Author: Virabian Jhanna

PARLIAMENT MAY NOT ELECT SPEAKER

Lragir.am
23 May 06

The Constitution provides for definite terms for election or
appointment of president or prime minister and government in case of
resignation, while there is not a similar provision for the speaker
of the National Assembly.

Hence, the National Assembly may not have a speaker till the end of
its term. This is not a purely theoretical suggestion, considering
that the majority tandem, the Republican Party and the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation together have 60 members of parliament. On
the other hand, we still remember the recent election of ombudsman,
when the coalition, which had three parties then, failed to elect an
ombudsman in the first round.

The former speaker may hand the powers of the speaker over to one
of the deputy speakers until the election of a new speaker. On the
other hand, the government must do everything to have the chair of
the speaker occupied as soon as possible. Because it is difficult
to bring the button-pushers to the hall of the National Assembly and
keep them there long. Besides, with autumn coming up, the members of
parliament are going to be busy preparing for the next election.

IS VIKTOR DALLAKYAN WRONG IN THE “DEATH” OF COALITION?

Panorama.am
15:49 22/05/06

Secretary of Justice block Viktor Dallakyan made a statement in
today’s NA session, saying “today, there is a parliamentary crises in
the Republic of Armenia – the coalition ceased to exist.” He demanded
either to liquidate the parliament or to pose a question of removal
of the government. “Today to pretend as if the coalition exists
and to enter into trade for distributing positions is a political
nonsense. You have no majority of votes. Giving positions to people and
thus forming the majority is not a solution to the problem,” he said.

NA vice speaker Vahan HOVHANNISYAN is of another opinion, however. “I
think Dallakyan is wrong. Soon the voting will show if the coalition
has the majority of votes or not,” Hovhannisyan said responding to
reporters’ questions. Speaking about the arrangements for the two
vacant posts of permanent committee heads, the vice speaker said,
“if there are such arrangements, I am not aware of them.”

NATO SPECIAL ENVOY, ARMENIAN LEADERS TO HOLD TALKS
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
May 21, 2006 Sunday 09:57 PM EST

NATO continues to manifest close interest in Armenia. This is evidenced
by the upcoming two-day working visit here by Robert Simmons, NATO
Secretary-General’s special representative for the South Caucasus
and Central Asia.

Mr. Simmons arrives here on Monday for meetings with Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan and other leaders of the republic.

Kocharyan, in his remarks at the end of April, said, “Armenia
does not intend to join NATO”. “Under the programme for individual
partnership, Armenia actively gives greater scope to cooperation
on security-related matters with the North Atlantic Alliance as the
key European organisation,” the Armenian President pointed out. “We
hope for fruitful cooperation (with NATO), particularly in matters
concerning a reform of the Armed Forces of Armenia and peacekeeping
activities,” he said.

Kocharyan pointed out, “Armenia’s Euro-Atlantic ambitions are
well-considered and realistic. They are regarded positively by European
organisations and do not bring about problems in relationships with
Russia”. “We make public our stand equally in Moscow, Brussels,
and Washington,” Kocharyan said.

ARMENIAN GDP GROWS 9.7% IN FOUR MONTHS OF 2006

Armenpress
May 22 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 22, ARMENPRESS: In the first four months of this year
Armenia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 9.7 percent from a year
ago to almost 395 billion Drams. The GDP growth rate in April was 26.6
percent against March, Armenia’s National Statistical Committee said.

The committee said according to preliminary data, almost 188 billion
Drams worth industrial goods, not counting indirect taxes, were
manufactured in this period of time, 3 percent down from figures of
the first four months of 2005, but the industrial growth in April of
2006 was 12 percent higher against March.

Armenian power generating facilities produced in this period of time
2.144 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, down 11 percent from a
year ago.

The Statistical Committee also said population’s incomes in
January-April of this year amounted to 431.4 billion drams and their
expenditures rose to 443.2 billion drams, of which 356.1 billion were
spent on purchase of goods and payments for services.

Compared with figures from a year ago incomes and expenditures grew
respectively 17 and 20 percent.

By the end of April the army of officially registered unemployed man
and women made 91,000 people, 12 percent down from a year ago. The
committee also said the average wage was 58,000 drams, 21 percent
higher from a year ago. Wages in public sector made 41,000 drams
and 71,000 drams in private companies, the growth against 2005 was
respectively 23 and 20 percent.

