MOURNING IS ANNOUNCED ON MAY 5 AND 6 IN ARTSAKH AS WELL

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006

STEPANAKERT, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. NKR President
Arkadi Ghukasian signed a decree by which, on the occasion of the
aircraft accident taken place on May 3, May 5 and 6 are announced
mourning days in the republic. NKR ministries, departments, heads of
regional administrations, the Stepanakert Mayor are instructed to
bend the NKR state flag in the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh and in
NKR representations in foreign states during the mourning days.

PAPAL CONDOLENCES FOR BLACK SEA CRASH VICTIMS

Catholic World News
May 3 2006

May. 03 (CWNews.com) – Pope Benedict XVI (bio – news) has sent his
condolences, and assurance of his prayers, to the families of victims
of an airplane crash on the Black Sea.

All 113 people traveling aboard an Armenian plane were presumed dead
after a flight disappeared over the sea on a flight from Yerevan,
the Armenian capital, to the resort town of Sotchi.

Writing on behalf of the Pope, Cardinal Angelo Sodano (bio – news),
the Vatican Secretary of State, sent a message of sympathy by telegram
to Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the apostolic nuncio in Armenia. The
message commended the crash victims to “the mercy of the Lord, asking
Him to welcome them into his kingdom of peace.”

HOVHANNES HOVHANNISIAN: RUSSIAN NATION’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS ARMENIANS IS RESULT OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Separate cases must not be used for
damaging the Armenian-Russian friendship. Ruben Tovmasian, the First
Secretary of the Communist Party Central Committee of Armenia made such
a statement, touching upon at the May 2 meeting taken place at the
“Hayeli” club, the fact of the murder of the Armenian young man in
Moscow recently. He mentioned that his party condemns similar cases
but he considers inadmissible to raise an anti-Russian wave based on
them and to use them to find a black stain in the Armenian-Russian
relations. The speaker did not agree that similar actions taking
place in Russia are a result of the state policy and are led by the
authorities. At the same time, Tovmasian expressed an accusation in
the address of the authorities of Armenia who, according to him, has
not created such conditions in the country that citizens do not have
to emigrate. According to Hovhannes Hovhannisian, the Chairman of the
Liberal Progressive party of Armenia, the case of the Armenian young
man’s murder was not the first one, and similar cases will take place
in future as well. According to him, displays of chauvinism recently
become friquent are not responded neither by authorities of Russia nor
by public. “It’s a pity, the society accepts those rigours which are
implemented towards other nations, with secret pleasure,” the speaker
mentioned. According to him, groups of “shaved heads” acting in Russia
are not accidentally created: they have the authorities’ assistance
and will have some role. According to Hovhannisian, in Russia, which
gradually becomes from a democratic country an authirtarian one,
where the authorities are passed under control of the State Security
Committee, creation of an atmosphere of great-power chauvinism is
natural. Hovhannisian mentioned that similar actions towards Armenian
are a result of the Armenian-Russian interstate relations. According
to him, as much the authorities of Armenia make the Armenian-Russian
interstate relations vassal ones, as much the Armenian authorities
and the majority of the political elite prove their devotion to the
Russian authorities, as worse the Russian nation’s attitude towards
Armenian becomes.

COALITION PARTNERS COMMENT UPON NA SPEAKER’S STATEMENT

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Being a member of the Council of Europe,
Armenia undertook obligations addressed to the European integration,
but speaking about observing the end of the Eurointegration already as
a membership to the NATO is out of the political agenda. Responding
journalists’ questions, Vahan Hovhannisian, the RA NA Deputy
Speaker, ARF Bureau political representative responded NA Speaker
Artur Baghdasarian’s speech made on May 2 at the Parliament in this
way. The latter, particularly, re-affirming his statement made in
foreign press, mentioned from the NA tribune, that he expressed the
position of the “Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) party headed by him
and his personal one, as they are for Eurointegration of Armenia and
deepening relations with the NATO and see future of the country in the
EU. The NA Speaker also expressed an opinion that there “are no great
differences” among his and other coalition forces’ positions in this
issue. In V.Hovhannisian’s opinion, before making public statements
about prospects of the foreign policy of Armenia, A.Baghdasarian must
first discuss it at the Security Council a member of which he is,
as just this body decides prospects of security of the country. As
for the final goal of Armenia concerning European integration, it has
not been worked out completely yet, but political forces have their
viewpoints concerning it. Galust Sahakian, the “RPA” faction head
advised journalists not to ascribe Artur Baghdasarian’s statements to
the coalition. According to him, it is not a state official viewpoint,
and the NA tribune must not be used for private statements of a party.

FOOD COMMODITY PRICES REMAIN UNCHANGED IN ARMENIA IN APRIL

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Food commodity prices remained unchanged
in Armenia in April on March 2006. Out of 13 commodity groups observed,
a 0.1-26.7% price growth was registered in 8 groups, a 4.8-5.2 price
fall – in 2 groups, and prices remained unchanged in 3 commodity
groups. According to the RA National Statistical Service, a 26.7%
price growth was registered in fish product commodity group in April
on March, which is mainly the result of a 33.1% growth in the price
of fresh white fish. The upward tendency in the price of granulated
sugar continued in March and the overall price growth over the first
four months of 2006 made 26.5%. The price of granulated sugar grew
by 8% in April on March 2006. A 0.7% price growth was registered in
the meat commodity group in April on March 2006, mainly due to an
increase in the prices of mutton (9.3%) and beef (2.6%). The price
of pork increased by 0.4% in the indicated period. A 0.1-0.6% price
growth was registered in the following commodity groups: confectionery,
soft drinks, butter and vegetable oil in April on March 2006, while
the prices of bread products, milk products, coffee, tea, cocoa,
alcoholic drinks and cigarettes reamined at the previous month’s
level. The average price of eggs declined by 4.8% in the period under
review. The fall in the prices of potato and vegetables made 5.2%
in Armenia in April on March 2006. Over the indicated period, there
was a decline in the prices of cabbage (12.3%), cucumber (15.6%),
leek (29.1%), onion (4.7%) and potato (5.9%). At the same time, the
prices of tomato, carrot and beet grew by 5.1-44% in the country. A
0.4% price growth was registered in the fruit commodity group, which
was mostly conditioned by a 3.2% growth in the price of pomegranate,
as well as in the prices of such imported fruits as orange (3.9%),
tangerine (11.1%) and banana (2.0%).

CONSUMER BASKET COMPONENTS’ WEIGHTS AND BASIS YEAR FOR CALCULATION OF CONSUMER PRICE INDICES CHANGED IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA National Statistical Service
included another 70 goods and services (91 goods and service
representatives) in the consumer basket, thus increasing the number of
goods and services used for calculation of price indices from 400 in
January 2006 to 470 (560 goods and service representatives). NT was
informed from the RA National Statistical Service that 2005 instead
of 2002 has been taken as a basis year for the calculation of price
indices in 2006. A research of Armenian households’ standard of living
was conducted in the period of March 31, 2004 to April 1, 2005, as a
result of which considerable changes in the consumer basket components
were registered. Taking into account the price changes in the calendar
year of 2005, the National Statistical Service made a recalculation
of specific weights of the goods and service representatives included
in the consumer basket.

NOR ZHAMANAKNER PARTY PRESENTS ITS CONDOLENCES AND EXPRESSES SUPPORT TO FAMILIES AND RELATIVES OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Nor Zhamanakner
(New Times) party Chairman Aram Karapetian, the party board and
thousands of party members deeply mourn over the May 3 tragedy that
happened to the Yerevan-Sochi plane, present their condolences and
express support to the families and relatives of more than a hundred
victims. This was said in the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the
party’s press service.

RA OMBUDSMAN EXPRESSES HIS DEEP CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES OF VICTIMS OF AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Ombudsman Armen
Haroutiunian sent a message of condolence on the occasion of
the accident of the Yerevan-Sochi plane. “I deeply grieve for the
accident of the Yerevan-Sochi plane. I present my deep condolences to
the relatives of the passengers and the plane crew that died in the
accident. I hope all possible means will be undertaken for alleviating
the grief of the relatives of the victims,” the message read.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NDI IMPLEMENTS PROGRAMS OF WOMEN’S INVOLVEMENT IN POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SPHERES

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Women from more than 20 Armenian parties
have been already involved in the Actions Plan “Let’s Win Together With
Women” being implemented by the U.S. National Democratic Institute
(NDI). Lilit Ohanian, coordinator of NDI programs, informed about
it at the May 3 press conference. According to her, the Actions Plan
“Let’s Win Together With Women” is aimed at increasing the number of
women on the ruling posts and at encouraging their participation in
electoral processes. Lilit Ohanian informed that women members of
the Hanrapetutiun (Republic), Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law), ARF
Dashnaktsutiun, National Unity, Women of Armenia and other parties
have expressed willingness to take part in this process during the
recent months. A Woman-Leader forum has been also established on the
initiative of the NDI. The forum includes women representing NGOs,
political parties and the business sphere. According to Lilit Ohanian,
both the implementation of the plan and the processes relating to
the forum are continual.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

For Immediate Release

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May 3, 2006

Burbank, CA, United States

Condolence Statement from Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of
the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America

On behalf of Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America
and its faithful, we extend our heartfelt sympathies and prayers to the
families and relatives of the 113 passengers and crew of the Armavia
passenger plane which today crashed on its way from Yerevan to Sochi.

It is with great sorry and pain that we mourn the tragic loss of the
innocent lives that fell victim of this deadly crash and pray that God
Almighty console the pain and suffering of their families and loved
ones and grant them the strength to overcome this calamity. May God
accept the souls of those who perished in the illuminated heights
of Heaven.

With Prayers,

Archbishop Hovnan Derderian

Primate

The Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, providing
spiritual guidance and leadership to the Armenian Apostolic community,
is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization comprised of 47
churches in 16 western states. The Western Diocese was established in
1898 as the Diocese of the Armenian Church encompassing the entire
United States and Canada. In 1927 the Western Diocese was formed to
better serve the growing Armenian population of the western United
States.