Author: Badalian Vardan

New York Post, NY
April 15 2006
DONALD APPLAUDS MISS IRAQ
By LUKAS I. ALPERT
April 14, 2006 — Miss Universe contest owner Donald Trump yesterday
praised the bravery of the newly crowned Miss Iraq, who has been
forced into hiding amid death threats.
“She is very proud to have won, and now she is in a very tough
position,” Trump said of Miss Iraq, Silva Shahakian. “She is
extremely brave.”
Shahakian, a Christian of Armenian ancestry, was crowned Sunday when
the original winner stepped down after receiving threats from
extremists.
“I’ll take care,” Shahakian, 23, told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”
“I will change my living place. I will do my best.”
Her whereabouts are currently unknown, although she is believed to
still be in Iraq.
Trump said he and Miss Universe organizers were considering making a
special salute to Shahakian at the July 23 pageant in Los Angeles.
“We’ve had countries in the contest before where it was not the most
popular thing to do, but never like this,” Trump said.
Photo:

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 14 2006
FINAL CONFERENCE ON PLANNING MILITARY DRILLS `RESCUER 2006′ TO BE
HELD IN YEREVAN ON 19-21 APRIL: ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER
YEREVAN, April 14. /ARKA/. The final conference on planning military
drills `Rescuer 2006′ will be held in Yerevan on 19-21 April 2006,
Press Secretary of the RA Minister of Defense, Colonel Seyran
Shakhsuvaryan reported.
He pointed out that the conference will be held under the aegis of
the European headquarters of the USA. The drills `Rescuer 2006′ under
the program `Partnership for Peace’ will be conducted in Armenia on
12-28 April. Participating in the drills will be 250 representatives
from 12 countries.
The drills are aimed at organizing and comparing performances of the
military and medical department of Armenia’s Ministry of Defense and
the country’s Rescue Service, and also at increasing possibilities to
interact with partner countries. R.O. –0–

HEADS OF “GAZPROM” AND “ARMROSGAZPROM” DISCUSS COOPERATION ISSUES
Yerevan, April 12. ArmInfo. Aleksey Miller,head of “Gazprom” OJSC, and
Karen Karapetian, head of “ArmRosgazprom” CJSC, discussed cooperation
issues during today’s meeting.
According to the April 6 agreement, Armenia will sell Hrazdan-5 to
“Gazprom” for 25 years. The preliminary trade agreements between the
sides will be signed on April 14, 2006. While the final handing of the
above mentioned energy object will be carried out on January 1, 2004.
While in the interview to “Liberty” Radio Station, Karen
Karapetian said that Hrazdan-5 will be included in the structure of
“ArmRosgazprom” and “Gazprom” will pay $248,8 million for that. He
added that the share of the Russian company may increase. According
to the Russian printed press, the increase of the company’s shares
will make 82%.
Karapetian said that the recent deal between “Gazprom” and RA
Government was the most profitable one in the course of the last 10
years. As for the ?â- sale of the 40 kilometers of Iran-Armenia gas
pipe line to Russia, Karen Karapetian said he had no information
about that.
–Boundary_(ID_BiJ8eCHTHbpcxcY8pcgTjQ)–

GEORGIA RATIFIES AGREEMENTS ON PULLOUT OF RUSSIA MILITARY BASES
Editor: Luan Shanglin
Xinhua, China
April 13 2006
2006-04-14 03:46:13
MOSCOW, April 13 (Xinhua) — Georgia’s parliament ratified Thursday
the agreements on the pullout of Russian military bases from the
Caucasus Mountain nation and transit of Russian military cargoes on
the country’s territory.
In the accord signed by Russian and Georgian officials in the Black
Sea resort of Sochi on March 31, the two sides agreed to complete the
phased withdrawal of the Russian bases and other military installations
in Georgia by the end of 2008, Russian newsagencies said.
The first document envisions the gradual withdrawal of the Russian
bases and military facilities during 2008. The Russian base in
Akhalkalaki will be closed in 2007 and in Batumi in 2008. Russian
servicemen will deal with pulling out hardware and other property.
The second agreement determines the procedure of transit of military
cargoes of the Russian Defense Ministry via the territory of Georgia
and the personnel, including servicemen of the 102nd military base
in Gyumri (Armenia).
The agreement on transit is effective within five years and it may
be extended if necessary. Both sides have the right to annual the
agreement if “any point of the agreement is violated or the movement
of hardware and cargoes poses a threat to security and interests of
Georgia, and its population,” Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Meraba
Antadze said.
In his words, both agreements are effective. “This point was included
in the agreement on the insistence of Georgia because it was not
ruled out that the State Duma may delay the ratification of these
agreements. Under this point, Russia obliged to comply with the
agreement when it was signed,” the Georgian diplomat stressed.
Russia inherited four military bases in Georgia from the Soviet Union
and has withdrawn two of them. It struck a deal with Georgiain May
last year to pull out the remaining two bases by the end of 2008.
Nearly 3,000 Russian servicemen are deployed in the Akhalkalakiand
Batumi bases.

ARMENOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERUSALEM ORGANIZES MEMORY-EVENING DEDICATED TO 91ST ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 13 2006
JERUSALEM, APRIL 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A memory-evening
dedicated to the 91st anniversary of the Armenian Genocide will
be held by the Armenology Department of the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem on April 26. According to the information submitted to
Noyan Tapan by the Armenology Department of the Hebrew University,
Archbishop Torgom Manukian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem will
participate in this event of painful memories and self-examination,
but aimed to beleif and optimism. Yossi Sarid, a member of the
Israel Knesset, and Professor Abraham Terian, a famous Armenologist
awarded the “Fullbright” grant will make the main speeches during
the evening. Tsolak Momjian, the Honourary Consul of the Republic of
Armenia and Professor Michael E.Stone, the Chief of the Armenology
Department of the Hebrew University, the organizer of the evening
will aslo make speeches. The reception that will start at 18:30,
and the official event following it at 19:00, will take place in the
“Beit Belgia” subsidiary building of the Givat Ram campus of the
Hebrew University.

ARMENIA PARTICIPATES IN TOURISM FAIR IN BUCHAREST
Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006
BUCHAREST, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A tourism fair was organized for
the first time in Bucharest on April 6-9 within the framework of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), and a meeting
of the working group on cooperation in the BSEC tourims sector took
place on April 7-8. The fair was held in the Romexpo complex hall,
where a National Torism Fair with the participation of nearly 400
companies took place in the same period. According to the RA MFA Press
and Information Department, Armenia was presented at the fair by the
Armenian embassy in Romania based on tourism posters, brochures, video
films and books provided by several Armenian tourism organizations.

COOPERATION TO DEVELOP THROUGH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES ARMENIAN OFFICE IN EUROPE
Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The primary task of the Information
Technologies (IT) Armenian Office in Europe, which has been functioning
since February 16, 2006, is to sign agreements of a total of 200-300
thousand dollars between the Armenian and European companies in the
intitial period. Director of the Enterprise Incubator Foundation
(EIF) Bagrat Engibarian stated this on April 11 during a joint press
conference with Robert Trausnig, Representative of Armenian IT in
Europe. B. Engibarian said that 10% of Armenian IT enterprises is
currently cooperating with European companies, while 70% of the
sector’s production is exported to the US. According to him, the
IT Armenian Office in Europe will assist Armenian IT companies with
participation in international exhibitions and forums. Some Armenian
companies have already been provided assistance in taking part in the
CeBIT exhibition (Hannover). The Office also aims to hold discussions
with the participation of representatives of the Armenian and European
companies of the IT sector, as well as government representatives for
the purpose of clarifying long-term cooperation problems. R. Trausnig
noted that the Office may be useful both in terms of setting up
joint ventures and selling production of Armenian IT companies in
Europe. The Office will organize business trips of Armenian IT experts
to Europe and assist the Armenian companies with introduction of CMMI
international programming procedure management standards. He pointed
out good prospects of selling in Europe Armenian softwares developed
for such spheres as health, communication and telecommunication,
and map-based information systems. B. Engibarian attached importance
to activities of the IT Armenian offices in other countries from
the viewpoint of enhancing the opportunities for selling softwares
and software-related services abroad. It is envisaged to open an IT
Armenian Office in the US in the near future.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR DISCUSSES KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 11 2006
BAKU, April 11 (Itar-Tass) – French co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group
(MG) for Nagorno Karabakh Bernard Fassier said at a press conference
here on Tuesday that consultations held with the leadership of
Azerbaijan and Armenia on the Karabakh conflict settlement should
“help form the basic principles of the future peace agreement.”
The diplomat stressed that the work of international mediators will be
very intensive in the short run and said that after him the American
and Russian co-chairmen of the MG – Steven Mann and Yuri Merzlyakov
will visit the region. Fassier also did not rule out that he might
visit Baku and Yerevan again in late April.
“In May the co-chairmen will again visit the region in order to
prepare a meeting between the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia,”
said Fassier. “The dates of the meeting between the two countries’
leaders have not been coordinated yet, but I hope that they will agree
to hold them. New principles of the settlement are to be presented
to the heads of Azerbaijan and Armenia this week,” Fassier pointed out.
According to the official, these principles “contain variants that are
50 or even 80 percent meeting the interests of the sides.” He said
the current stage is a “continuation and modification of the Prague
process” that had been launched in the Czech capital two years ago
by the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers with the mediation
of the MG co-chairmen.
Fassier expressed regret over the fact that the work carried out by
the MG co-chairmen in 2005 has failed to bring the desired results,
although the settlements principles were determined. “In Rambouillet
(a Paris suburb where the last meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents Ilkham Aliyev and Robert Kocharyan was held on February
10-11, 2006) we tried to increase the results but unfortunately the
sides failed to reach agreement. However, we are glad that this did
not disrupted the negotiations and they are continuing,” the MG French
co-chairman said.
Fassier expressed concern over the aggravation of the situation
regarding the sides’ standoff recently saying that “the resumption
of the war will only aggravate it (the situation) and may result in
a crisis.”
After Baku Fassier is planning to visit Yerevan.
According to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, issues related to the
Karabakh problem settlement will be high on the agenda of consultations
of the American co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Steven Mann in Baku on
April 18. Mann is expected to discuss with the Azerbaijani leadership
certain proposals of the American side on the conflict settlement.
“These proposals are very interesting. Official Baku will study them
and express its view during Mann’s visit,” the Azerbaijani foreign
minister said in an interview to the AzerTaj state news agency. In his
view, the Karabakh conflict is the “largest obstacle to the political
and economic development of Azerbaijan and it is necessary to intensify
efforts in this sphere.”

COMMITTEE TO PROTECT SAFAROV’S RIGHTS DEMANDS DELAY OF HIS TRIAL
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 11 2006
The Committee to Protect Ramil Safarov’s rights held a press conference
today (APA).
Head of the Committee Akif Naghi said that the court proceedings
against Azerbaijani Army officer Ramil Safarov is going to be over
in Budapest and expressed his dissatisfaction of the unpleasant trial.
He thinks the Budapest city court is influenced by Armenian lobby
and therefore will not pass a fair verdict on the Azerbaijani officer.
So, the Committee demands postponement of the trial fixed to 13 April
and replacement of the court staff.
The Committee also considers that Azerbaijan’s parliament should
contact the Hungary’s parliament and leave for Budapest as soon
as possible. In addition, the Azerbaijani parliament should hold
a debate on Safarov’s case at Hungarian parliament, a large media
group should be departed to Budapest, and his extradition should be
achieved irrespective of the verdict on him.

DEFENSE MINISTER WILL SAY WHEN HE WANTS
Lragir.am
12 April 06
Defense minister declines to say anything concerning the parliamentary
election and the political force that he will support.
Whereas, in late January Serge Sargsyan stated that he needed two
more weeks to make a decision. Several months have passed since late
January but the defense minister still declines to speak about his
decision. “I think this is not a burning topic. Political processes
are going on normally and correspond to my plans,” said Serge Sargsyan
April 11. The defense minister did not tell news reporters, however,
when he would announce about his decision.
“When I think it is time,” says Serge Sargsyan. With regard to his
presidential aspirations he again resorts to convenience.
“We will see what the situation will be. It is early to speak about
this. We will see what will happen after the parliamentary election,”
announced the minister of defense of Armenia.