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GAZPROM COMPANY RUSSIAN SPECIALISTS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

07.04.2005 07:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Gazprom company Russian specialists have arrived in
Yerevan to study the Armenian part of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
route. In the words of Gazprom Deputy head Alexander Ryazanov, a
capital of $140 million is necessary to realize the Armenian part of
the project in question, Regnum news agency reported. Three parties
will take part in the pipeline building – Iran, the Armenian Government
and Russia represented by RAO UES of Russia. ArmRosgazprom has already
set about the building of Meghri-Kajaran segment. According to
the basic Armenian-Iranian agreement, the gas pipeline will be put
into operation January 1, 2007. Within the following 20 years Iran
will provide 36 billion cubic meters of gas to Armenia. The blue
fuel will be processed here into electric power, which is subject to
export back to Iran. Sanir Iranian company is the project contractor,
while ArmRosgazprom is the sub-contractor (Gazprom and the Armenian
Government hold 45% of the company shares each and Itera group of
companies possess the remaining 10%). The project is estimated to
cost $200-250 million, $30 million out of it being the cost of the
first part of the Armenian segment of the pipeline making 41km – from
Meghri town near the Iranian border to Kajaran – are already provided
by the Export and Development Bank of Iran. Realization of that stage
will allow Armenia receiving 1.5 million cubic meters of gas daily.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian premier, World Bank delegation discuss poverty reduction plan

Arminfo
6 Apr 05

Yerevan, 6 April: Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan today
received a World Bank delegation led by the head of the Yerevan office
of the bank, Roger Robinson.

The meeting discussed the implementation of the second stage of the
World Bank’s credit programme on poverty reduction, the Armenian
government’s press service told Arminfo news agency. Having expressed
his satisfaction with the rate of economic growth in Armenia, Robinson
said it is important to lay foundations to maintain it.

Within the framework of the second stage of the programme, Robinson
said it is necessary to reform the system of corporate governance and
to create favourable conditions for developing the private sector of
the economy. Other members of the delegation presented their research
and recommendations on certain reforms in some other spheres of
the economy.

In turn, Markaryan said cooperation between the Armenian government
and the World Bank is very important and that he was ready to go on
developing and expanding it.

[Passage omitted: Background on the poverty reduction programme]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN CAPTURED BY AZERIS APR 1

YEREVAN, APRIL 6. ARMINFO. An Armenian serviceman, 20, was captured
by the Azeri side in Noyemberyan district (Armenia) Apr 1, says
the international task group for missings, hostages and POWs in the
Karabakh conflict zone.

The group hopes that the Azeri side will be constructive in the
matter and will return the serviceman immediately after inspection in
compliance with the agreements signed in Tbilisi Mar 18. The group
says that it has warned the Nagorno Karabakh Republic authorities
that groundless delays in returning POWs might provoke counter-action
from the opposite side. “We regret to have proved to be right and
are urging again the NKR authorities to give back Hayal Abdulaev,
Hiqmet Tagiev and Ruslan Bakirov to ICRC,” says the group noting that
it sees no grounds for holding the Azeri soldiers for so long and
that this situation is preventing contacts by those responsible for
liberating POWs and finding missing people in the conflict zone. As
a public structure the group has no right to demand reporting from
the Armenian and Azeri sides but the latter have trusted the group
so far. The co-chair of the group Bernhard Klasen has repeatedly
inquired Arkady Ghoukassyan and other NKR top officials
about the Azeri POWs and received assurances of early release.

“The Mar 18 Tbilisi meeting of the Armenian and Azeri state committees
for POWs and MIAs has determined ways of further cooperation at a new
level. We hoped that NKR experts will shortly join in and get into
touch with their Azeri counterparts,” says the group noting that the
more time passes before the Azeri POWs are released the smaller the
mutual confidence is. Counter-actions will not only complicate the
general situation but will also harm those who are captured and may
be captured in the future. The group is ready to mediate the return
of the POWs to facilitate further contacts between the sides.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ziyafet Asgarov: “Violation of ceasefire is related with critical position of Armenian leadership”

07 April 2005 [16:38] – Today.Az

“Violation of ceasefire is related with the situation created in
Armenia.” Deputy Chairman of Milly Mejlis (parliament) Ziyafet Asgarov
said these words while expressing his attitude to ceasefire violations
in borderline regularly.

“Prague process continues, resolution of PACE has been adopted,
Armenian administration realizes that, it is high time to speak and
they avoid it”. According to Z. Asgarov’s opinion, Yerevan not 
obeying ceasefire, tries to form  an opinion in world community as
if Azerbaijan side violates stability and peace talks : “In reality,
Armenian administration is in critical  situation, and therefore,
they undertake to use  provocation like this.”

According to Z.Asgarov’s words, the latest times the world community
support position of Azerbaijan and understands that Armenia is
invader:”It is not casual that, intelligence organ of USA stated
Armenia to be a state which is obstacle to peace, security in South
Caucasus”.

–Boundary_(ID_cwDgriQjRYcs/RD9dXBgeQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenians fired at our positions in the direction of Goranboy and Aghdam

07 April 2005 [15:55] – Today.Az

Divisions of Armed Forces of Armenia from their positions in 3.2 km to
the east of the occupied part of the village Tapgaragoyunlu of Goranboy
region machine-gunned at the opposite positions of the Armed Forces of
Azerbaijan located in the that territory at 20.30 till 21.25 yesterday.

Armed Forces of Armenia again from their positions in 0.4 km to the
east of the occupied village Namirli of the region Agdam fired at the
opposite positions of Armed Forces of Azerbaijan in the territory of
that village at 00.10 till 01.35 and from the positions in 1.6 km tom
the south of the village Ahmadaghali machine-gunned at the positions
of Armed Forces of Azerbaijan located in that village at 04.00 till
04.10 on 6 April.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Reno Harnish: “USA is interested in quickest peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict”

07 April 2005 [16:44] – Today.Az

US government is interested in quickest peaceful settlement of Nagorno-
Karabakh conflict, which stems the tide of social and political
development of the Southern Caucasus.

The agency Trend reports, the US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish
stated during his meeting with refugees and internally displaced
persons of Barda and Terter region.

The ambassador indicated, trenchant policy, conducted by leadership of
Azerbaijan all over the world in connection with Armenian-Azerbaijan
conflict, enables hoping, this problem is to be solved in the nearest
future, and refugees, driven away from their native hearths and
internally displaced persons are to return to their native lands.

The diplomat got introduced with social objects, constructed in
villages Imirli of Barda region and Mamyrly of Terter region, which
are financially supported by international humanitarian organization
of USA “Save the children”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IN MEMORY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS AND POPE

A1+
07-04-2005

A concert in commemoration of the victims of the Armenian Genocide
will take place in the hall after Aram Khachaturyan on April 8 at 7
p.m. local time, maestro Alexander Siranosyan informed today.

He will conduct the State Philharmonic Orchestra of Armenia while he
daughter, cellist Astghik Siranosyan will be the soloist. The program
includes the “The Symphonic Poem and “The Poem for Cello and string
Band” by Mirzoyan. “The Concert for Cello” by Saint-Sans and the
premiere of “The Italian Symphony” by Vincent d’Andy dedicated
to the memory on Pope John Paul II.

ROUND TABLE ON KARABAKH PROBLEM TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW MAY 16-17

07.04.2005 04:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A round table on the problem of Nagorno Karabakh will
be held in Moscow May 16-17, the Yerkir newspaper reported. As reported
by OSCE Minsk Group former Co-Chair Vladimir Kazimirov, three Russian
NGOs – Foreign Policy Association, Association of Russian Diplomats
and the World Peace-Making Organizations are holding meetings over
the Nagorno Karabakh problem for the third time.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EBRD TO LAY STRESS ON PRIVATE SECTOR IN ITS ACTIVITIES IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The fact of appointing a resident
representative in Yerevan by the European Bank of Reconstruction
and Development (EBRD) means that Armenia has become a most
important partner for the bank. The newly appointed head of the
EBRD Armenian Office Michael Weinstein stated this at the April 5
press conference. According to M. Weinstein, EBRD is going to lay
stress on the private sector during its activities in Armenia. At
the same time he did not exclide the possibility of big projects’
implementation. It was noted that in 2004 alone, agreements on the
implementation of 7 new programs of a total of 8 mln euros in Armenia
were signed. Besides, it is envisaged that this year the bank will
conclude 12 transactions of 15 mln euros in Armenia. The total value
of the Armenian agreements signed by EBRD made about 88 mln euros as
of Decemer 31, 2004. In the opinion of the former EBRD representative
to Armenia Nikolay Hadjiyski, over the last 2.5 years, SME, services,
the information technologies sphere, the financial sector and banking
system have undergone a considerable development. It was indicated that
Armeeconombank was the first Armenian bank, in whose capital ERD had
its share. At present, the same activities are being carried out with
respect to other commercial banks. In 2004, the Eurobank made direct
investments in the concern Shen. Negotiations on two other similar
transactions are underway, in case of success at least 20% profit
from each one are expected by the bank. At the same time N.Hadjiyski
pointed out that a great deal has to be done in order to develop the
investment environment in the country. According to him, recently
the investment climate in Georgia has been substantially improved
– the state started assisting the private sector. Incidentally,
the Eurobank expects similar processes to take place in Ukraine as
well. According to the EBRD regional director Mike Davey, although
the RA banking system has stabilized, it is far from being considered
developed. The amounts of deposits and loans are quite small compared
with the GDP. At the same time, M. Davey stated that he is “inspired
with what he has seen”. It was noted that EBRD is also interested in
agriculture and mortgage crediting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COMMEMORATION EVENTS DEDICATED TO 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE HELD IN THE NETHERLANDS

THE HAGUE, APRIL 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The 24 April Committee of the
Federation of Armenian Organizations in the Netherlands organizes a
range of activities on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, among which a commemoration
concert on 17 April in the Pieterskerk in Leiden. Armenian classical
music will be played by Armenian and Dutch musicians. Also there is
an exhibition on the Armenian Genocide in the Pieterskerk in Leiden
from 17 to 21 April. On 24 April the annual laying of wreaths and
ceremony for the commemoration of 1.5 the million victims of the
Armenian Genocide will take place at the Armenian monument in Assen
and commemoration in the auditorium with speakers and Armenian music.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress