NO AVAILABLE EQUIPMENT CAPABLE OF RECOVERING BLACK BOXES – MINISTER

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 4 2006

SOCHI, May 4 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s transportation minister said
Thursday the flight recorders from an airliner that crashed off
Russia’s southern coast Wednesday with the loss of 113 people were
too deep in the sea to be recovered with available equipment.

The black boxes of the Armenian plane are at a depth of 680 meters
(2,230 feet), and there is no available equipment in southern Russia
that could recover them, Igor Levitin said.

On Thursday, French experts picked up a radio signal that could be
coming from the black boxes of the crashed plane. They said the signals
had been included in the design of the plane to make it easier to
identify the location of the flight recorders after a possible crash.

“Many fragments have been discovered where the signal was established,”
Levitin said. “We believe this is where the disaster happened.”

The minister said a request would be sent to the Navy to find the
necessary equipment.

“There is an experimental model in the north of the country, and we
will try to deliver it to the operation site,” he said. “It can work
at a depth of 500 meters [1,640 feet].”

He said the operation involved a Be-200 aircraft searching the coastal
line. Levitin added that recovery teams had reached Loo, a town 15
kilometers (9 miles) from the popular resort of Sochi and would now
move back to Adler, the airport servicing Sochi where the Airbus had
been trying to land when it crashed in poor weather.

Sergei Kudinov, the head of the southern regional center of the Russian
Emergency Situations Ministry, said international technologies would
be used to lift the black boxes from such a depth.

“We will employ international technologies, in particular, from France,
the U.S. or Norway,” he said.

RUSSIA AIR CRASH RELATIVES IDENTIFY BODIES
By Mikhail Antonov

Reuters, UK
May 4 2006

SOCHI, Russia (Reuters) – Relatives began the grim task on Thursday of
identifying bodies of some of the 113 passengers and crew killed when
their Armenian airliner crashed into the Black Sea off Russia’s coast.

In Sochi, the Russian holiday resort near where the Airbus A-320
crashed, a crowd of about 60 people gathered outside the morgue to
examine photographs of corpses hanging on a wall.

Most showed battered faces but some corpses were too disfigured. One
photograph showed only a man’s hand with a ring on one finger. Anyone
who recognised a relative was ushered inside the morgue to view
the body.

“People are, of course, in shock. It is an enormous stress for them,”
said Yuri Meditsa, a psychologist who was assigned to counsel grieving
relatives at the morgue.

“There are bodies that can be identified and there are some that,
realistically, cannot,” he said.

There were at least five children on the plane which took off from
the Armenian capital Yerevan early on Wednesday bound for Sochi’s
airport. Most of the passengers were Armenian. There were 26 Russian
passport holders on board.

A day and a half after the jet vanished from radar screens, divers
and rescue workers in boats had pulled 49 bodies from the water,
officials said. Twenty of the dead had been identified.

The first bodies will be flown home to Armenia later on Thursday for
burial, Armenian government minister Hovik Abrahamiyan said in Yerevan.

Russia air crash relatives identify bodies Thu May 4, 2006 2:52 PM
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search was going on for more bodies and for the aircraft’s “black box”
flight recorder which should help investigators piece together the
jet’s last moments.

Crash investigators had picked up a radio tracking signal from one of
the black boxes lying on the seabed, said Viktor Beltsov, a spokesman
for Russia’s Emergencies Ministry.

Investigators and officials from Armavia, the airline operating the
plane, said they believed torrential rain and poor visibility were
factors in the crash. Russian prosecutors have ruled out terrorism.

Armavia’s managers said the aircraft had initially turned back to
Yerevan because weather conditions in Sochi made it impossible to land.

The crew changed course again and tried to land at Sochi a second time
when flight controllers told them the weather had cleared slightly,
the airline said.

FINAL MINUTES

There was a haunting glimpse into the flight’s final minutes on
Thursday when the Rossiya television station broadcast what it said
was a taped radio exchange between the crew and air traffic controllers
in neighbouring Georgia.

“We are returning to Yerevan,” a crew member can be heard saying over
a crackly radio link.

“Right now or later?” the controller asks.

“Now,” the crew member replied.

A special submersible was despatched to Sochi to help retrieve some
of the debris which, rescuers say, has sunk to the seabed about 500
metres (1,600 feet) down.

Russian television showed a rescuer picking up a single, white training
shoe from the water and adding it to a pile of clothes and shredded
suitcases on the deck of his dinghy.

(Additional reporting by Hasmik Mkrtchian in Yerevan and Nataliya
Borisova in Moscow)

AZERBAIJANIS RESIDING IN LONDON PROTEST AGAINST BUDAPEST COURT RULING

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
May 4 2006

Azerbaijanis residing and studying in London gathered May 2 in front
of the embassy of Hungary in the United Kingdom to protest against
Budapest court ruling towards Azerbaijan Armed Forces officer Ramil
Safarov.

Speaking at the rally, member of the World Azerbaijanis Coordinating
Council, Prof. Gulamrza Sabri Tebrizi stated Budapest Court ruling
was unfair.

Those gathered in the rally urged the International Criminal Court
to give a legal assessment of the ethnic purge policy pursued by
Armenians, acts of violence and genocide against Azerbaijanis as well
as of Ramil Safarov’s extradition to Azerbaijan.

Protesters submitted their written demands to the embassy of Hungary.

IRAN AND PEARL HARBOR SYNDROME
By Pyotr Romanov

Focus News, Bulgaria
May 4 2006

The Paris meeting on Iran, which the media dubbed “secret” because
journalists were barred from it from start to finish, ended in failure
as expected.

The positions of the sides remained the same. The United States wants
the UN Security Council to pass the toughest possible resolution on
Iran’s nuclear file. By and large, the Europeans are leaning toward
the U.S. proposal, while permanent members of the Security Council
Moscow and Beijing insist on talks. The negotiators were trying hard
to conceal what has long become an open secret.

Trying to help Beijing and Moscow out of the predicament,
U.S. Ambassador to the UN John Bolton has suggested that they should
abstain from voting on the problem at the Security Council. If the
Council is torn apart by contradictions and fails to exert pressure
on Iran, the U.S. and other countries may themselves punish Iran.

Other U.S. officials have expressed the same opinion. U.S. State
Department spokesman Sean McCormack has just made another statement
to this effect.

Moscow also has to adjust its position. Chairman of the Duma committee
on international affairs Konstantin Kosachyov has just declared
that Iran’s ostentatious refusal to comply with the Security Council
requirements was fraught with serious consequences. He did not rule
out sanctions against Iran.

It is even more interesting to hear the opinions of intelligence
officers, military men and independent experts. U.S. intelligence
spokesmen openly admit that they know very little about Iran; such
statements, however, should not calm Tehran down because they clearly
show that the U.S. and its foremost allies are channeling all the
necessary financial, material and intellectual resources into the
effort. It is hardly a coincidence that when U.S.-Iranian dispute
reached its peak, the military announced successful testing at the
Eglin air base in Florida of the 10-ton Massive Ordnance Air Burst
(MOAB), which the press immediately dubbed the Mother of All Bombs.

The use of tactical nuclear arms, primarily anti-bunker weapons, has
not been ruled out, either. It is not surprising that Moscow insists
on negotiations – it does not want a nuclear war near its borders,
all the more so since nuclear issue is no bluff. Former U.S.

Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that the American military
should analyze all options against Iran, including the use of nuclear
weapons.

It is not merely the doctrine of a preventive strike that is pushing
the U.S. to be tough. In effect, the doctrine itself reflects the
painful Pearl Harbor syndrome, and a highly dubious assumption that
it was possible to nip Hitler in the bud if the U.S. had intervened
in Europe earlier. The trauma inflicted on the U.S. by the barbarous
hostage seizure in Iran has not healed, either. Good old Freud is
here again.

Finally, the Americans are worried by some forecasts. Zbigniew
Brzezinski thinks that the U.S. will wage war with Iran for 30 years
and lose its world supremacy as a result. This prediction suggests the
conclusion – either not go to war at all, or strike without mercy and
win a quick victory. Thus, the American Eagle is now looking around
with particular attention and is ready to nip in the bud anything it
perceives as an attack. Invasion of Iran on the basis of unverified
data may be just a prelude, all the more so since presumption of
innocence does not apply to Iran. Defending its right to a civilian
nuclear program, Tehran has already said too much and got bogged down
in contradictions.

Even some independent Russian experts believe that war is inevitable.

Chairman of the Presidium of the Institute of Globalization Problems
Mikhail Delyagin said: “I think that the actions, which have been
taken, and the propaganda accompaniment, which we have been hearing,
give us enough grounds to predict that the decision on a missile
attack… has been made. Considering the election race, this should
happen in late spring or summer.”

It is rumored that in Yerevan, capital of Armenia, wealthy Iranians
of Azeri background have already rushed to buy housing, just in case…

In turn, the press is trying to predict what Iran will do in return.

Quoting its sources in Tehran, the British Sunday Times writes that
Iran is ready for an adequate reply. There are 40,000 trained suicide
bombers, who will attack American, Israeli and British targets, 29 of
which have already been selected. The Iranian president is talking
about an asymmetrical blow at Israel. Tehran has also repeatedly
threatened to blockade the Strait of Hormuz.

To sum up, Pearl Harbor and the good old Freud are spelling a lot
of trouble.

ARMENIA: AIR CRASH, FINI’S CONDOLENCES

Agenzia Giornalistica Italia, Italy
May 4 2006

(AGI) – Rome, May 4 – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister,
Gianfranco Fini, today sent a message of condolence to Armenian
Foreign Minister, Vartan Oskanian, for the crash of the aeroplane of
the Armenian national airline, Armavia. “I was upset and pained to
learn of yesterday’s air crash. At this sad time I wish to show my
sympathy and that of the Italian government and solidarity with the
families of the victims of this tragic accident”, the message read.