DARFURIAN GENOCIDE

AZG Armenian Daily
20/05/2006

Opposing Villains With God’s Love

“We should not allow that the dark deeds of the villains shadow
God’s love and light. Raise your voices to be heard to the genocide
perpetrators and masterminds of the present and past. Let them
know that they will not go unpunished,” Father Thaddeus Abdalian of
Trinity Church in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, stated in a speech to
15.000 protesters on April 30.

The protest march, that according to Armenian Mirror Spectator
was organized by Million Voices For Darfur organization, was aimed
at condemning the genocide in Sudan that has claimed lives of 400
thousand people and left two million displaced since 2003.

“The Armenians’ support to this movement is logical as a nation that
suffered the first genocide of the 20th century. Nothing has changed
for 100 years. People are still killing each other. We have to learn
lessons and put an end to violence,” Father Abdalian said.

LEVON MKRTCHYAN HAS RETURNED

A1+
[03:01 pm] 18 May, 2006

Today RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan introduced newly appointed
Minister of Science and Education Levon Lazarian to the personnel.

The Prime Minister underlined that they will continue to make reforms
in the sphere of science and education according to the program
introduced by the government, there won’t be abrupt changes in
political field and the specialists who were actively engaged in the
implementation of reforms and had their share in the field within the
previous years will continue their work. He noted that the dismissal of
Sergo Eritsyan from his post was determined by a number of political
factors and motives and he thanked Eritsyan for joint work. The Prime
Minister claimed that there is no need to introduce the new minister
as he is well known in the Ministry as a former minister. Everybody
is acquainted with his style of working. The minister is also aware
of the policy of the sphere and the problems it counters. There won’t
be difficulties on this score, and Levon Lazarian will continue the
work initiated by Sergo Eritsyan maintaining the principle of sequence
and will remain faithful to the spirit of reforms made earlier and
to the programs approved by the government.

Sergo Eritsyan wished success to the new minister and voiced hope
that all the reforms will be finally and logically finished during
his office.

Levon Lazarian thanked Eritsyan for his wishes and assured that they
will continue main reforms in the sphere of education and science
with the assistance of the Government and specialists of the field.

RUSSIA BEGINS MOVING MILITARY EQUIPMENT FROM GEORGIA TO BASE IN ARMENIA

People’s Daily Online, China
May 18 2006

Russia on Thursday started moving military equipment from a base in
Georgia to its Gyumri base in Armenia, said military officials.

Ten trucks from the Akhalkalaki base, along with an armored personnel
carrier and a Georgian military police escort, had reached the Armenian
border, said Col. Vladimir Kuparadze, deputy commander of the Russian
troops in the southern Caucasus.

Russia started the withdrawal earlier this week under an agreement
with the Georgian side last year.

According to the agreement, all heavy weapons and vehicles at the
Georgian base of Akhalkalaki will be pull out by Oct. 15, while
personnel and base property must leave by the end of 2007.

Meanwhile, withdrawal process at the other Russian base in Georgia’s
Black Sea port of Batumi is also to be finished by the end of 2008.

ARMENIANS SHOULD JOIN EFFORT FOR GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.05.2006 18:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with the international experts dealing with the Armenian Genocide
issue. The experts are in Yerevan to participate in the conference
organized by the World Armenian Congress (WAC), reported the RA
MFA press office. Expressing gratitude for the contribution to
the Genocide recognition issue Vartan Oskanian welcomes the WAC
initiative. The interlocutors touched upon Turkey’s Genocide denial
policy that is being pursued at the state level and claims significant
resources. They also noted the necessity of joining efforts for the
Genocide recognition.

BARGAVACH HAYASTAN TO HAVE THE SAME FATE OF ORINATS YERKIR

Panorama.am
15:26 16/05/06

National Democratic Union Head Vazgen MANUKYAN talked to a news
conference today, saying that gagik tsarukyans, prosecutors and others
must understand that being involved in the game they have either to
serve till the end or have the same fate as Orinats Yerkir. Manukyan
said so in a response to a question by Panorama.am whether Bargavach
Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) will have the fate of Orinats Yerkir.

REGULAR ISSUE OF MEDIUM-TERM COUPON BONDS TO TAKE PLACE ON MAY 16

Noyan Tapan
May 16 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular issue of medium-term coupon
bonds will take place in Armenia on May 16, while a regular issue
of state short-term bonds is scheduled for May 23. NT was informed
from the RA Ministry of Finance and Economy that the issue volume of
medium-term coupon bonds will make 1.5 bln drams (about 3.4 mln USD),
the annual yield of a coupon – 7%, and the minimum purchase volume –
10 thousand drams.