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March 12 2006
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Armenia: Azerbaijan protests to Eurovision organizers; dispute over
Andre’s birth place

Fotis Konstantopoulos reporting from Athens (Greece)
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan sent a protest
letter to the organizers of the Eurovision musical competition to be
held in Athens on indication of “Republic of Nagorno Karabakh” as
birthplace of Andre representing Armenia in his biography placed in
the official Internet page of Eurovision. APA was told by the
press-service of the Ministry.
The Ministry declared that this fact can be valued as disrespect and
diversion against territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and can be
understood as support by the organizers of the competition to
Armenian aggressor policy against Azerbaijan: “We hope that the
organizers of the Eurovision musical competition will eliminate this
misunderstanding in a shortest period and territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan recognized by world’s states will be respected”.

AZG Armenian Daily #044, 13/03/2006

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian guest of
Daily Azg readers
Ahar, Canada, 2006-08-03 01:56:06
Mr. Oskanian
You were born and raised outside Armenia and I presume
you therefore know the diaspora well. In your opinion,
what should be the optimal format or mechanism of
interaction between diaspora and Armenia? should it
involve a two level interaction i.e. individuals and
political parties, or are the latter useless today.
Interaction is quite intense between both parts of our
nation, but I think everybody has the impression
(right or wrong) that more efficient structures can
still be created, that the diaspora could have a more
formal role in the democratization of Armenia, that
youth from outside need still to be implicated more
profoundly in the Armenian life of the homeland and in
state building. I don’t know how many diasporan
students study in armenian universities or if the
government encourages the venue of diasporans in its
institutions, if such programs exist on a large scale.
Perhaps the dual citizenship law is the foundation
that will facilitate this, perhaps there are other
factors that people don’t notice, or perhaps there is
nothing special to do and simply time is needed for
both groups to get to know each other, time for
diasporans to grab the concept of “republic” with all
associated responsibilities and privileges. In any
case and in the general public’s vue, diaspora-armenia
relations have not been perfected yet (although they
are regarded, by and large, to be developing
positively). What are your thoughts on this, as
foreign minister and as an armenian that knows both
segments of our nation?
OSKANIAN: As foreign minister, and as an Armenian, I
believe that all of the levels you mention are
essential for deepening Armenia Diaspora relations:
the personal interactions have to increase — that
means more tourism, more active engagement by students
and young people, and that’s why the Birthright
Armenia program is so valuable. The mindset, attitude,
assumptions, knowledge about each other will of course
have to change and become more realistic and
accepting. The institutional and legal frameworks,
too, have to be enhanced. Interaction at the level of
political parties, organizations must and has been
continuing. The legal framework still has to be
developed, now that the obstructions to dual
citizenship have been removed from the Constitution.
All are necessary, all will take time, but we’re well
on our way in all these directions.
Ara, Canada, Calgary, 2006-07-03 22:35:48
Dear Sir,
Do you think there is a better way to obtain full
support from US government for Genocide Recognition,
and, do you think this is ever possible?
OSKANIAN: US Recognition of the Genocide is a strictly
political process. Our communities there must continue
to do what they can to make the fact of the Genocide
known to more and more people, as well as officials.
It is a pity that a country like the US, a champion of
human rights, a protector of the rights of minorities
cannot find a way to do the right thing regarding
Genocide recognition. It is not political expediency
that should be the guiding principle here. Much has
changed over the recent period — major newspapers
like the NY Times call genocide by its name, films
like Andrew Goldberg’s The Armenian Genocide is being
shown throughout the country on Public Broadcasting
stations, the International Assn of Genocide Scholars
has clearly characterized the 1915 events, those
processes and efforts have to continue, and one day,
the US, too, will join other governments around the
world and call the Armenian Genocide by its name.