ILHAM ALIYEV’S VISIT TO THE USA WITNESSES AZERBAIJAN BEING THE REGION’S LEADER – MP MUBARIZ GURBANLI
Author: J. Shakhverdiyev

TREND Info, Azerbaijan
May 4 2006

Azeri President’s visit to the USA opened a new page in mutual
relationships, reportedly said MP Mubariz Gurbanli, deputy executive
secretary, New Azerbaijan Party, commenting negative reaction of
local opposition to this visit.

Hew said Armenians and Azeri opposition are mostly worried about
Azerbaijan’s speedy progressing.

He said also Armenia, Armenian lobby around the globe and Azeri
opposition are simultaneously trying to blame Azeri Government.

Nevertheless, President’s visit to the USA witnesses Azerbaijan being
the region’s leader, MP said.

THE UKRAINE HAS NOT LOST INTEREST IN IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE

Panorama.am
15:03 04/05/06

The Ukraine is interested in the construction of Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline, the Ukrainian Ambassador Alexander Bojko told a news
conference today in the National Press Club. According to him,
alternative sources of energy are important for the Ukraine.

“However, the Ukraine needs billions to participate in the project
and without the financial support of the European banks that is not
possible,” he said.

Speaking about higher tariffs on gas, A. Bojko noted that gas is a
serious matter both for Armenia and the Ukraine. According to him,
giving the 5th energy block of Hrazdan thermo power plant to Russia
was forced and the government should take the responsibility for
it.

ANOTHER A-320 AIRBUS ALMOST CRASHED IN DUBLIN

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 20:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Another A-320 airbus almost crashed in Dublin. The
engine took fire at landing. The airport was temporarily closed
owing to the emergency situation. In spite of technical problems,
the pilots managed to land the airbus. After the landing the crew
and all passengers – 97 persons – were evacuated.

Firemen quickly extinguished the fire. The Dublin airport now functions
it its normal regime. The incident is investigated. We remind that
A-320 plane of Armavia air company flying from Yerevan to Sochi
crashed on the night of May 3, killing 113 persons.

ARMEIAN PRESIDENT TO VISIT THE UKRAINE IN FALL

Panorama.am
14:55 04/05/06

The visit of Vardan Oskanyan, Armenian Foreign Minister is planned for
June, 2006 to the Ukraine and the Armenian president is to visit the
same country in fall, Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bojko
told a news conference today. According to the Ambassador, the recent
visit of NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan to the Ukraine was productive.

“Armenian-Ukrainian relations are actively developing on a political
level,” he said.

Speaking about the development of trade and economic relations between
the two countries, the ambassador stated that the trade turnover twice
increased in a year amounting to $110 mln. This is a good indicator
both for the Ukraine and Armenia, Bojko said.

ARMENIAN DAILY SAYS AZERI LEADER GOT “NEW STATUS” AFTER US VISIT

Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
2 May 06

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan Zhamanak
on 2 May headlined “New status”

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the USA has made us
more nervous than expected. He went to Washington as an authoritarian
president from the South Caucasus but returned in the role of a
mediator in the settlement of the most urgent conflict between Iran
and the West.

Five days before Aliyev’s visit to the USA Iran’s Defence Minister
Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar was in Baku. In fact, he confirmed that he
had come to Baku to send messages to Washington via Aliyev. After
meeting Aliyev, George Bush declared that he had assured the
Azerbaijani president that he wanted to resolve the Iranian crisis
only by peaceful means. A statement like this from the US president is
strange because a week before meeting Aliyev he said that he treated
pessimistically an opportunity of a peaceful settlement to the
Iranian problem. Finally, who is Ilham Aliyev for the US president
to report about his intentions? The same US president did not take
into account the views of the French, Russian and German presidents
when attacking Iraq.

For this reason, this change in the American president’s mood may have
the following explanation: Aliyev has passed some Iranian messages
on to Bush which made Bush think that a peaceful settlement to the
conflict was still possible. This means that Bush has also sent
reply messages to Iran. That is to say, over this period of time the
Azerbaijani president will have permanent contacts with the leaders
of the USA, Iran and several European states. This process will lead
to a sharp increase in Azerbaijan’s and its leader’s rating in the
world. If Aliyev really manages to facilitate a peaceful settlement
to the conflict, the world community will be ready to offer him its
services and the Karabakh issue may be one of them.

[Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan and [Foreign Minister] Vardan
Oskanyan, who do not want to accept an opportunity to settle the
Karabakh conflict in the context of the Iranian issue, are playing
a cruel game with Armenia and Karabakh. The primary condition for
overcoming the problem is to understand that, but our authorities do
not understand. They are simply looking forward to swallowing 235m US
dollars promised by America [under the Millennium Challenge Programme].

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress