Author: Chakrian Hovsep

RA BORDER ELECTRONIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM TO BE CREATED
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Government made a decision at
the June 22 sitting to create an information system of the RA border
electronic management based on the information system of calculating
transport means of people entering (leaving) the RA, introduced
and being put in operation at present by the RA National Security
Service attached to Government. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA
Government’s Information and Public Relations Department, the order
of operation of the RA border electronic management information system
as well as the list of the system users were affirmed at the sitting.
It was defined that the RA National Security Service attached to
Government is a body regulating the activity of the RA Ministries
and other state government bodies connected with operation of the
above-mentioned system. According to the decision, the latter will
implement teaching of users of the given system as well, allocating
them rights of entrance, analyzing of that work, putting the system
into operation and its service. The decision was made to assist
protection of the RA state border, to increase effeciency of activity
of legal bodies in the struggle against terrorism, organized crime
and illegal migration.

CONCLUSION OF VENICE ARRIVED
Lragir.am
22 June 06
On June 22 Speaker Tigran Torosyan received the text of the conclusion
of the Commission of Venice several days ago. Tigran Torosyan said
the conclusion does not differ from the draft conclusion. The speaker
of the National Assembly extended the text to the parliamentary
factions. Alexan Karapetyan, the head of one of the factions, announced
earlier that the copy sent to Venice had been translated incorrectly to
mislead the experts of Venice and make a conclusion that would favor
the government. Tigran Torosyan mentioned that there were translation
mistakes but not deliberate ones.

SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS DEVELOPS ACTIVELY, ROBERT KOCHARIAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Jun 21 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to development of small
and medium business were discussed during the June 21 meeting of Robert
Kocharian and a number of representatives of the sector. According
to the RA President’s press service, the ministers of agriculture,
trade and economic development also participated in the meeting.
R. Kocharian noted that small and medium business is developing
actively, which is evident from the fact that it accounts for 40% of
GDP and 16% of exports of Armenia. The President called on more than
20 businessmen representing all the Armenian marzes to hold an open
discussion to identify the obstacles to SME development and based on
it, to decide what new steps the Armenian government should take to
secure a favorable climate for SME activities.
The meeting participants noted that the sector’s development has
entered a new stage characterized by an increase in the number of
small and medium enterprises and the process of their technical
re-equipment. However, there are still problems to be solved,
particularly, the need to conduct fewer check-ups at small and medium
enterprises, provide regional businessmen with business advice, to
train personnel with special education, as well as some legislative
flaws.
The problem of long-term credits with low interest rates and the
need to extend leasing services were also discussed in detail. The
regional businessmen said that they have difficulty meeting the terms
of pledged security for receiving a credit, because the value of land
and property in Armenian marzes is much lower than in Yerevan.
R. Kocharian informed them that in order to deal with the situation,
the cost of the state budget-financed program on provision of credit
guarantees will be increased this year. He welcomed that fact that
the number of entrepreneurs engaged in small and medium business who
are in need of credit resources is on the increase.
The meeting participants also addressed the problem of foreign currency
fluctuations. In this connection, the President noted that this problem
affects the business circles in the whole world, and when signing
contracts, our businessmen should try to insure themselves against it.
R. Kocharian said the problems raised at the meeting will be discussed
once again at a special consultation to be held soon in order to find
final solutions.

OFFICIAL CONCLUSION ABOUT REASON OF AIRBUS A-320 CRASH NEAR SOCHI TO BE MADE IN JULY
Yerevan, June 19. ArmInfo. The official conclusion of the Interstate
Aviation Commission about the reason of Airbus A- 320 crash near
Sochi will be made in July, Leonid Kashirskiy, the Chairman of the
Technical Commission of IAC for investigation of Airbus A-320 crash,
told ArmInfo correspondent.
According to Kashirskiy, the Commission has already started the
complex analysis of records of objective control means, during which
it is scheduled to carry out a semi-natural simulation of a flight
on the training simulator of airplane A-320. A conclusion will be
made about the reason of air crash, upon the analysis results and
conducted investigations, and recommendations for flight safety will
be given. Kashirskiy refused to give a preliminary conclusion about
the air crash reason.
To be noted, according to the IAC press-release, spread today,
the works for decoding of records, fixed by the airborne parametric
self-recorder, and synchronization of records of the airborne and
ground means of objective control are completed June 17, 2006, in
the Interstate Aviation Committee.
Earlier, it was informed about the completion of decoding of the
airborne audio self-recorder. The airborne parametric self- recorder
had registered the information about 8 flights, including the emergency
A-320 in the period from April 30 to May 3, 2006. The total duration
of recording made up about 26 hours 20 minutes, including the whole
record of the last flight, i.e. 1 hour 26 minutes. “Base upon the last
flight decoding results, it is determined that there was no destruction
of the airplane in the air, the engines had been working up to the
moment of the airplane impact with the water surface. Moreover,
there was enough fuel on board for safe completion of the flight,
and during the last minute, the fight was in a director regime with
the autopilot switched off”, it is noted in the release.

CONSULTATIONS TO BE HELD AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ArmRadio.am
19.06.2006 10:55
Groups and factions of the National Assembly will hold consultations
today to decide the future steps over the draft law on “Implementing
amendments in the Electoral Code.”
The Venice Commission of the Council of Europe has already drawn
its conclusions about the bill. It is expected that during summer
months the Parliamentary groups and factions will adjust the draft
of amendments to the Electoral Code, considering the conclusion of
European experts.

EU PANS TURKEY IN DRAFT PROGRESS REPORT, SAYS PAPER
Gulf Times, Qatar
June 19 2006
ISTANBUL: The EU criticises the Turkish military’s role in politics,
a lack of reform and minority rights and relations with Cyprus in
the draft of a progress report due later this year, a newspaper
reported yesterday.
The European Union is due to publish a progress report on
Ankara’s entry bid in October or November, a year after the start
of negotiations, which turned frosty on Friday when Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would sooner see talks suspended
than make concessions over Cyprus.
Turkey’s Cumhuriyet newspaper cited EU sources yesterday as saying the
first draft criticised Turkey’s refusal to open its ports to Cyprus,
as the EU demands, before the bloc lifts trade restrictions on Turkish
Cypriots in breakaway northern Cyprus.
The paper said the draft also notes a slowdown in political reform,
the military’s continuing influence over political institutions and
calls for more work for judicial independence and rights for women
and minorities.
It says conditions in the poor, mainly Kurdish southeast, where
security forces are fighting separatist guerrillas, have deteriorated
and criticises relations with traditional enemies and neighbours
Greece and Armenia.
The European Commission’s enlargement spokeswoman, Krisztina Nagy,
said the report was still a long way off.
“I don’t think a consolidated draft report exists at this stage. In
any case it is much too early to speculate on its content,” she said.
The newspaper said the draft would be amended, but the sources did
not expect many fundamental changes.
“This is standard EU criticism of Turkey,” said an official in Brussels
who asked not to be named. “It was present in last year’s report and
it is likely to be in this year’s report.”
EU leaders at a summit in Brussels on Friday replied to Erdogan’s
Cyprus comments by calling on Turkey to let shipping from the tiny
Mediterranean island use Turkish ports this year.
Last week Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker was quoted
as saying membership talks should be frozen if Turkey does not open
its ports this year.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn has said Turkey, which is not
expected to join the wealthy bloc until 2015 at the earliest, could
be heading for a “train crash” in its accession process and has urged
Ankara to step up reforms.

A1+
KOZAK MEETS THE PRESIDENT
[03:55 pm] 16 June, 2006
Today Robert Kocharyan received the delegation of
Dmitri Kozak, the authorized representative of the
Russian President in the Southern federative okrug.
The sides referred to the whole complex of the
Armenian-Russian relations. Robert Kocharyan mentioned
that thanks to the activation of business relations
the Russian business takes an important place in the
in the economy of Armenia. They found efficient
transport communication important for the further
enlargement of the commercial-economic cooperation of
the countries.
Dmitri Kozak said that the majority of the Armenians
in Russia live in the South of the country and are
involved in almost all the spheres of life of the
region.
The sides condemned the recent murders on the
nationalistic ground in Russia. They mentioned that
these phenomena do not proceed from the interests of
Russia and the Russian nation. According to Robert
Kocharyan, the Russian law enforcers ought to have
acted quickly and clearly.

OSKANIAN AND MAMEDYAROV DISCUSS THOSE PRINCIPLES AND APPROACHES OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT ON WHICH SIDES HAVE DISAGREEMENTS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 14 2006
PARIS, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to the
agreement reached between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in
Bucharest on June 5, Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Vartan
Oskanian’s and Elmar Mamedyarov’s meeting took place in Paris on June
13. Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier, the OSCE Minsk Group RF and
French Co-Chairmen on Nagorno Karabakh Conflict Settlement and Andrzej
Kasprczik, the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
were present at the negotiations.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, those principles and approaches put on the
negotiation table were discussed at the meeting round which the sides
have disagreements.
An agreement was reached to continue negotiations addressed to making
positions closer.

NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI FMS OVER NK PROVIDE BASIS FOR FUTURE PRESIDENTIAL MEETING
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 14 2006
YEREVAN, June 14. /ARKA/. The negotiations of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers, started yesterday in Paris, provide
a basis for a future meeting between the two countries’ presidents,
Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan told reporters.
“After Bucharest, there is the necessity in making new steps toward a
peaceful settlement to the conflict. The foreign ministers currently
attempt to supplement what was not achieved by the presidents,”
Armenian Foreign Minister said.
The negotiations between foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mamedyarov were held in Paris on 13 June.
They discussed the available principles and approaches that give rise
to disagreements between the sides.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER VISITS ANTELIAS
Yerkir.am
June 09, 2006
Nagorno Karabakh Republic Georgi Petrosian visited Antelias, where
he met with His Holiness Aram I on June 6. Serj Amirkhanian, the head
of construction works in the republic and Yervand Pamboukian, member
of the Central Executive Council in Lebanon also attended the meeting.
The Pontiff referred to the contribution of the Catholicosate of
Cilicia’s dioceses in the efforts aimed at strengthening Nagorno
Karabakh and reassured of the Catholicosate’s commitment to this cause.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to reassess the internal
situation in Karapagh and the international negotiations for the
resolution of the conflict.