Author: Mamian George

MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE IS TRUST ARMENIA HAS TO JUSTIFY

PanARMENIAN.Net
29.03.2006 00:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Millennium Challenge Compact is the single
largest government investment in Armenia’s economy, Armenian FM
Vartan Oskanian stated when addressing a forum on Armenian issues
in Washington.

The signing of the Compact drives both economic development and
democratization in Armenia, he said.

“The US government chose Armenia as one of the potential recipients
because Armenia is needy. That’s no secret. But there are lots of
needy countries in the world. Why Armenia? Because the US government
determined to contribute to the budgets of those countries that are
themselves attempting to grow in the right direction – to govern
justly, to encourage economic openness and to invest in people,”
Oskanian said. “Armenia is a part of the MCC because not only is there
plenty about our society that needs to be put right, but because we are
on a path that is right,” the Armenian FM added. As Oskanian noted,
Armenia has the honor and the obligation to build on the confidence
that has been placed in our government and our people. “And so,
even as we spend these funds to turn mud into asphalt and to give
farmers the irrigation water that is their lifeblood, we will work
to make sure that good governance and the principles of an open and
fair society take root in our homeland,” Oskanian stated.

KARABAKH IS NOT A GREY AREA BUT IT MAY BE SENSITIVE

Lragir.am
28 March 06

On March 21 and 22 the meeting of the industrial and environmental
commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic
Cooperation took place in Bucharest. Member of Parliament Gagik
Minasyan, who represented Armenia at the meeting, reported details
to news reporters on March 28.

The issue of cooperation in struggle against economic crimes was on
the agenda of the commission. Fighting bird flu was discussed as a
burning issue.

Gagik Minasyan said during the discussion of the issue
on the agenda Azerbaijan again spoke about Karabakh, the
refugees and territories. The representatives of Armenia was
not startled. Addressing the Parliamentary Forum, Gagik Minasyan
announced: “The economic blockade of an entire country is a specific
economic crime organized on a top governmental level. Azerbaijan has
been committing this economic crime of the government level against
Armenia for a number of years.” And proposed to uproot all the types
of economic crime, including blockade.

Georgia proposed to state in the resolution on fighting economic crime
that ” One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called grey
areas, such as, for instance, the post-conflict areas of Abkhazia and
the former South Osetian sovereign region in Georgia, where there are
illegal markets and illegal circulation of foreign currency.” Georgia
proposed to include in the recommendations of the resolution that
in grey areas, particularly, in the mentioned places, the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation should assist in seeking for peace settlements
of the conflict.

The phrase “grey area” was disapproved by Armenia, as well as Turkey
with regard to Cyprus, and Russia with regard to Chechnya. The
phrase in the Georgian proposal was replaced by “sensitive areas”:
“One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called sensitive
areas, which favor illegal trade and illegal circulation of foreign
currency.” Many disliked the phrase “sensitive areas” used in the
recommendations as well, for the phrase “sensitive areas” can suggest
anything. But the resolution has already been passed.

AGAIN GAS, AGAIN FRAUD?

Lragir.am
28 March 06

The government is taking measures to relieve the consequences of
expensive gas, but meanwhile it is waiting for the outcome of the
negotiations with Russia, stated Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
to news reporters on March 28.

However, the prime minister declined to reveal what Armenia had offered
Gasprom in return for “a not very high price,” as the co-chair of
the Russian-Armenian intergovernmental commission, Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan had put it.

“We will tell when it is time,” says Prime Minister
Margaryan. According to him, the negotiations will finish in the
nearest future, so the Armenian society will soon learn how our
government managed to persuade Gasprom. It is obvious, however, that
the public will not learn about it on time, as the prime minister said;
as soon as it becomes known what Armenia had offered to Russians in
return for low price of gas, it will not be essential, for it will
already be a fact. Whereas, the problem is much serious. In fact,
they are preparing the society psychologically and mentally that there
is only one alternative to what we are going to cede or to offer –
expensive gas and hard social consequences. So this time the government
of Armenia prepares an excellent social basis, and naturally people
predicting a threat to their budgets will instinctively agree to
anything except emptying their already empty pockets.

Let us suppose, however, that the government of Armenia has,
nevertheless, made a dignified deal for the state with Gasprom. It
does not imply that everything was done for the sake of the Republic
of Armenia. After guaranteeing a low price of gas the government will
have to account for the decision of the Public Utilities Commission,
which has already boosted the tariffs of gas for the population and
industries, assuming that the price of gas would be 110 dollars on
the border. And the decision of the commission will be in effect
for at least 6 months, and the price will not be reasonable. But the
government will not allow this, stated Andranik Margaryan once again.

“We can solve this problem by a government decision only. In other
words, what additional resources the government possesses that can
ensure certain compensation. The commission has done its job, the rest
is our problem, it is a matter of resources, what resources we have,
how much we will manage to cut the price,” said the prime minister.

It would be reassuring if it were not so very sly and extremely
distressing.

The Public Utilities Commission has, apparently, decided on something
that does not exist yet. The government is still negotiating, whereas
the commission already has adopted a decision. If the government
belonged to Armenia, and the commission belonged to Equatorial Guinea,
for instance, the disaccord in their actions could be justified. But
in this case two governmental organizations are concerned. And now
the prime minister announces that the government will find a way
to compensate for the price of gas, maintained by the commission,
on its resources.

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES THEATER FIGURES AND THEATER-LOVERS ON OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL THEATER DAY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 27 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On March 27, RA
President Robert Kocharian addressed a congratulatory message on the
occasion of the International Theater Day. The message provided to
Noyan Tapan by RA President’s Press Service, read: “I congratulate
the Armenian theater figures and theater-lovers on the occasion of the
International Theater Day. The spiritual-cultural, as well as social
development of our people would be impossible without the Armenian
theater. Today also the continuation of its traditions and giving a
new modern meaning to the theater are important for the progress of
our people and society. The spectator appreciates the great devotion
of our actors, producers, all theater figures to their work and
professional skills.

Congratulating on the occasion of the holiday, I wish the
representatives of our theater art creative success, crowded halls
and loud cheers”.

Regnum, Russia
March 25 2006

Expert: models of settlement of military issues without Karabakh are absurd

`Nagorno Karabakh must participate in providing security in the
conflict zone,’ said independent Nagorno Karabakh political expert
David Karabekyan to a REGNUM correspondent. He noted that such
participation, even presumed by the UN Security Council, is blocked
by official Baku, because it can be the ground of Karabakh
independence recognition. The expert noted that in the same time,
Azerbaijan demands from Armenia to obey to UN Security Council
decisions.

He reminded that during negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh settlement,
main criteria of participation in providing security in the region
was regular army structure, and Nagorno Karabakh fully answered this
criteria, while Azerbaijan formed regular army only in 1994, 3 years
after gaining its independence and 2 years after the beginning of
negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh.

The expert noted that in 1994, even after cease-fire agreement in the
conflict zone, Azerbaijan remained unstable, while Nagorno Karabakh
has a stable state structure. It helped Nagorno Karabakh to stop
Azerbaijani forces and launch a successful counter-attack against
more powerful enemy. He reminded that all violation of cease-fire
with Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh were from the Azerbaijani side. It
demonstrates that Azerbaijan authorities are unable to provide
security in the region. So Stepanakert has no reason to trust Baku
and states that it can be more trustworthy guarantor of security
obligations.

Karabekyan stressed that models of settlement of military issues and
events in the framework of regional agreements are absurd without
Karabakh. For example, if Armenia is granted the right to provide
defense of Nagorno Karabakh in the framework of the regional
agreements, but it makes absurd all accusations against Armenia in
annexation of Azerbaijani territory. In such case, Armenia becomes
guilty in all the victims, because it had not moved the troops in
Nagorno Karabakh fast enough and assumed control over it.

The expert thinks that use of multi-national peacekeepers in the
regions will only lead to increase of number of victims, because they
have no responsibility to participate in most important aspects of
the conflict settlement. He reminded about Kosovo events, when
peacekeepers provided security of 60 thousand Albanians by moving
away 200 thousand of native Kosovo Serbians.

He also said that the idea to make Azerbaijan guarantor of Nagorno
Karabakh independence or demilitarize the conflict zone was even more
useless, because it would lead to vacuum of security, and violation
of military parity between conflict sides.

The only way to settle the conflict, according to the expert, is to
adapt regional agreements in defense sphere. The sides must guarantee
mutual control in arms race control, provide security of air
communication with CIS and other countries, and establish
international humanitarian mission in the conflict zone, concluded
Karabekyan.

A1+

HAYRIKYAN NEGOTIATES WITH THE PRIME MINISTER

04:10 pm 24 March, 2006

Today the leader of the Union for National Self-Determination Paruyr
Hayrikyan started the process of negotiation with the leader of the RA
republican party, Prime-Minister Andranik Margaryan, a person whom
Paruyr Hayrikyan himself called and `agent’ and accused of various
actions.

Is it possible after all this to find edges of negotiations and will
Andranik Margaryan agree to negotiate? Being in the stage of
negotiations, Paruyr Hayrikyan today allayed his estimations
concerning Andranik Margaryan and said, `Andranik Margaryan has been
one of the important persons of the National United Party. After some
time some people left the party, among those people was Andranik
Margaryan who was under pressure’.

Paruyr Hayrikyan wants the 40th anniversary of the National United
Party to be celebrated on the government level. `Is there a single
party in Armenia which puts a goal before himself and his people and
reaches it? The only one was National United Party the aim of which
was independence and he reached it. And now whose anniversary should
be celebrated if no of that of National United Party’,-says Paruyr
Hayrikyan, who founded the Union for National Self-Determination on
the bases of the National United Party.

He also noted that there is a considerable difference between the
independence of the countries of the former Soviet Union: `Uzbeks
became independent because Armenia was in a struggle. We didn’t win
our independence the way they did’. According to Paruyr Hayrikyan,
this year is also the 15th anniversary of the self-determination of
the Armenian nation – the 1991 September referendum of
independence. And we cannot celebrate it without remembering the
anniversary of the NUP.

Paruyr Hayrikyan expects Andranik Margaryan to start the anniversary
events of the NUP anniversary on April 24 which is the day of
foundation of the party. He expects that programs about the history of
the party, conferences and congresses will take place within the
framework of the events. The most important thing for UNSD is to move
the ashes of the founder of the NUP Haikaz Khachatryan to the pantheon
and to declare him as a national hero. `He was a person who for a long
period of time was the inspiration for the independence’, Paruyr
Hayrikyan says.

By the way, it is not clear yet if Andranik Margaryan is going to
negotiate with Paruyr Hayrikyan.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
March 24 2006

Armenian Armed Forces violate cease-fire in Gazakh and Terter
frontline

[ 24 Mar. 2006 19:18 ]

Armenians violated the cease-fire from some directions of the
frontline. Azerbaijani Defense Ministry press service told APA that
Armenian Armed Forces’ positions located 0.4 km south of Mezemli
village, Gazakh fired on Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ opposite positions
and Mezemli village from 18.20 to 18.25 on March 23.

Their positions located 0.5 km south of Ashagi Askipara, Gazakh and
0.3 km south-east of occupied Boganis Ayrim village fired on
Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ opposite positions from 19.50 to 20.00 and
their positions located 0.8 km south-west of Chayli village, Terter,
fired on Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ opposite positions from 21.30 to
21.55 and their positions located 4 km south-west of Garmiravan
village, Terter fired on Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ opposite position
at 22.10 with submachine and machine guns. The enemy was silenced by
response fire. No loss is reported. /APA/

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
March 22, 2006 Wednesday 7:50 PM MSK

Chances for Karabakh settlement decreasing – Oskanian

YEREVAN March 22

The prospects for a peaceful settlement in the dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh have decreased after Armenian-Azeri negotiations
were held in Rambouillet in February, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian told Interfax on Wednesday.

“As of now it is difficult to say whether any agreement on Karabakh,
even a framework document, will be formulated in 2006. Such a result
is desirable, however, it is difficult to forecast anything,” he
said.

“Armenia has made a lot of compromises and we expect Azerbaijan to do
likewise,” the minister said.

“The Russian, French and U.S. co-chairmen of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe’s (OSCE) Minsk Group have yet to
decide on the future of the Karabakh negotiations,” he said.

“Either international mediators will decide to visit the Karabakh
conflict zone or will organize another meeting of the Armenian and
Azeri foreign ministers,” he said.

The Rambouillet negotiations took place in France on February 10 –
11.

AZG Armenian Daily #053, 24/03/2006

Home

GYUMRI AIRPORT TO BECOME ALTERNATIVE TO `ZVARTNOTS’

The Gyumri airport is considered an alternative one to “Zvartnots”
airport. The airport needs to be reconstructed. In 2006, AMD 67
million was allocated for elaborating the projects for its
restoration. RA PM Andranik Margarian stated that the rest of the
required sum will be allocated from RA State budget in 2007.The
experts should explore the airspace of the airport, elaborate flight
and landing schemes, make geological research, form project documents,
carry out capital re-equipment of illumination and signal systems of
the airport. Mr. Margarian stated that after restoration of the
airport not only the air companies from the CIS states but those from
neighboring areas may be interested in making flights from this very
airport. RA PM also promised that RA Government will spare no efforts
to assist the restoration works of the airport.

By Nana Petrosian

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

A DELEGATION FROM THE CHURCHES OF WALES VISITS ANTELIAS

A delegation representing the Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Churches of
Wales visited the Catholicosate of Cilicia on March 18. The delegation met
with His Holiness Aram I and delivered to him a letter from the Most
Reverend Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales. The delegation included
senior spiritual leaders and members of the European Parliament.

The purpose of the delegation’s visit to the region is to get closely
acquainted with the Churches of the Middle East. During their one-day stay
in Lebanon, the delegation members met with some of the country’s spiritual
leaders and politicians. The delegation will also visit Syria where they
will meet with President Bashar Assad.

His Holiness Aram I briefly reported on the situation in Lebanon and the
Middle East, encouraging discussions about the region’s political,
religious, social and economic circumstances. His Holiness focused on the
presence of Christianity in the Middle East and stressed the importance of
the Christian-Muslim dialogue. He also pointed out that Christians should
assume more active roles as rightful citizens of their respective countries.

His Holiness praised the Parliament and Churches of Wales for their
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in a special resolution last years and
thanked them for their support of the Armenian cause.

The delegation members commended His Holiness for his years’ long efforts in
the ecumenical field and expressed hope that he will continue his
contributions on an international level.

Towards the end of the meeting, the delegation invited His Holiness to
deliver a lecture in the University of Wales.

##
View photos here: tm
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.