Author: Felekian Ara

A1+

THERE IS ONLY ONE PROBLEM IN ARMENIA

[06:22 pm] 28 April, 2006

`The role of each of us is important in the realization of democracy,
everyone starting from the journalists must understand that much
depends on him,’ announced Nikol Pashinyan, the editor-in-chief of the
daily `Armenian Times’. According to him, the society begins to
understand it, and people begin to realize their responsibility.

`We cannot understand what is going on in the political field. We are
suffering from intellectual and moral vacuum,’ Nikol Pashinyan
says. According to him, the politicians do not know what to do. `If
the authorities carry out their passive task to keep the power, the
opposition does not know how to carry out its active task to take the
power.’

Agreeing with the opinion that the politicians will not start working
until the journalists urge them, Pashinyan noted, «The majority of the
deputies goes to the Parliament to have a nap. If it weren’t for the
journalists, they would take their beds with them and sleep there»,
Nikol Pashinyan said.

He notes lack of honesty in the political field, as well as in the
information field. According to him, the journalists are not honest
enough with the people, and this is a problem of national security, as
the citizens of the country are sometimes not aware of what is going
on in the country.

According to Pashinyan, the situation in the television field is
conditioned by the absence of the «A1+» TV Company. «If there a TV
Company like «A1+», it creates competition». According to him, today
the journalists misinform people instead of informing them.

He also noted that the ecological, energy and economic issues are
completely ignored in Armenia. There is only one problem: the
political one which is connected with the second article of the
Constitution: the power belongs to the people. As soon as this problem
is solved, all the others will be solved too.

WHAT DID THE GOVERNMENT TELL ROGER ROBINSON?

Lragir.am
28 April 06

The World Bank Armenia Country Manager Roger Robinson gave a news
conference on April 28 and gave reporters interesting ideas and
revelations on the fifth generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant of
Hrazdan.

Roger Robinson first stated that the government of Armenia is planning
to hold public debates on the deal on the fifth generating unit next
week, and to answer questions on this issue. Roger Robinson announced
that the government is responsible for people and has to report on its
steps. After this idea the interesting viewpoints of Robinson began.

He said that judging by the information he got from government
officials the deal was highly profitable for Armenia, and if the mass
media discussed these problems with the government, they would agree
and realize that it was a truly favorable deal for Armenia. He does
not consider it troubling that the entire energy sector of Armenia is
monopolized by another country. Roger Robinson says it is more
important to have a strong controller to maintain and control the
offered public utilities. He also calls for considering the reality.

According to Roger Robinson, the reality is that the main supplier of
fuel for energy generation, i.e. nuclear fuel, gas, is Russia. The
only resource Armenia has is water, or the snow that melts and fills
the rivers and is used in water power plants. The World Bank Armenia
Country Manager emphasizes the awareness of the reality which cannot
be changed in a couple of minutes.

Certainly, this reality cannot be changed in a several minutes, but it
can be changed over years. In the meantime, there is danger that the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline that gave a hope of change may be given to
Russia. In this perspective it is interesting what the attitude of the
World Bank towards the new reality will be. With regard to this Roger
Robinson said the ownership of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is not
part of this deal.

Baghdasaryan-Mironov meeting held in Saint Petersburg

ArmRadio.am
28.04.2006 17:55

April 28 RA NA Chairman Arthur Baghdasaryan met President of the
Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation
Sergey Mironov in Saint Petersburg.

During the meeting an agreement was reached to hold RA National
Assembly Days at the Federal Assembly.

During the meeting between PACE President Rene van der Linden and NA
Chairman Arthur Baghdasaryan issues related to the execution of
Armenia’s obligations before the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe. Reference was made to the Electoral Code.

U.S. MAKES EVERY EFFORT FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.04.2006 20:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. is a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group and
makes every effort for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans stated in an interview
with PanARMENIAN.Net. The head of the U.S. diplomatic mission referred
to the words of U.S. Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Ambassador Steven
Mann, who addressed this issue when he said, the way peace is best
served is by taking that first step towards an agreement in 2006. “I
think this is our year, and these are the months, to take that first
important step,” Mann said. “And I am absolutely convinced that in
the months ahead the two sides have the chance to greatly lower the
dangers of a new war,” the U.S. Co-Chair said.

ONLY CANDIDATE FOR GORIS MAYOR’S POST IS CURRENT MAYOR

Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The only candidate nominated for the
Mayor’s elections to be held on May 21 in Goris is current Goris Mayor,
member of the Republican Party of Armenia Nelson Voskanian. Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed about it by Spokesperson of RA Central
Electoral Commission Tsovinar Khachatrian. The issue of candidate’s
registration will be discussed at the sitting of district electoral
commission N 37 to be convened on April 30.

IMPROVEMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

ArmRadio.am
26.04.2006 14:30

Council of Europe Secretary General Terry Davis declared that for
improvement of Armenian-Turkish relations it is necessary to settle
the Karabakh conflict.

“This is really an important issue. However, it takes a secondary
character and is just the edge of the problem. The central
question should be solved, and we know that it is the future of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Thus, let’s get engaged in the essence of the issue
and not rotate around it,” Terry Davis said.

ARMENIAN STUDENT KILLED IN MOSCOW RACE ATTACK
Nick Paton Walsh Moscow

The Guardian – United Kingdom
Apr 24, 2006

An ethnic Armenian teenager was stabbed to death in a metro station
in central Moscow on Saturday night – the latest attack in a growing
wave of racist violence in Russia. At least six immigrants have been
killed so far this month, and many more have been wounded. Media
reports said that a man in black clothing with a shaven head had
stabbed the victim several times at Pushkin Square station, not far
from the Kremlin, before fleeing. Vagan Abramyants, 17, a student,
died on the spot. A friend who was with him at the time was badly
wounded in the attack.

TODAY IS THE 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
24.04.2006 11:15

Over again thousands of Armenians will attend today Tsitsernakaberd. 91
years have passed from the day, when the Osmans covered the year 1915
of Armenian history with blood. It was a page of our history that
was encrypted in our memory as a tragedy and became a shame and sin
on the conscience of the Turkish people. Today April 24 is not only
the day of commemoration of the 1.5 million of innocent Armenians. It
is the voice of their successors, of our nation to tell the whole
world, particularly those who still suffer hatred towards Armenians
that it is impossible to kill the creating and constructing Armenian
nation. The pain has never broken us. Moreover, after this strong blow
we turned more decisive to prove the nations that have taken the route
of democracy, that we have a place in the 21st century and we still
have much to do, we still have to convince the civilized community
that non-punishment will bring about a new genocide. But before that
we have homage to pay. Let’s once again go to Tsitsernakaberd.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS THE MATTER OF DIGNITY OF TURKEY AND TURKISH PEOPLE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 24 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Our achievements
in the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide are obvious:
there were countries that recognized the Genocide, there were such
where memorials were erected.

The most important is that in the course of years more countries
and more peoples understand that indeed this is a huge crime
committed against the mankind and show proper attitude towards it,”
RA National Assembly Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosian declared on April
24 at the memorial complex of Armenian Genocide victims. According to
T.Torosian, the recognition of the Genocide is the matter of dignity
of Turkey and Turkish people: “They can also not recognize, nothing
will change in the world as a result of this. The most important
is the mankind’s realizing that indeed a crime was committed and
the attitude towards it is respect not only towards the Armenian
people but also towards the mankind and human values in general,” NA
Vice-Speaker emphasized. According to Tigran Torosian, Armenia has
always looked for verges of cooperation with Turkey and has always
declared about its readiness to establish relations with Turkey
without any preconditions. According to RA Prosecutor General Aghvan
Hovsepian, not only Turkey but also the whole world should recognize
the Armenian Genocide as the crime is for all nations. “Recognizing
the Genocide they should show their attitude not only in connection
with the fact of the Armenian Genocide,” Aghvan Hovsepian mentioned.

AZG Armenian Daily #074, 22/04/2006

Music

JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH IN ARMENIA

“Jazz Appreciation Month” will launch in Armenia on April 26. This
will be the fifth international jazz festival held in Yerevan. The
U.S. Embassy to Armenia informed that within the framework of the
festival they will hold not only concerts but also film sessions on
the history of jazz, a dancing performance staged on jazz music,
“Colors of Jazz” the exhibition of young artists. It is expected that
both Armenian and American musicians will hold concerts at the
festival.

By Nana Petrosian