Mikhail Astvatsaturov, Grand Forks, ND, USA,
2006-07-03 09:56:54
Greetings,
Armenia always leads a policy of neutrality towards
the West (US, Europe etc…), the Middle East and the
East (Asiatic/Asian States etc…) because of its
geographical location. It would probably mean the end
of Republic of Armenia if it ever were to pick a
position of the west or east. Now we must remember
back during the days of Armenia Minor and how it was
crushed by invaders from the east because the west did
not want to send military reinforcements to throw back
the invading armies. Now the threat still exits but
rather than coming from the east only, Armenia is
crammed in the middle and huge amounts of pressure is
being exhibited towards the state. Now for a state to
be in such a position, it requires a large military to
support itself from outer attack. For example Turkey
to the west would be a cause for concern. If ever
Turkey ever decided to attack Armenia (their target
was Yerevan as I remember) just as it did back in the
days of Nogorno Karabakh war? What kind of defensive
capabilities does the military have, I know you
probably wouldn’t be able to answer this, but even
politically what can Armenia spur up at the last
moment, will Russia step in? Would Russia risk its own
solders to defend Armenia? Wouldn’t it be a smart idea
for Armenia to build up its military to the point of
exhausting any military possibility of attack against
Armenia (I am not talking about offence I am talking
about defensive possibilities, treaties, defense pacts
etc…)? For this to happen Armenia would have to leave
some agreements and treaties it signed when it gained
independence from USSR. Azerbaijan is not a very
capable enemy; their military is disorganized and
infective. So wouldn’t it be the right course of
action for Armenia to secure its boarders, reinforce
itself to the point that Turkey would think twice
before attacking, there is always a possibility that
Russia would give up its protection, this was the case
in history.
My second question concerns our diplomatic situation
with Georgia. I have been hearing lots of Armenians
being discriminated and Georgia is pressuring them to
change their way of life. The Georgian government is
forcing them to use Georgian as their main language,
and Armenian churches independence and right to
practice is under question. I have also heard that
these churches are losing their own property to the
Georgian Orthodoxy… Is there anything that Armenia can
do to stabilize and put pressure on Georgia to stop
this irrational, disrespectful, and childish behavior
towards Armenian Citizens of Georgia? If this does not
stop, and Georgia does not change its ways, what would
the course of action be held against Georgia if all
else fails?
Thank you Foreign Minister
Mikhail Astvatsaturov
OSKANIAN: It is not a policy of neutrality, but a
policy of complementarity that has resulted in
Armenia’s having good relations with all the important
power centers: Moscow, Brussels, Washington. We
actively work at and develop relations with them, as
well as with our northern and southern neighbors. For
the record, let me say again, we also would want to
have good neighborly relations with Turkey, but it is
Turkey which continues to refuse to establish formal
relations even as we continue to discuss the bilateral
issues about which we differ. Regarding our ability to
defend ourselves, we feel confident that in our
military capacity, even as we insist that there are no
problems which can’t be resolved through diplomatic
channels. Regarding our relations with Georgia, we
agree that this is a critical relationship, both given
our geography and our history. Georgia is our path to
Russia and to Europe. At the same time, Armenians have
been and continue to be an integral part of Georgia.
Our governments cooperate to make certain that all
problems are resolved in an equitable manner and that
the sizable Armenian minority in Georgia is able to
benefit from political and economic reforms within
Georgia.
[email protected], Dallas, Texas. USA, 2006-07-03
02:18:
I am not sure if this question will relate to Mr.
Vardan Oskanian but I will ask anyway.
Do you think Armenia is strong enough militarily to
defend it self from the naighbouring Azarbaijan.
Thanks, God bless Armenia
OSKANIAN: Armenians are confident in their military
capacity, and are not concerned about Azerbaijan’s war
rhetoric. We hope however that this capacity will not
be tested and that the conflcit will be resolved
diplomatically and peacefully.
Sam, USA, Aliso Viejo, 2006-07-03 01:10:08
There is only one city where people desire to live;
Yerevan (‘Erevan) for the whole period of Armenia’s
existence as an independent state (after USSR
collapse). This is because Armenia’s entire economy is
concentrated in this 1.5 mln population city. Is there
any public information available for EVERYONE to see
all governmental/private economic development plans
throughout Armenia? Don’t you see this as a threat to
Armenia’s survival as a state? Imagine that if ‘Erevan
will fail in some very bad circumstances (lezus
papandzvi) Armenia will become a history forever.
OSKANIAN: Armenia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy,
developed in cooperation with the major international
organizations, does indeed focus on the rural areas.
In addition, new proposals are being developed and
will soon be made public that will focus on this very
crucial need — to improve living standards outside
Yerevan.
Emil Karapetyan, USA, Los Angeles, 2006-08-03 04:18:43
(Feel free to translate into Russian)
Mr. Vardan Oskanyan,
To my greatest sympathy and respect to you as a
greatest politician Of Republic of our County
(Armenia) allow me to address you the question that
perhaps most Armenians wonϢt grant me the credit
but still I would like to get an answer directly from
you.
Mr. Oskanyan, why now days Armenian governmentϢs
official orientation is fully dedicated to Russian
military support, alongside with difficulties that two
counties have in various financial issues such as Gas
fees, factories owned by Russian companies on the
territory of Armenia, dramatic increase of nationalism
in Russia against Armenians (not specifying the
comments of Luzhkov, who said that their biggest
problem are Armenians, Georgians, and Azeris). I can
bring more facts to your attention where Russians are
not really buying the fact that we are their strategic
partner in the region but as a Foreign Minister
IϢm sure you are aware of these problems.
So are we really afraid of Turkey to compromise the
negotiations in many important issues with Russia?
Thanks in advance
Emil Karapetyan
[email protected]
OSKANIAN: Our relationship with Russia is a
relationship between two sovereign states. We do
continue to have security concerns in this region and
Russia is a strategic partner. At the same time, our
economic and social relations have historically been
positive, and for the most part, continue to be good.
Our interdependencies are also somewhat the result of
decades of integration in the same systems. That is
changing to a situation among equals. Still, there are
problems and we do try to resolve them bilaterally.
Albert messerkhanian, Montreal, 2006-09-03 08:24:37
Dear Mr. Oskanian,
I am deeply convinced that our villages which are
located on our borders are the most vunerable areas
and a special attention should be paid, is there any
particular planning for that?
OSKANIAN: Our border villages, as most of our rural
communities, are indeed living in difficult economic
and social conditions. There is a plan being developed
now, as part of the next Armenia Diaspora conference,
which will attempt to address this crucial need
through the combined efforts of Armenia and Diaspora.

ARMENIAN DEPUTY OF IRANIAN PARLIAMENT TO MAKE SPEECH DURING DIALOGUE OF RELIGIONS CONGRESS HELD IN ZAGREB
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 13 2006
ZAGREB, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On the initiative of
the Center for Dialogue of Religions of the Islamic Communication and
Culture Organization of Iran and of the Cultural Attache of Iran to
Zagreb, the first congress on the Dialogue of Churches started its
work in Zagreb on March 10.
According to the Tehran “Alik” daily, Gevorg Vardanian, the Deputy of
the northern Iranian Armenians at the Islamic Parliament was a member
of the delegation invited from Iran to the congress as a representatice
of the Armenian Christians at the Parliament. The congress ended on
March 11. The theme of the Armenian Deputy’s speech was “Obstacles
of a Successful Dialogue.” He touched upon in his speech not only the
difficulties of a dialogue of religions but events of overcoming them
as well.

HOW SECURE IS NEW PIPELINE ACROSS CAUCASUS?
By Brooks Tigner, Brussels
DefenseNews.com
March 13 2006
How secure is the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which will
haul petrochemicals 1,760 kilometers from the Caspian Sea across the
Caucasian peninsula to Turkey?
Sufficiently, say members of the independent Caspian Development
Advisory Panel, which advises BP, the lead company on the project.
“There is very sophisticated sensor technology all along the
pipeline. It protects against intruders, sabotage and illegal siphoning
as well,” Stuart Eizenstat, former U.S. ambassador to the European
Union and one of the panel’s four members, told a February meeting
here, organized by the U.S. George Marshall Fund. “Any intrusion will
alert local security forces.”
But defense analysts and officials familiar with the challenge of
protecting the pipeline’s infrastructure are skeptical.
“Pipelines are a target of choice for terrorist and insurgent groups,”
said David Cooper, an independent defense consultant here.
“When you think of high-value targets, you think airports, harbors
and energy networks.”
The buried pipeline will soon enter operation, with the first oil
tanker to be loaded at its terminal port in Turkey by midyear.
Together with a sister project, the South Caucasus Pipeline, the two
networks will transport 1 million barrels of oil and 7 billion cubic
meters of Caspian Sea supplies each year.
“This will be a very important step forward toward security for the
region and diversification of international energy supplies,” said
Jan Leschly, the panel’s chair and founder of the Care Capital venture
firm. “It will offer many opportunities [for BP and other companies]
to promote stability in an unstable region via market mechanisms.”
The panel released its latest 24-page assessment of the project and
BP’s cooperation with BTC countries Feb. 14, entitled “Report on
2005 Activities.”
According to the report, the British energy group has worked
extensively with the three governments involved in the $3 billion
project – Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey – to help ensure their
security forces are properly trained to safeguard stability along
the BTC, while respecting human rights.
At the panel’s recommendation, BP has persuaded the Georgian and Azeri
governments to work with the U.S. security firm Equity International
to oversee the training. Turkey rebuffed the offer and is working with
the security forces of Northern Ireland to train its gendarmerie and
other personnel to be stationed along the country’s 1,070-kilometer
section of the meter-wide pipeline.
Regional Stability Questions The stability of the region through
which BP’s pipeline passes is out of its hands, however.
The Caucasus is larded with ethnic, religious, political and military
tensions between and within its constituent states. Turkey and Armenia
have no diplomatic relations, for example. Azerbaijan and Armenia have
been at low-level war with each other for 15 years over the disputed
territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Meanwhile, Georgia has tense relations
with Moscow, which stations troops on its territory and does little
to discourage breakaway sentiment among Georgia’s northern provinces
adjacent to Russia.
Moreover, corruption is widespread in the three countries, according
to government monitoring groups. Among the 159 countries surveyed
for government transparency in 2005 by Berlin-based Transparency
International, Azerbaijan falls at position 137. As the Caspian panel
notes in its report, BP’s ability “to influence near-term challenges to
[the region’s] stability is limited.”
Asked if the panel has carried out its own risk-assessment of security
threats to the two pipelines, Leschly said it did not, relying instead
on the conclusions of independent reports commissioned by BP. One of
the groups that BP used was Foley Hoag, a U.S. law firm with offices
in Boston and Washington, which produced a report Jan. 31 on security
and aspects of the project. Defense News was unable to secure a copy
of the report by press time.
In addition to the pipeline’s sensor technology, the network will be
patrolled by armed personnel, including those on horseback. But even
these combined defenses leave security experts doubtful.
“We support the pipeline idea, of course: it’s good for Europe’s
security of supply, but the Caucasus is a very touch-and-go kind of
place,” said a European diplomat, who added that the region’s stability
needs to be tied more closely to the European Union’s so-called
European Neighborhood Policy of democratic and economic initiatives.
Cooper, a former NATO defense planner, warned that the pipelines
could be very expensive and complicated to protect if faced with
groups bent on inflicting damage to it.
“Pipelines are nearly possible to protect. But horseback patrols
and ground sensors? They need high-resolution earth observation at a
minimum,” he said. “Even with the best of technology, you’ve got to
have an entire organizational approach coordinated along the whole
thing to secure it.”

INCIDENT IN TSALKA: ONE DEAD AS OMBUDSMAN RULES OUT ETHNIC MOTIVE
The Messenger, Georgia
March 13 2006
A brawl which broke out in the multiethnic settlement of Tsalka on
March 9 left one person dead and two wounded. Gevorg Gevorkyan, 23,
died at the scene. The brawl participants and those suspected of
Gevorkyan’s murder have been detained, and the reason for the fight
has yet to be officially determined.
Rumor spread that the fight was the result of an ethnically motivated
confrontation between groups of Georgian and Armenian youths and
Gevorkyan’s death led to the formation of a mob outside the regional
police department on Friday, with participants demanding that one of
the murder suspects be lynched.
Meanwhile the Public Defender’s office issued a statement promising
to investigate the incident as a possible hate crime. On Saturday,
the Ombudsman ruled that the incident was the result of an act of
“ordinary hooliganism.” “Our representatives traveled there and looked
into the case. We can say that this dispute had nothing to do with
ethnic confrontation,” Ombudsman Sozar Subari announced on March 11.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has announced that the
situation has calmed down and that order has been restored.

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 14, 2006
___________________
FIRST DIOCESAN “ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK” GIVES BACK TO COMMUNITY
For most church members, the term “spring break” does not usually
conjure warm images or wholesome associations. But this year, dozens
of young Armenian students from colleges throughout the Eastern
Diocese are giving “spring break” a different meaning, by helping
others build better lives.
Through the Diocese’s College Ministry Program, participants in the
“Alternative Spring Break” are heading south to build homes with
Habitat for Humanity. And in between sawing lumber and hanging windows,
they’re visiting local Armenian parishes and connecting with their
faith and heritage.
“This program was much more then I could have hoped for,” said Alex
Derderian, a student at St. Joseph’s College in Pennsylvania who just
returned from a trip to Charlotte, NC. “I had the chance to spend
spring break with friends doing good for others. It’s an experience
I will treasure for a long time to come.”
The first set of students was in Charlotte, NC, from March 4 to 11,
2006. The second group is in Richmond, VA, from March 12 to 19. A
final group will head to Jacksonville, FL, from March 18 to 15. Along
with construction work, the participants’ days include prayer, Bible
readings, meditation, and fellowship.
“Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity has been such an awesome
experience. The team accomplished so much, and I will never forget
the skills I picked up or the friendships I’ve made,” said Noushig
Hovhannesian, a student from the Community College of Philadelphia who
took part in the trip to Charlotte, NC. “Working so hard has never
felt so great. The experience has added to my faith in knowing God
always places you where He knows you are needed.”
The local parishes in each community are “adopting” the participants,
welcoming them into their communities for the week. Fr. Daniel
Karadjian, pastor of the St. Sarkis Church in Charlotte, wasn’t sure
what to expect when he agreed to welcome the students to his parish.
“But this has been a great project for our parish and our youth,”
he said. “Our parish is bonding together around this project,
and our youth are meeting young people from across the Diocese,
and growing together in faith.”
In Charlotte and Richmond, the participants are staying in the host
Armenian parish building. In Jacksonville there is no building,
so the participants are staying in another church location.
“Since these wonderful young Armenians gave of their time to come
and serve others on their Spring Break, we want to spend the time to
make them feel at home here,” said Charlotte parish council member
Lena Kupelian Neau, who led the effort to set up makeshift bedding
and blankets at the church and to set out simple breakfasts for the
group before they headed off to build each day.
During this “Alternative Spring Break” the Diocese is working with
Habitat for Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge, which encourages college
students to band together to spend spring break helping others. Along
with meeting Armenians from across the Diocese, participants in the
Diocese’s program are also teaching the other students about the
Armenians and their faith.
In Charlotte, the young Armenian students quickly bonded with a group
of non-Armenian students from Providence College. The non-Armenians
were quickly welcomed to the St. Sarkis parish for a fun, traditional
Armenian dinner.
“We love being adopted Armenians,” said Megan Prahin, a Habitat for
Humanity volunteer from Providence College who met the participants
from the Diocese in Charlotte. “We’re gonna make shirts that say
‘Hye Em’ so other Armenian people can find us!”
The week of hard construction labor went too quickly for the
participants.
“This was the best spring break ever! The best way to spend your spring
is building homes,” said Janet Mirzoyan, a student from Georgia State
University. “I am having so much fun — and I’ve learned how to use
an electric saw.”
For more information on the trips, including photos, visit the
Diocese’s college ministry website at
* * *
The following are the participants signed up for the Diocese’s
“Alternative Spring Break”
Charlotte trip: Talene Kelegian, team leader; Ara Major, Georgia
Perimeter; Alex Derderian, St. Josephs College in Pennsylvania;
Anna Abrahamian, Boston College; Asya Gyurjyan, Virginia Tech;
Adrienne Ashbahian, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia;
Noushig Hovhannesian, Community College of Philadelphia; Kristen
Ashbahian, University of Pennsylvania; Janet Mirzoyan, Georgia State;
Raffi Gulbenk, Sacred Heart University
Richmond trip: Daron Bolat, team leader; Karinne Hovnanian, Geroge
Washington University; Nicole Varteresian, Westfield State; Haig
Seferian, RPI; Lena Jinivizian, Rutgers; Lydia Mahserjian, Sienna
College; Gayane Arzumanova, Cleveland State; Lusine Baghdasaryan,
Cleveland; Elise Durgarian, Farleigh Dickinson
Jacksonville trip: Jason Demerjian, team leader; Manneh Ghazarians,
Arineh Nazarian, and Margo Voskanian , all University of
Massachusetts; Arpi Paylan, Northwestern University; Taleen Aiazian,
Cornell University
— 3/14/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in
the News and Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Anna Abrahamian, a student at Boston College taking
part in the Diocese’s “Alternative Spring Break,” works on a Habitat
for Humanity project in Charlotte, NC.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Noushig Hovhannesian, a student at the Community
College of Philadelphia, and Asya Gyurjyan, from Virginia Tech, work
on a project with Habitat for Humanity during the Diocesan organized
“Alternative Spring Break” in Charlotte, NC.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Participants in the Diocese’s “Alternative Spring
Break” in Charlotte, NC, gather for a session of prayer and worship
at the St. Sarkis Church.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): College students participating in the first of
three week-long “Alternative Spring Break” trips organized by the
Diocese gather with members of their host parish, the St. Sarkis
Church of Charlotte, NC.
# # #
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US CONGRESSMAN BEAUPREZ JOINS ARMENIAN CAUCUS
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 17 2005
WASHINGTON, DC, OCTOBER 17. ARMINFO. At the urging of the Armenian
Assembly, Congressman Bob Beauprez (R-CO) on October 6 officially
joined the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, bringing the total
Caucus membership to 147. Beauprez is the first lawmaker from the state
to be part of this all-important body, reports the AAA press service.
“I’m proud to have joined the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,”
said Beauprez. “I look forward to working with the Armenian-Americans
in the 7th District of Colorado and across the entire country to
ensure Armenian-American issues are articulated in Washington.”
The Assembly’s Western Office organized and led a meeting with the
Congressman’s district staff in August to discuss the community’s
concerns and encourage the lawmaker’s membership to the Caucus.
Armenians of Colorado, a coalition of local Armenian-American
activists, also participated in the meeting.
“We’re pleased Congressman Beauprez decided to join the Caucus as a
result of direct meetings with the Assembly and Armenians of Colorado,”
said Western Office Director Lena Kaimian. “The Congressman has been
highly receptive to our issues. We look forward to working with him
and his colleagues in securing continued robust assistance to Armenia
and Karabakh, combating Armenia’s isolationism and strengthening
democracy and the rule of law.”
ARAMAC State Chair for Colorado Pamela Barsam Brown added, “The local
effort of Armenians of Colorado coupled with the Assembly’s national
efforts, helped advance the interests of Armenia and American-Armenians
on the federal level with Representative Beauprez.
I welcome his membership to the Armenian Caucus and look forward to
working with him and his staff.”
Participants in the August meeting with Beauprez’s office included:
ARAMAC State Chair for Colorado Pamela Barsam Brown, Assembly
Western Office Director Lena Kaimian, Ken Allikian, Armene Brown,
Arous Christianian, Anahid Katchian and Simon Magakyan.
Beauprez is currently serving his second term in office and is a
member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Earlier this year,
he signed on to a congressional letter to President Bush urging him
to formally recognize the Armenian Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COMPENSATION WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY
Lena Badeyan
A1+
| 14:20:27 | 15-10-2005 | Politics |
Once member of temporary commission for examining the possibilities of
restoration and reimbursement of the deposits of the RA citizens Aghasy
Arshakyan submitted 3 proposals on behalf of National Unity party.
Despite the fact that the indexation proposed by the coalition is in
a way admissible for A. Arshakyan, he noted that in accord with this
program the deposits will be returned no sooner than in 120 years
while the package submitted by the National Unity provided for full
compensation in the course of 15 years.
The opposition MP realizes the political aims of the government,
which first of all are bound with the referendum on constitutional
amendments. “To all appearances, the coalition and the President
have come to consent that certain settlement of the matter will
create favorable conditions for the referendum. But they are
mistaken. The people are not too naïve not to make head or tail of
simple arithmetics. At the same time the authorities understand
that neglecting this issue would not contribute to the positive
outcome of the referendum. Our leadership want to enlist support of
the international financial organizations that “feed” our budget”,
he says. In his opinion, it is inadmissible to include the matter of
returning the deposits into the Strategic Program on Poverty Reduction,
since in this case deposits will be viewed as benefits.
Opposition deputy Manuk Gasparyan also sees a corruption risk in the
program. “Who will decide on the level of poverty? This problem will
become a source of bribery”, he said. He stated that the program
elaborated by the government refers to 5% of the depositors. “The
authorities are going to return $2 million instead of $8-12 billion”,
he noted.
However he sees a positive tendency as well. “From the economic
viewpoint I welcome this fact however it is senseless from the
political aspect”, he resumed.
–Boundary_(ID_duzetHhxF49w3Uxw170jnA)–

LEFT FOR LITHUANIA
A1+
| 16:04:36 | 17-10-2005 | Official |
Today the RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan left for Lithuania on
a two-day official visit.
During the visit the Minister will meet the President of the country
and the Foreign Minister.
On October 19 Vardan Oskanyan will leave for Brussels to joint the
delegation of Robert Kocharyan will visit the European structures on
an official visit.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 16, 2005 Sunday 10:29 AM Eastern Time
Armenian president’s protocol dept head dies in traffic accident
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
Head of the Armenian president’s protocol department Mamikon Tonoyan,
32, died in a traffic accident on the northeastern outskirts of
Yerevan on Saturday, a source in the presidential administration told
Itar-Tass on Sunday.
His speeding car hit a barrier and slid onto a wrong lane. Tonoyan’s
wife was taken to a hospital with fractured bones.