Month: November 2006

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006
Murderer Ramil Safarov may be returned to Azerbaijan
11.11.2006 13:35
Judge of the Constitutional Court of Hungary Andrash Bragyova has
declared in Baku that Azeri Officer Ramil Safarov who brutally killed
Armenian Officer Gurgen Margaryan and was sentenced to life
imprisonment by Hungarian Court, may be returned to Azerbaijan.
According to the Azerbaijani `Uch Nockta’ newspaper, he `expressed
hope that when taking decisions about Ramil Safarov the Supreme Court
of Hungary will take into account the complexness of the motives of
crime.’ He voiced confidence that the Armenian lobby will have no
influence on the verdict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006
Armenian delegation will participate in NATO Parliamentary Assembly
session
11.11.2006 11:20
November 13-17 in Quebec (Canada) the Armenian delegation headed by
Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Defense, Interior Affairs
and National Security Aramayis Grigoryan will participate in the
session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Mediamax agency reports.
British parliamentarian Frank Cook’s report on the South Caucasus
will be discussed during the session.
Aramayis Grigoryan informed that the Armenian side has already
presented a number of remarks and suggestions, which will allow `to
bring the report close to objective reality.’
Aramayis Grigoryan noted that `we definitely stand for further
deepening of ties between Armenia and NATO.
`We fully cooperate with NATO and our cooperation is a long-term
one,’ the parliamentarian declared. He noted that the NATO
Information Center established in Yerevan proves Armenia’s interest
in expanding and deepening relations with the Alliance.

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
FIRST SECTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS LINE TO BE PUT INTO OPERATION AT
END OF DECEMBER, 2006
The first section of Iran-Armenia gas line will be put into operation
at the end of December, 2006, RA deputy Energy Minister, Ara
Simonyan, told ArmInfo correspondent.
As for the gas line’s second section, the negotiations on this
project, according to the Minister, are underway. The Director
General of “ArmRosgasprom” CJSC, Karen Karapetyan, had informed
earlier that Armenia will be able to receive only 300-400 mln cub m
of natural gas from Iran since 2007, through the first 40-km section
of gas line from Meghri to Kajaran under construction. According to
him, it is a very small volume of gas even for inner consumption,
taking into account that Armenia intends to purchase 2,1 bln cub m of
gas from Russia in 2007. He noted that the “ArmRosgasprom” CJSC
carries out works at present to extend the Armenia’s gas-transport
net. The Company has dug trenches and lays pipelines at its own
expense. The Company’s Head said they work in the direction of
Kajaran-Sisian at present, after which a pipeline with diameter of
700 mlm will be laid from Jermuk to Ararat.
The new pipeline is necessary to assure the hydraulics of the whole
gas-transport net of Armenia, K. Karapetyan said. He added that a
task is set to the Company to increase the throughput capacity of
Iran-Armenia gas line to 2,3 bln cub m per year. However, this task
is beyond the power of “ArmRosgasprom” CJSC and additional
investments by one of its shareholders are necessary for its
fulfillment. As for the laying of transit gas line through Armenia’s
territory, this project, according to Karapetyan, is to be financed
by the gas purchaser and seller and not by the transit country. Asked
about acquiring of 40-km section of Iran-Armenia gas line by Russian
“Gasprom” , K. Karapetyan said that the Russian Company had expressed
such an intention but no decision has been made yet. He informed that
the Board of Directors of “Gasprom” OJSC has resolved on additional
emission of shares to the sum of $118,8 mln, which will cause the
Company’s share holding increase in “ArmRosgasprom” from the present
45% to 58%. These means are necessary for “Gasprom” to acquire the
fifth power unit of Hrazdan HPP, he said.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006
RA Parliamentary delegation leaving for Saint Petersburg
11.11.2006 12:20
November 14 the delegation headed by Chairman of RA National Assembly
Tigran Torosyan will leave for Saint Petersburg to participate in the
27th plenary session of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly. The
delegation comprises member of the Standing Committee on Social
Policy and Human Rights of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly
Hermine Naghdalyan, President of the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly’s Economy and Finance Committee Gagik Minasyan, member of
the Standing Committee on International Cooperation and Political
Issues of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly Grigor Ghonjyan.
In the framework of the 27th plenary session on November 17
conference on `Improvement of cooperation of CIS member states to
counter current security challenges and threats’ will be held in
Saint Petersburg.
The meeting of the Caucasian four, featuring Parliament Speakers of
Armenia, Georgia, Russia and Azerbaijan is scheduled November 16.
November 17 NA Chairman Tigran Torosyan will leave Saint Petersburg
for San Marino to participate in the sitting of PACE Standing
Committee, where the question of affirming the stability pact for the
South Caucasus will be discussed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
CONSTRUCTION OF MEGHRI HPP TO START IN 2007 ON IRAN-BOUNDARY ARAKS
RIVER
Construction of Meghri HPP will start in 2007 on the Iran-boundary
Araks river, RA deputy Energy Minister, Ara Simonyan, told ArmInfo
correspondent.
According to him, the RA Government has approved, the day before, an
Interstate draft Contract on HPP construction. After its signing,
Simonyan said, the financing chart of this project will be specified
and the project implementation will stat. As Simonyan underlined, the
project’s feasibility study is completely ready. The project
implementation is envisaged to take 6 years.
RA Energy Minister, Armen Movsissyan, had noted earlier that the
Armenian side emphasizes the Meghri HPP’s construction on the
boundary Araks river with capacity of 140 MW and annual output of 350
mln kWh of electric power. This project, the Minister said, will
become the determining one in the Contract to be signed by the two
states’ Presidents. It is envisaged that the Iranian side will grant
a credit of $150 mln to Armenia. The latter will repay this credit by
electric energy supplies.

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
CONSTRUCTION OF THIRD HIGH-VOLTAGE TRANSMISSION LINE, CONNECTING
POWER SYSTEMS OF ARMENIA AND IRAN, TO START IN BEGINNING, 2007
It is scheduled that construction of the third high-voltage
transmission line (PTL), which connects the power systems of Armenia
and Iran, will start in the beginning, 2007, RA deputy Energy
Minister, Ara Simonyan, told ArmInfo correspondent.
According to him, a credit Agreement is signed between Armenia and
Iran as of today, as well as a Contractor Agreement. The total amount
of the third PTL construction will make up about 65 mln EURO with
15%-share of Armenia’s co- financing . To note, the Principal of the
third PTL construction is the “High-Voltage Transmission Lines”
Armenian CJSC and the Contractor is the “Sanir” Iranian Company. It
is scheduled that the extension of the third two-chain PTL through
armenia’s territory will make up 300 km and 100 km – through the
territory of Iran. Its transfer capacity will make up 400 MW with
voltage of 220 kV in the RA territory and 230 kV in the Iranian
territory. A Memorandum had been signed in Yerevan on February 12,
2004, on construction of the third power transmission line between
Iran and Armenia. The Energy Minister of Iran, Habibolla Bitaragf,
had informed the journalists then that the construction of three PTL
is called to assure power flows between Iran and Armenia, exchange of
the Armenian power energy by the Iranian gas, as well as repayment
for the rendered engineering-technical services and electric
equipment of Iran by power energy. Two PTL with capacity of 200 MW
each connect Iran and Armenia at present. After construction of the
third line, the transfer capacity between the countries will rise to
800 MW.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
JAVIER SOLANA: EU SUPPORTS MEDIATORY EFFORTS OF OSCE MG FOR KARABAKH
CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
The EU supports the mediatory efforts of OSCE Minsk Group for the
Karabakh conflict settlement, EU Supreme Commissar on foreign policy
and security, Javier Solana, said in an interview to the “Trend”
Azeri Agency. You cannot say the EU remains passive. The EU has done
a lot. The conflicts are at the root of many of the problems that the
region is facing. I underline the importance of continued and
sustained negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan with a view to
reaching an agreement as soon as possible. The EU supports the
mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group. I hope that the meeting of
both Foreign Ministers in Brussels on 14 November will help to make
further progress.
Also regarding Georgian internal conflicts, the EU considers that
peaceful resolution of these conflicts is of vital importance for the
future of all region. Peter Semneby, the EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus is assisting Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
to pursue further political and economic reforms and the sustainable
development of the region, by contributing to the peaceful settlement
of conflicts, and by supporting further cooperation between the
States of the region, J. Solana said. Asked what importance does the
European Union attach to the co-operation with the South Caucasus
countries, J. Solana answered that the fact of the three South
Caucasus countries being neighbours of the EU, being included in the
European Neighbourhood Policy, already signals the EU’s desire for a
special relationship with the region. Having an ENP Action Plan with
the three countries will further deepen our relations by arriving at
agreed reform priorities which the EU will support through
partnerships for reform. The importance the EU attaches to its
relations with the South Caucasus is also reflected in the high
number of recent visits by EU and European officials to the three
countries. The EU Special Representative, in close coordination with
the EU Heads of Mission in Baku, Tbilisi and Yerevan, is in constant
contact with the authorities of the three countries in order to
facilitate intensive and trustful communication between the three
countries and the EU. In our contacts with all three governments in
the South Caucasus we have stressed that resolving their frozen
conflicts is essential for the region to progress. Regional stability
is necessary for each of those countries to derive the full benefits
from the ENP Action Plans, EU Supreme Commissar said.

