NGOs and political forces in
Armenia seek for revealing the foreign connections of the criminal
elite of the government. In particular, the problem of revealing
the real attitude of great powers is put forward. The authors of the
initiative are especially interested in the standpoint of the United
States. Namely, the United States keeps on talking about democracy,
rule of law, fair governance, whereas in reality it supports part
of the government that denies all these things. Considering this,
the initiators of investigation on the criminal-outer world relation
are going to study the activities of the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans to find out his relations with some public officials of
the Armenian government, and whether these relations proceed from
the U.S. policies.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

August 9, 2006
___________________

ACYOA’S SERVICE TRIP TO ARMENIA BRINGS CLERGY CLOSER TO PEOPLE

With the blessing of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, and the cooperation of Fr. Torkom Tonikyan of
the Arakatzotn Diocese of Armenia, 25 young Armenians from the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) recently traveled to Armenia to
serve the community there by bringing the parish priests closer to the
people.

The youngsters were part of the Armenia Service Program (ASP), a trip
organized by the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA).
This year they traveled to Armenia to work with Habitat for Humanity. They
worked on parish homes for two priests in the villages of Oshagan and
Edesia.

"This will bring the clergy to the people, because they are in the villages
and will stay among the people," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate
of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern). "I’m happy our
young people not only served the community through the Armenia Service
Program, but glad to know they worked alongside youth from the local diocese
in Armenia, building bonds between the two groups."

The ASP trip was underwritten by four generous benefactors whose gifts
allowed ASP participants to travel at minimal expense. They were Mr. and
Mrs. Vartkess and Rita Balian, James Kalustian, Dr. Sarkis Kechejian, and
Mr. and Mrs. Gregory and Christine Parseghian.

"These supporters of our youth know the importance of service to the
Armenian community," the Primate said. "And they stood forward and acted as
mentors, through their generous gifts. They showed the young ASP
participants that the community values the service they gave to their
brothers and sisters in Armenia by building new homes for priests to bring
them into the communities they will serve."

TRIP MOVES SOME TO STAY LONGER

It was supposed to be a three-week trip to help build homes for needy
Armenian families. But for two young Armenians it turned into a much longer
commitment to help the people of Armenia.

But for two of the 25 ASP participants, the trip was extended when they
decided to stay longer to continue helping the people of Armenia. Another
two members spoke to clergy in Armenia about returning next year to teach
English.

"A lot of people want to come back next year. Almost everyone wanted to
stay right then, but had to get back to school," said Sarine Zenian, one of
two assistant leaders who helped ASP group leader Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan.
"It was a wonderful, powerful way to truly see Armenia."

EXTENDED SERVICE

Two of the ASP participants — Gena Dirani and Aram Mushegian — decided to
stay on for a longer "tour of duty" in Armenia after listening to local
leaders and clergy who spoke about the importance of disaporan support.

One leader the group met with was Tom Samuelian, the American-born dean of
the law school at the American University of Armenia. He told the young
Armenians to take advantage of the opportunities they have now, and not let
the chance to help Armenia slip away.

"One important aspect of the Armenia Service Program is not just serving the
community through Habitat for Humanity, but also meeting the political and
community leaders, hearing about the future of Armenia from them," said
Nancy Basmajian, ACYOA executive secretary. "Someone like Tom, who has been
a longtime friend of the ACYOA, can convey to the ASP participants a true
sense of what it means to be a Christian steward and a community servant.
He gave up all he had in the U.S. to pursue something more vital: a strong,
stable Armenian homeland."

After ASP, Dirani began a three-week internship at the Armenian Department
of Foreign Affairs. Mushegian decided to stay through December, landing a
volunteer position through the Armenian Volunteer Corps.

BUILDING HOMES

The ASP participants teamed with Habitat for Humanity this summer to build
parish homes in Oshagan and Edesia. They also worked on an apartment
complex in Gavar. They did roofing, plastering, painting, and finishing
floors and walls.

At each site, they teamed with other volunteers as well as residents and
young Armenians from the local community.

"It was so great working with the locals and getting to know them," Zenian
said. "I had been to Armenia before, but this was a way to see Armenia
through a new set of eyes. We really got to know the Armenian people we
worked alongside."

The work done by ASP participants helps the thousands of Armenians displaced
by the 1988 earthquake, who live in metal "domiks," temporary iron shacks.
The domiks act like refrigerators in the winter, and boilers in the summer.

Habitat for Humanity Armenia has been active since 2000, and so far has
provided homes for more than 1,000 people.

The Armenian Church and Habitat for Humanity are preparing for an ambitious
project to build 37 homes for families in need through the "Catholicos
Karekin II Work Project," which will run from September 5 to 9, 2006.

For information on how to become a supporter of this project, visit the
Habitat for Humanity website:

— 8/9/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, leader of the ASP trip to
Armenia, left, works with volunteers and local Armenians on a construction
project through Habitat for Humanity.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): Mark Berberian, right, and Christian Ohanian work on a
roof during the 2006 ASP trip to Armenia.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): ASP participant Harutyun Gyurjyan shovels debris along
side local Armenians as part of a Habitat for Humanity build during the 2006
ASP trip to Armenia.

