NATIONAL TEAMS OF ARMENIA LEFT OUT UEFA CUP TOURNAMENT
YEREVAN, JULY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The return games of the qualification
first tour of the UEFA Cup Tournament were held on July 27. "Banants"
was defeated by the Georgian "Ameri" in Yerevan with a score of 1 to
2, and "Mika" was deafeated by the "Young Boys" in Bern with a score
of 0:1. As a result of the two games both Armenian teams were left out
the further competition.
ARMENIA AIDS LEBANON
Lragir.am
27 July 06
Considering the humanitarian crisis that emerged in Lebanon due to
the war and the large Armenian community in Lebanon, meeting the call
of the Lebanese government to render humanitarian aid to Lebanon,
as well as proceeding from the necessity to establish stability and
peace in the region, the government of Armenia decided to allocate
20 million drams to the Ministry of Health from the reserve fund of
the government to buy medicine and first-aid kits, reports the press
service of the government.
Representative Pallone urges Senate to block Hoagland nomination
ArmRadio.am
27.07.2006 12:08
In a July 25th speech on the House floor, Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) called on the US Senate to block the
nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve as the next US Ambassador to
Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In his remarks, the New Jersey legislator outlined the reasons for
his opposition, notably Ambassador-designate Hoagland’s denial of the
Armenian Genocide and his evasiveness and lack of responsiveness to
Senate inquiries. He also highlighted the failure of the Administration
to respond honestly to communications it held with the Turkish
government concerning the firing of current US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans over his February 2005 remarks affirming the Armenian
Genocide.
Congressman Pallone closed his speech by noting his "fear that
sending an ambassador to Yerevan who denies the Armenian genocide
would represent a tragic escalation in the Bush administration’s
ignorance and support in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial. The
State Department has reported to Senate offices that they expect
Ambassador Designate Hoagland to be confirmed during a business meeting
early next week. I would urge the Senate to block his nomination
until this administration recognizes the Armenian genocide."
ACCORDING TO IAC CONCLUSION, CREW IS GUILTY IN A-320 ARMENIAN LINER CRASH
Yerevan, July 26. ArmInfo. As a result of study of reasons of A-320
"Armavia" liner May 3 crash, it became clear that the airplane,
which was carrying out an automatic process of landing, was on the
exact landing line when, by the air controller instruction, caused
by meteorological conditions, the screw stopped landing and started
the right turn with climb at the height of about 340 m, it is said in
the official conclusion of the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee.
According to the conclusion, the pilot-in-command switched off the
autopilot system during the right turn and, after a short period of
climb under conditions of horizontal position loss by the airplane,
he put the liner in a landing position again. Under conditions of such
inadequate actions of the pilot-in-command, there was no proper control
by the second pilot with respect to landing parameters: steering
incline, height, speed. Further actions of the screw, it is said in
the conclusion, were dictated by signals of the warning system about
the threat of approaching the land, they were not coordinated and not
aimed at the airplane withdrawal from the landing regime. According
to IAC, no faults were fixed in the airplane engines and systems, it
was responding to both the autopilot commands and screw actions and
the quantity of aviation fuel was enough for successful completion
of the flight.
According to IAC, the crash happened May 3 at 2:13 AM by Moscow time.
The investigation was carried out in compliance with the rules of
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Interstate
Agreement, signed between the 12 states, including Armenia and
Russia. During investigation, all the documents concerning the
airplane, the screw and the airplane-maintaining services, underwent
study. The Commission has also prepared recommendations for prevention
of such air-crashes in future, it is noted in the conclusion.
TENNIS MEN NATIONAL TEAM OF ARMENIA TO PERFORM IN THE 4RTH GROUP IN 2007
SARAYEVO, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The tennis players of Armenia descended
from the 3rd group of the Davis cup tournament to the 4th group. The
national team of Armenia performed unsuccessfully in the 3rd group
tournament held on July 17-23 in the city of Sarayevo, Bosnia and
Herzegovina. The national teams of Estonia and Monaco were recognized
the best among the 8 participant teams. They gained the right to
play in the higher, second group tournament in 2007.
State Department misled Senate on Turkish communications about Ambassador Evans
ArmRadio.am
25.07.2006 15:24
In yet another troubling development concerning the controversial
nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve as US Ambassador to Armenia,
Department of Justice records have revealed that the State Department
has misled the US Senate regarding its communications with the Turkish
government concerning the February 2005 public affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide by US Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In a letter, dated June 28, 2005 written on behalf of Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice to Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the
Ranking Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
the State Department denied that the Turkish government had even
approached the Administration on this issue. However, official
Foreign Agent Registration filings by the Turkish government’s
registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that, in
the days following Ambassador Evans’ February 19, 2005 remarks, one
of Turkey’s agents communicated on at least four different occasions
with State Department officials concerning the envoy’s statement and
his subsequent retraction.
Consistent with the pattern of unresponsiveness that has come to
characterize the Administration’s actions on the Hoagland nomination,
the only answer the State Department chose to provide in response
to Senator Biden’s four questions was a misleading one. His other
inquiries – including an official request for an explanation of why
Ambassador Evans was being replaced prematurely – remain unanswered.
On June 23rd, as part of Ambassador Richard Hoagland’s confirmation
process to replace Amb. Evans in Yerevan, Senator Biden wrote a letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a series of questions
including the following: "Has the State Department received any
communication – written, electronic, or spoken – from the Turkish
Government concerning Ambassador Evans?"
Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Jeffrey T. Bergner
responded on behalf of Secretary Rice with the following assertion:
"Please be assured that allegations that the U.S. is removing
Ambassador Evans under pressure from the Government of Turkey
are simply untrue. The Government of Turkey has not approached
the Administration on this issue, and the United States and Turkey
engaged in no diplomatic exchanges related to this matter." However,
Justice Department filings by the Livingston Group reveal that a day
after Amb. Evans’ statements on the Armenian Genocide were publicized
in an ANCA-San Francisco press release dated February 24, 2005, a
Turkish agent communicated with the State Department concerning his
statements. On February 28, 2005, one business day after the agent’s
first phone call, Ambassador Evans issued his first public retraction –
noting that his mention of the Armenian Genocide was made in a private
capacity. Later that same day, the Livingston Group reported three
additional calls between one of Turkey’s agents and State Department
officials including the Deputy Chief of Mission-designate at the
US Embassy in Ankara to discuss Ambassador Evans’ retraction. The
very next day on March 1, 2005, Ambassador Evans issued a public
correction of his retraction – removing entirely any mention of the
Armenian Genocide.
In addition to the Justice Department filings, several Turkish
press accounts reported that officials of the Government of Turkey
communicated their concerns to the State Department regarding
statements made by Ambassador Evans.
Format of negotiations on peaceful solution of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict not to be changed – Special EU Envoy
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 24, 2006
Author: A.Mammadov
The format of negotiations on the peaceful solution of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will not be changed – it will remain as OSCE Minsk Group,
Peter Semneby, the special envoy of European Union for South Caucasian
countries, told on July 24 at a joint press-conference with the
Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanyan.
"The possibility of changing the format isn’t discussed. OSCE Minsk
Group remains responsible for the talks," told special envoy.
The Minsk Group has been functioning since 1992, Trend reports with
reference to ARKA. Its goal is to provide assistance to the settlement
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. At the moment, the chairman-countries
of OSCE Minsk Group are Russia, France and USA.
Semneby arrived in Armenia on July 23. The visit will be completed
on July 25.
Peter Semneby was appointed to the position of special envoy of
European Union for South Caucasian countries on March 1, 2006.
KLO protests against conduct of forum in Khankandi
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 24, 2006
Armenia is going to stage ‘Forum of Armenian Youth’ in the occupied
Khankandi city of Azerbaijan on 26 July, the Karabakh Liberation
Organization (KLO) told Trend.
KLO spread statement on next unconstructive step by Armenians. "It
is nothing else than a show for propaganda of the regime of Armenian
separatists. Armenian for the next
time demonstrated the disrespect towards the international law,
resolutions and decision taken by influential international
organizations. We warn the governments of countries which offer
facilities for citizens of Armenian origin to the event that their
position justifies the occupation of Azerbaijani territory by Armenians
and demonstrates disrespect towards sovereign rights and territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan," the protest letter underlines.
They also note that the Azerbaijani authorities should take decisive
measures to prevent the Armenians’ insidious plans. The international
organizations ought to offer facilities for conduct of such measures
in the Armenian-occupied Azerbaijani territory. KLO also states it
will include in the agenda a question on cessation of activities of
embassies of countries, which were represented in the event organized
by Armenians in Khankandi.
The Exhibition of Armenian Diaspora National Culture "Ararat" Opened in Vladivostok
Vladivostok Times, Russia
July 23 2006
Those who wish will be taught to cook national dishes
VLADIVOSTOK, PrimaMedia. An exhibition of Armenian diaspora national
culture "Ararat" opened in the Sukhanovs house museum in Vladivostok
on July 19.
As reported to PrimaMedia by the Primorsky Territory Administration,
the exhibition is held in the framework of the National Cultures
Festival.
The Department of Social Development and Mass Media of the Territory
Administration, Armenian diaspora of Primorye, the Sukhanovs house
museum, Primorye Peoples’ Assembly are among the organizers of
the event.
National costumes, arts and crafts, household things are presented
at the exhibition of Armenian culture. During the exhibition the
master-classes on traditional national cuisine of Armenians will
be given.
The exhibition is open till August 2.
NKR NATIONAL STATISTICS SERVICE PRESS RELEASE
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
19 July 2006
Harvest of grain crops continues. Already 42,758 ha was harvested
as on July 17, which is about 76.6 percent of total land under crop,
about 55,814 ha. 53.68 thousand tonnes of grain was threshed, yield
per hectare totaled 12.6 metric centners, including in Askeran 9683
ha, 1197 thousand tonnes, 12.4 metric centners, in Hadrut 7200 ha,
9.07 thousand tonnes, 12.6 metric centners, in Martakert 7060 ha,
10.89 thousand tonnes, 15.4 metric centners, in Martuni 11,564 ha,
16.05 thousand tonnes, 13.9 metric centners, in Shushi 830 ha, 356.9
tonnes, 4.3 metric centners, and in Kashatagh 6421 ha, 5.33 thousand
tonnes, 8.3 metric centners. The yield of grain crops declined by 8.5
percent or 1.1 metric centner compared with 13.7 metric centners as
on July 18, 2005.
AA. 19-07-2006