AZERI STUDENTS IN UK PROTEST AT HUNGARIAN SENTENCE AGAINST OFFICER

Lider TV, Baku
2 May 06

[Presenter] Azerbaijani students are protesting outside the Hungarian
embassy in the UK against the sentence handed down by a Hungarian judge
and are demanding that the Hungarian government deliver a fair ruling
[on Azerbaijani officer Ramil Safarov sentenced to life imprisonment
on charges of killing his Armenian counterpart at a NATO course in
Budapest in 2004]. Our correspondent Xalil Elvaroglu has details of
the protest from London.

[Correspondent by phone] [Azerbaijani] students studying in London and
other British cities are holding a protest outside the UK embassy in
Hungary. The protest was organized by the club of young Azerbaijanis in
London. The organization’s chairman, Vusal Hamzayev, is now delivering
a speech. He said in his speech [changing tack], they said in their
statement that charges levelled against Ramil Safarov coincided with
those levelled by the Armenians. That’s to say the Budapest court
adopted a decision that could be expected from a Yerevan court. This
decision should be changed and a fair sentence should be handed down
on Ramil. London police officers are here and they are ensuring the
students’ security. The students keep coming now. The statement will be
submitted to the Hungarian embassy in London in a few minutes. There
are a lot of students there. Representatives of the Hungarian embassy
have not turned up yet. They are just watching our protest from the
embassy’s windows.

“THE RA GOVERNMENT KNOWS ITS BUSINESS”

A1+
[04:20 pm] 04 May, 2006

Ukrainian Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia
Alexander Bochco sent his condoling message to Armenians on behalf of
his country in connection with the “A – 320” aircraft crash and noted
that Armenia is not that large and every person felt the terrible pain.

The President of Ukraine also sent a condoling message to RF President
Vladimir Putin. Alexander Bochco mentioned that there was one Ukrainian
citizen among the victims, 20-year-old Inga Chkar. “Ukrainians mourn
and condole with Armenians in all their tragedies and disasters.”

The Ukrainian Ambassador stated the fact that certain political figures
want to use this tragedy for their interests with great sorrow and
grief. He avoided giving any evaluation and conclusion on the matter
and advised to wait till the specialists make public the main cause
of the crash.

Then he referred to the Armenian – Ukrainian relations, which, in
his words, develop constantly.

This mainly refers to commercial relations, which became more active
and was estimated to 110 million USD according to the data of the
previous year. This is a good result for Armenia. “The trade in January
and February twice outnumbered in comparison with last year data. The
trade of the two countries’ products has activated both in Armenian
and in Ukrainian markets.”

The Ambassador also mentioned that their views coincide with Armenians
in many issues, especially in connection with the EU membership. As
for the gas price increase, he urged that it was expected in both
countries but a bit later. In his words the sudden increase was a
real surprise for the Ukrainian Government.

“The current solution of the matter is not the best one, but if we take
into consideration that it was in winter and people needed heating,
we shall understand the logic of the increase. As for the 5th bloc of
the Hrazdan heat generating plant, I think the Armenian Government
knows its business and realizes the further serious consequences of
its deal,” said Alexander Bochco.

DEPUTY EMERGENCY MINISTER SURE: A-320 FLIGHT RECORDERS WILL BE TAKEN OUT OF THE SEA

Panorama.am
15:49 04/05/06

Flight recorders of the A-320 airbus (Armavia airlines) that crashed
into the Black Sea will be taken out of the sea, Russian Deputy
Emergency Minister Yevgeny Serebryannikov is sure. According to him,
equipment has been delivered to the crash site that allows determining
location of the plane’s fragments. With the help of this equipment
the rescuers can examine wreckage of the plane 500 m beneath the
surface. It is unknown yet, for how long the search and rescue
operation will last, RSN reports.

As REGNUM earlier reported, A-320 airbus fell into the Black Sea
in the night of May 3 while landing. All the 113 people aboard were
killed.

FIRST FLIGHT WITH CORPSES OF VICTIMS TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN 10 P.M. LOCAL TIME

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 21:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Corpses of victims of the crash of A-320
Armenian liner will be delivered to Yerevan at about 10 p.m. local
time. Armenian Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik Abrahamyan,
who leads the intergovernmental commission on delivery of corpses
and organization of funeral, stated it at a briefing today. In his
words, 20 or 30 identified corpses will be delivered to Armenia
to all appearance. “Today we will visit Zvartnots airport and will
discuss all organizational matters with its administration – how will
the corpses be delivered and conveyed to the relatives,” he said,
reports Novosti Armenia.

ACCORDING TO PRESS SERVICE OF GREAT VALLEY COMPANY, MASS MEDIA DISTORTS REAL FACTS OF INCIDENT WITH TIGRAN ARZAKANTSIAN IN MOSCOW

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. In connection with the incident that
happened in Moscow wih Tigran Arzakantsian, RA National Assembly
deputy, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Great Valley company, the
company’s press service issued a statement “Deputy Tigran Arzakantsian
refutes fabrications”, which is presented below: “The Armenian mass
media covered in April the incident that happened in Moscow with
RA National Assembly deputy, Chairman of Board of Directors of the
Great Valley company Tigran Arzakantsian. The published information
completely distorts the reality, discrediting Mr T. Arzakantsian. In
this connection the press service of Great Valley company considers
it necessary to provide the following explanations. T. Arzakantsian
was in Moscow in March 2006. Late March 28, at the request of a
friend’s family members, he had to go to the Kutuzov Hall Casino in
order to keep a close acquaintance, who was capable of losing his
self-control in gambling excitement, from wasting a large amount
of money. Mr Arzakantsian himself did not participate in the game
but his actions aroused discontent of the casino management. They
invited Mr Arzakantsian to the office of one of the casino owners
under the nickname of Arik Grek to have a talk with him. In the office,
more than 20 armed bullyboys suddenly attacked T. Arzakantsian in the
presence of Grek, as a result of which Arzakantsian received serious
injuries, including brain injuries, and lost his consciousness. The
attackers also stole T. Arzakantsian’s valuable items. Their criminal
actions were stopped by the deputy’s friend who took him to hospital
where he received the necessary medical aid. When a few days later
T. ARzakantsian regained consciousness, Moscow law enforcers had
already opened a criminal case on the charges of inflicting severe
bodily injuries and robbery. The Russian colleagues of the deputy
– members of the Armenian-Russian interparliamentary cooperation
commission sent a letter to the RF Minister of Internal Affairs
R. Nurgaliev, Director of the Federal Service of Security N. Patrushev
and the Private Security Service of the RF Ministry of Internal
Affairs. “In connection with high status of the sufferer, we request
to give an assignment to check the process of investigation into the
criminal case,” the letter of a group of deputies reads. Mr Tigran
Arzakantsian is currently undergoing treatment in Moscow medical
institutions. He flatly refutes any discrediting information about
his debts and nonpayments, saying that he has no debt to any casinos
or their customers. Now he is only concerned with the problem of his
health, and the recovery will be a lasting one due to the serious
injuries he suffered. But Mr Tigran Arzakantsian intends to demand
printed refutation of the incorrect information spread by mass media,
while in case of refusal he is going to achieve restoration of his
honor and dignity by legal means. Deputy T. Arzakantsian is prepared
to provide explanations in person to the press after he returns
to Yerevan.”

CORPSES OF 53 VICTIMS OF A-320 CRASH FOUND

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 20:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Corpses of 53 out of the total of 113 victims
of the crash of A-320 airplane in the Black Sea. 20 of these are
identified. The grouping of forces and marine equipment of the Russian
Ministry of Extraordinary Situations (MES), Federal Frontier Service
and Ministry of Transport was increased during the previous day,
reported the Information Department of the Russian Ministry of
Extraordinary Situations.

“Operative headquarters are formed at Sochi port and Adler airport,
Russian MES operative groups work at the emergency site,” the MES
reported. 590 persons and 104 units of technical equipment (including
29 ships) participate in the search. These also include 177 persons and
43 machinery units (11 ships among them) of the Russian MES. Some 300
relatives of crash victims are hosted at Sochi hotels and boarding
houses, the Press Service of Sochi Administration said, Russian
media report.

US MOURNS VICTIMS IN ARMENIAN PLANE CRASH

Xinhua, China
May 4 2006

WASHINGTON, May 3 (Xinhua) — The United States said on Wednesday
that it expressed “sincere condolences” to those families of those who
lost lives in the Armenian plane crash that killed 113 people on board.

“We express our sincere condolences to the people of Armenia and
Russia as well as to the families of those who lost their lives in
the crash of the Armenian Airlines Armavia flight from Yerevan to
southern Russia,” the State Department said in a statement.

An Airbus A-320 of the Armenian airline belonging to the air company
Armavia went down into the Black Sea near the southern Russian resort
town of Sochi early Wednesday morning, killing all 113 people on board,
including six children and eight crew.

Bad weather conditions were responsible for the air tragedy.

SECOND PLANE WITH RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS SET OFF FOR SOCHI

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 02:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Second plane of Armavia air company having aboard
journalists and relatives of the victims of the crash of A-320 plane
set off for Sochi. First plane Yak-42, which departed for Sochi at
4:00 p.m.

has already returned to Yerevan safely. It had abroad Armenian
citizens, who were in Sochi during the crash.

We note that 20 psychologists from Armenia are at the tragedy venue
to assist relatives of the victims.

ARMENIAN CHURCHES WORLDWIDE TO OFFICIATE REQUIEMS ON AIR CRASH VICTIMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 02:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ May 5 Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) temples
worldwide will officiate requiems on victims of the air crash near
Sochi. We condole with relatives and friends of the victims. However,
we, the Christians, believe, that human soul does not die and we
will pray for the souls of the victims find their bliss in the Divine
Kingdom,” said head of the New Nakhichevan and Russian Dioceses of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, bishop Yezras Nersisyan, reports Interfax.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER CONDOLES WITH FAMILIES AND RELATIVES OF VICTIMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 02:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR Parliamentary Speaker Ashot Gulyan condoled
families and relatives of victims of the crash of Armavia air company’s
A-320 airbus performing Yerevan-Sochi flight. “We got the news on the
catastrophe with deep sorrow. On behalf of the NKR Parliament and me
in person I condole with the families of the victims, wishing patience
and stable spirit,” the message of the NKR Speaker says. By a decree
of NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian May 5 is declared a mourning day
in Nagorno Karabakh.