Author: Karagyozian Lena

INTER RAO UES HAS NO MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS WITH “ELECTRICITY NETWORKS OF ARMENIA”

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 29 2006

Yerevan, March 29. /ARKA/. The “INTER RAO UES” Company has no
management problems with “Electricity Networks of Armenia”, Director
General of INTER RAO UESYevgeny Dod told reporters.

“We have no claims to make to Mantrov and Gladunchik. What is going
on is a domestic situation. The Network is steadily operating.

Collection is payments is at 102% level, with no management problems,”
Dod said.

In his turn, Leonid Drachevsky, Board Vice-Chairman, “UES of Russia”
stated that the problem was a psychological and emotional, rather
than a technical one.

“This does not contribute to stability… But from the technical
point of view, we have no problems with the electricity network,”
Drachevsky said.

Armenia’s mass media started disseminating the information on
disagreements between Director of the “Electricity Networks of Armenia”
CJSC Yevgeny Gladunchik and Deputy Director of INTER RAO UES Mikhail
Mantrov. In this connection, Mantrov’s release from the post of Head
of the “Southern Section” of the company was not ruled out.

INTER RAO UES holds 100% of the “Electricity Networks of Armenia”
CJSC, Sevan-Hrazdan coordinated hydro-power system, as well as is
the financial managers of the Armenian nuclear-power plant.

AMERICAN ARMED FORCES CONFERENCE IN ARMENIA

Lragir.am
27 March 06

On September 11-15, 2006 the opening planning conference of the
Cooperative Effort 07 of the U.S. European Command will take place,
told the press secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia Seyran
Shahsuvaryan to the news agency Novosty-Armenia, informs the news
agency ARKA. Seyran Shahsuvaryan mentioned that in 2006 the exercise
will be coordinated via the communication network in Germany.

“The representatives of the Armenian armed forces will participate in
the exercise via satellite,” said the press secretary of the Ministry
of Defense. He informed that in 2005 two planning conferences were
held in Albania and Macedonia, and the main planning conference took
place in Croatia on January 22-28, 2006. The press secretary of the
Ministry of Defense mentioned that the signalers of the Armenian
armed forces took part in all these conferences, the final one of
which was held in Georgia on March 21-24.

CONFERENCES ON DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES TO BE ORGANIZED IN YEREVAN AND HAGUE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues of development of the
Armenian-Nethelandian interparliamentary cooperation were discussed
at the March 24 meeting of RA National Assembly Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian with Eimert van Middelkoop, Senator of the Upper House of
the Parliament of Netherlands. An agreement was reached on organizing
conferences on issues of development of democracy in Yerevan and
Hague joint with the Parliament of Netherlands within the framework
of the “New Democracy” program. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
NA Public Relations Department, Artur Baghdasarian asked to pass his
congratulation to the Parliament of Netherlands for recognition of the
Armenian Genocide what will prevent any repetition of similar crimes.

TURKISH LOBBYIST ACCUSES ARMENIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF SEEKING TO
IMPOSE “TYRANNY OF THE MINORITY”

YEREVAN, MARCH 25. ARMINFO. Turkey’s top Washington, DC lobbyist,
former Louisiana Congressman Bob Livingston, in perhaps his most
strident attack to date, has accused Armenian Americans of seeking to
impose a “tyranny of the minority” by urging the Congress to adopt
human rights legislation concerning the Armenian Genocide, according
to documents obtained this week by the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).

“It’s truly the height of hypocrisy for a paid foreign agent for
Turkey – a government that violates the rights of its citizens on a
wholesale basis – to try to diminish the role that American citizens
play in the formulation of our nation’s foreign policy,” said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “But, apparently, in the ‘Alice in
Wonderland’ world of Bob Livingston, other nations dictate
U.S. policy, genocides remain unpunished, and foreign lobbyists get to
silence American voters. He would do well to spend more time
encouraging his Turkish clients to learn about democracy, and less
time seeking to abridge the democratic rights of Americans here at
home.”

In letters sent to Congressional offices last September, prior to the
House International Relations Committee’s consideration of Armenian
Genocide legislation, Livingston, escalated his rhetoric to
unprecedented levels, arguing, in his capacity as a paid agent of a
foreign government, that he believed the measure “cater[s] to a small
minority of citizens promoting the narrow goals of the minority at the
expense of America’s broader interest.” He went on, in an example of
overstatement rare even by Washington, DC standards, to contend that
Armenian Genocide legislation “is the truest expression of the tyranny
of the minority.” The panel rejected Livingston’s attack, voting 40 to
7 to approve the legislation.

In July of last year, CongressWatch, an arm of Public Citizen,
released a 49-page report highlighting ethical concerns about the
Livingston Group’s lobbying efforts for the Turkish Government. The
report details the efforts by Livingston, to secure a “$1 billion
supplemental appropriation for Turkey. . . despite that country’s
refusal to allow U.S. troops to use its soil as a staging area for the
Iraq invasion. He also helped kill an amendment that would have
formally recognized the Armenian Genocide that occurred between 1915
and 1923.” The Livingston Group has received over $10 million in
payments from Turkey.

“CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II WORK PROJECT” ANNOUNCED

ArmRadio
22.03.2006 17:57

Habitat for Humanity and the Armenian Church announce commencement of
an historic event to address poverty housing in Armenia: “Catholicos
Karekin II Work Project: An Armenian Building on Faith Project.”

The home-building blitz will take place September 5-9, 2006, in
northern Armenia, near Lake Sevan. Thirty-seven homes – symbolizing
36 worldwide Dioceses, plus the Holy See, representing the Catholicos
and Supreme Patriarch of all Armenians – will be built for families
in need in Armenia.

“His Holiness personally invites all Armenians worldwide to galvanize
and join this unique opportunity to rebuild Armenia,” said Bishop
Vicken Aykazian. ” Armenians worldwide will come together in a
spirit of community and goodwill to reconnect with their roots,
their homeland, and their faith.”

SEPARATIST KARABAKH SEEKS “ENERGY INDEPENDENCE”

Regnum, Moscow
18 Mar 06

18 March: Under a long-term energy programme developed by the
government of Nagornyy Karabakh, this year will see the start of the
construction of a cascade of three hydroelectric power stations on the
River (?Trga) and the Madagis hydroelectric power station, which will
allow Nagornyy Karabakh to meet its domestic demand for electricity,
our Regnum correspondent in Stepanakert quoted the Nagornyy Karabakh
minister for territorial administration and [development of] production
infrastructure, Arnold Abramyan, as saying. Abramyan said that Nagornyy
Karabakh’s water resources have a great energy potential, and that
the implementation of relevant programmes will make it possible to
use them efficiently for both energy and irrigation purposes.

A total of 17 small hydroelectric power stations are to be built,
which will ensure Nagornyy Karabakh’s energy independence. Moreover,
electricity generated will exceed the demands of the population
three-folds.

For the time being, Nagornyy Karabakh’s main energy donor is
the Sarsang hydroelectric power station on the River Tartar which
generates 65m kWh of electricity a year. The rest of electricity that
the republic needs is exported from Armenia.

The territorial administration and production infrastructure minister,
Armo Tsaturyan, said that the republic’s state budget envisages 250m
drams [569,000 dollars] for the development of the energy sphere in
2006, including 40m for the capital – Stepanakert.

However, the minister noted that this amount is clearly not enough
to resolve the complex of problems existing in this sphere.

ALIYEV THREATENS TO SUSPEND GARABAGH TALKS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006

Baku, March 16, AssA-Irada
President Ilham Aliyev has reaffirmed official Baku’s intransigent
stance with regard to the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.

“If the occupied territories are not freed, Azerbaijan may reconsider
its participation in peace talks with Armenia. If we see that Armenia’s
involvement in the peace process is just an imitation, we will suspend
the talks,” Aliyev told the second congress of World Azerbaijanis in
Baku on Thursday.

Upper Garabagh, which is internationally recognized as part of
Azerbaijan, has both Azerbaijani and ethnic Armenian population. It was
occupied by Armenia in early 1990s, along with seven other Azerbaijani
districts, after large-scale hostilities that killed up to 30,000
people and forced over a million Azeris out of their homes.

The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been
fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded.

The commander-in-chief said that although the ceasefire was reached
12 years ago, the negotiations carried out so far have been fruitless
due to Yerevan’s inappropriate position.

“We can take part in the talks if we believe in their results. But
how long? This can’t go on forever. The patience of the Azerbaijani
people and authorities is getting exhausted.”

Aliyev reminded that Upper Garabagh is a historic Azerbaijani land
and Armenians came here only in mid-19th century. “They came to the
region as visitors, but afterwards acquired the quantitative majority
and paved the way for separatist sentiments,” he said.

“Official Baku will never accept the occupation of Azerbaijani
territories. The Armenian invading forces must pull out, while
Azerbaijani citizens must return to the land of their forefathers.

Only after this can normal relations be forged between Azerbaijan
and Armenia. And this is the only way to achieve a peace accord,”
the president said.

ARONYAN WINS IN MONACO

A1+
02:25 pm 20 March, 2006

An international chess super tournament has started in Monte Carlo
where Levon Aronyan, Veselin Topalov, Vishvanatan Anand and other
Grand Masters participate.

In the tournament the masters play blindfold and rapid chess.

In the first round Aronyan played with Luuk van Veli from
Holland. Levon lost the blindfold game, but won the rapid one and
earned one point. In the second round Aronyan played with the Fide
world champion Veselin Topalov. This time Aronyan won the blindfold
game and tied the rapid one.

After the second round Levon Aronyan tops the list with 4 other players
with 2.5 points. In the third round Levon will play with Peter Leko
whom he beat in the last round of the Linares tournament.

Baku Tries to Azerbaijanize Iranian Poets

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.03.2006 20:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami’s
writing that Nizami Ganjavi is a Persian poet is true. Nizami wrote
and created his works in Persian, he didn’t have even one work in
Azerbaijani,” Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleymani told
journalists. Expressing his support for the former Iranian president’s
stance that Nizami is a Persian poet, Suleymani also said there is no
evidence to prove that Nizami wrote in Azerbaijani. “Nizami didn’t
write in Azerbaijani. Nizami wrote in Persian but these poems were
translated into Azerbaijani later,” the Ambassador said. The Iranian
ambassador also claimed that Shahriyar is not an Azerbaijani poet
either, reports APA.

Azerbaijanization of Persian culture and art workers began in
Azerbaijan in 60s, when Heydar Aliyev came to power first as Chairman
of the KGB in Azerbaijan, and later as First Secretary of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of Azerbaijan.

Novruz Mammadov: “Vardan Oskanian trying to derail peace talks”

Today, Azerbaijan
March 17 2006

17 March 2006 [15:48] – Today.Az

An Azeri presidential administration official has accused Armenian
Foreign Minister of attempting to derail efforts to settle the
long-standing Nagorno Karabakh conflict, following the latter’s
outrageous statement.

“Vardan Oskanian is trying to disrupt peace talks. As I understand,
his latest statements signal that he wants to negatively affect the
entire peace process,” the head of the President’s Office
international relations department, Novruz Mammadov said, while
commenting on Oskanian’s statement that Nagorno Karabakh “has never
been part of Azerbaijan and is Armenian land”.

The Armenian minister also maintained that if Baku does not recognize
the independence of the self-proclaimed republic, the occupied land
would “never be returned”.

“Azerbaijan reserves the right to free its land from under the
aggressor country’s occupation and this is in line with international
law,” Mammadov said.

He added that Armenia has recently been under pressure with regard to
the conflict resolution, AssA-Irada reports.

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