PHOTO CAPTION (4): Fr. Hovsep Karapetyan, leader of the ASP trip to
Armenia, with the ASP participants and their new friends made through
working on Habitat for Humanity sites in Armenia.

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS DELEGATION OF BIRTHRIGHT ARMENIA FUND

Stepanakert, August 7. ArmInfo. President of NKR Arkady Ghoukassyan
received the youth of Diaspora, delegates of Birthright Armenia Fund
on 5 August. The delegates are on a fact-finding visit to NKR.

The NKR Presidential press-service reports the president as informing
the young representatives of Armenian communities of USA, Canada,
France and Great Britain of the way Nagorny Karabakh has passed.
President Ghoukassyan stressed the role of Diaspora in solution
of everyday problems in NKR. He said the country will continue the
social-economic development and will always be ready to counteract
any attempt on the independence of NKR and security of NKR people.

NEW CLEANING STATION TO BE BUILT IN METSAMOR

ARMAVIR, AUGUST 8, NOYAN TAPAN. 2 mln euros has been earmarked for
the construction of a new cleaning station in Metsamor under the
credit program of KfW Bank (Germany). Norik Gevorgian, Director of
Nor Akunk CJSC, told NT correspondent that the Armenian government
made a decision to allocate an area of 100 ha for the station’s
construction. A tender for preparation of design estimates has already
been announced. According to N. Gevorgian, based on the design –
winner of the tender, a tender for a consruction organization will
be held. This process will be completed by November 30, while the
new cleaning station will be built starting from mid March 2007. It
is envisaged to finish the construction work within a month.

ALREADY TO GOVERN BY A CONCEPT

Lragir.am
03 Aug 06

The government of Armenia adopted the concept of management of
state property during the meeting on August 3. It means that further
management, including privatization of the state property will be
carried out in accordance with this long-term concept. "It provides
for the principles, goals and objectives of management of the state
property," says Ashot Markosyan, the assistant head of the Department
of State Property Management.

It is notable that the government of Armenia has privatized 80
percent of the state property and has just remembered the necessity
of a concept for the remaining 20 percent and adopted it. Perhaps
the remaining 20 percent is of special value for the government and
it should be sold in a special way, in accordance with a concept.
Besides, it is more fashionable, not to allow accusing of not having
a concept. In the meantime, there was not a concept when it was
needed, but when there is almost no state property, the concept of
its management is adopted.

Ashot Markosyan says the concept concerns not only privatization but
also the enterprises which have already been privatized. According
to Ashot Markosyan, one of the underlying questions of the concept
is the question of the authorized representatives of the state to
companies partly shared by the state.

"The problem is that presently there are problems with their functions,
rights and duties. For instance, on what basis does the authorized
representative of the state make one decision or another or endorse one
decision of another? The next problem is their salary. Today, in fact,
this question is in the air. The concept sets the objective to approach
it from the point of view of public interest," says Ashot Markosyan.

On the whole, the concept of management of state property has a single
goal: the government needs to manage state property effectively,
and if it is going to privatize it, the public interest should be
taken into account. This lofty goal of the concept suggests that so
far the government has not managed the state property effectively and
did not privatize it in favor of the public interest. Simply now
they are thinking about tomorrow. After all, noting is eternal,
including power, and perhaps in preparing to leave the executive
decided to adopt a concept to make the next government also to manage
the state property effectively and privatize it in favor of the public
interests. We can only appreciate the farsightedness of the government
and even forgive some short-sighted steps of the conceptless times.

ADB identifies 3 priorities for beginning operations in Armenia

People’s Daily Online, China
Aug 4, 2006

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) identified three broad priorities for
beginning operations in Armenia as accelerating rural development,
promoting the private sector and enhancing regional cooperation,
an ADB report said on Thursday.

Armenia, which joined ADB in September 2005, has made substantial
progress in several key areas of economic development. However,
significant challenges remain if the country’s high level of poverty 39
percent of the population in 2004 are to be lowered, the report said.

"ADB’s Interim Operational Strategy is designed to be responsive to
the development challenges faced by Armenia. It will guide prospective
assistance to areas that have been identified as having the highest
potential development impact," said Shikha Jha, an ADB’s Country
Programs Specialist.

For improving living standards in rural areas and creating livelihood
opportunities, ADB will concentrate on water supply systems and waste
management, rehabilitation of rural roads and developing alternative
sources of energy, according to the report.

To strengthen enabling environment for private sector development,
ADB will explore potential assistance to improve regulatory oversight
and economic governance.

To augment Armenia’s regional cooperation and integration initiatives,
ADB will consider assistance to rehabilitate its existing regional
transport infrastructure to reduce costs of trade and transport,
and to upgrade regional energy transmission networks.

Source: Xinhua