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
LEADER OF LABOR PARTY OF NETHERLANDS IS SUSPECTED OF ENGAGEMENT IN
TURKEY’S CAMPAIGN ON DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
The political parties of the Netherlands sharply criticized the
leader of the social- democratic labor party, Voiter Boss, who has
recently stated that Holland had acted hastily when determined the
events in Anatolia as the Armenian Genocide.
According to the “Yeni Shafrag” Turkish newspaper, the
representatives of Christian-democratic, liberal and Christian
parties had accused the labor party leader of its position being in
conflict with the common opinion of Holland’s society. The Dutch
politicians called Boss liar and claimed he had paid homage to the
Turkish elector. The source reports the statement of the labor
party’s leader was made to assure the voting in favor of Turkey.

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 10 2006
STUDENTS COUNCILS OF ARMENIA ON THE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION REFORMS
Representatives of the Students Councils of Armenia discussed
prospects of high school educational reforms in the Congress Hotel
today. The workshop was organized under the initiative of the ‘Nikol
Agbalyan’ students union of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(ARF) ‘Dashnaktsytyun’. Levon Lazarian, Minister of Education and
Science of Armenia and a member of ‘Dashnaktsytyun’ party, attended
the meeting.
L. Lazarian said that he will support students’ initiatives
concerning reforms in high education system. As part of it,
regulations of Armenian declaration signed in Bologna will be
realized. He said that it is important that Armenian educational
system integrated into the international systems. “In order to be
successful, educational system of a small country should partake in
the international processes”, concluded L. Lazarian.

Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 11 2006
Richard Giragosian: Democrats may prioritize issues other than the
Armenian Genocide
11.11.2006 12:11
Marlena Hovsepyan
“Radiolur”
`US elections can give new quality to Armenian-American relations, as
well as to the US policy in the region and Iraq,’ famous
American-Armenian political analyst Richard Giragosian said in an
interview with `Radiolur.’ The most important for Armenia is that
Democrats having pro-Armenian position comprise majority.
`The Party which is more close to Armenians has become more powerful,
Democrats are prevailing in the Congress, and now the competition
should launch with Bush, the Republican Party and the White House,
the expert said.
According to his prediction, after the elections the Democrats,
particularly the Armenian Issue supporter, will get more active.
After these elections Armenians have the opportunity to reinforce the
Armenian-American relations: `This is one more window for the
Armenian Genocide recognition.’
According to the analyst, Turkish-American relations are surviving
the worst period because of the war in Iraq and the Kurdish issue.
For the first time in US history military relations are worse than
the political ones.
New House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is known for her pro-Armenian
position. Can we anticipate that the newly elected Senate might
recognize the Armenian Genocide? `Speaker Pelosi’s past is really
associated with the Armenian Genocide recognition, she is really
famous for her pro-Armenian position. But the US policy has more
important questions in the outlook – Iraq, Afghanistan, domestic
issues, economic questions, etc. `I’m afraid they will not attach
that much attention to Armenian issues, considering other challenges
more important,’ Richard Giragosian responded. Nevertheless, if the
Congress undertakes a pro-Armenian step and recognize the Armenian
Genocide, the White House can just veto the bill.
Is it possible that after the elections the Department of State will
decide to recall the newly appointed Ambassador to Armenia Richard
Hoagland? `The White House will continue backing Hoagland’s candidacy
not to yield to the victory of Democrats and the pressure of the
Armenian lobby,’ Richard Giragosyan says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress