Author: Dabaghian Diana

A1+
WHAT IS THE ILLNESS OF THE BIRD
02:23 pm 23 March, 2006
The inhabitants found a weak water bird incapable of flying on the
coast of Lake Sevan adjacent to the city Martuny between 4-4:30
p.m. on March 22. Being concerned with the menacing birds’ flu they
informed the State Veterinary Inspector of Martuny Koryun Barseghyan
about the incident. On learning the news the latter contacted the
Veterinary Department of Gegharkunik Marz and hurried to the
scene. The experts’ observations revealed that the ill `grey bird’ had
no symptoms of any virus, be it the birds’ flu or anything
else. Anyway, the bird was wrapped up safely and sent to the
Veterinary Diagnostic Centre of the republic.
The experts lay the stress on the measures taken for the prevention of
the birds’ flu and assure once more that so far they haven’t come
across cases of the birds’ flu either in Gegharkunik Marz or in the
whole country. The final answer from the Diagnostic centre of the
Republic will be received on March 23 after the noon though in the
experts’ opinion there is no need for the panic at all.
`Zangak’ TV channel of Martuny

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
March 23 2006
Russian culture worker claims destruction of ancient graves

Baku, March 22, AssA-Irada
A Russian culture worker has condemned the alleged destruction of
ancient graves in Azerbaijan’s exclave of Nakhchivan.
`The destruction of Armenian tombstone crosses in the town of Julfa
[Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic] could be described only as a crime,’
said Mikhail Piotrovski, whose wife is of Armenian descent.
Piotrovski heads the Hermitage, one of the largest museums in the
world.
`The destruction of historic monuments for political reasons should
be denounced by everyone. UNESCO and other international
organizations should investigate these undesirable developments and
prosecute the culprits,’ he maintained.
The Azeri ambassador to Russia Polad Bulbuloghlu voiced his
astonishment at the statement, saying it was a result of Armenian
propaganda.
`We should take counter steps. The embassy will scrutinize the matter
and take relevant measures,’ he said.
The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry exercised restraint in responding to
Piotrovski’s utterances. Its spokesman Tahir Tagizada said he would
not comment on statements by a separate individual.*

PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK ON ARMENIAN PAINTINGS TO BE HELD IN CYPRUS
ArmRadio
22.03.2006 11:50
After completing a successful trip of seven cities in the US and
Canada last year, organised by the Tekeyan Cultural Association, art
historian Mayda Saris, art director of the bilingual Armenian-Turkish
language weekly AGOS newspaper of Turkey, has been invited to Cyprus
by the Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association Cyprus Oshagan
Chapter, to promote her latest art book, Armenian Paintings: From the
beginning to the Present. The book presentation and lecture will take
place on Friday, 24th Marchat the Utudjian Hall, Nicosia.
The groundbreaking 262 page book with more than 400 illustrations
explores Armenian art from ancient to modern times. The author gives
a comprehensive overview of the origin of the Armenian people, their
folklore, lifestyle, culture, art and faith, which has been a source
of inspiration for the Armenian artists and architects throughout
centuries.

CHESS ENCYCLOPEDIA PUBLISHED FOR FIRST TIME IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. “The Chess Encyclopedia” was published
for the first time in Armenia by the publishing house Areg. It consists
of 6 parts and includes more than 500 word entries, about 300 chess
games, 44 chess openings and 150 photographs.
While following the principle of “dry” information typical of all
encyclopedias, the authors Samvel Gasparian, Gagik Hakobian and
Roland Sharoyan at the same time made an attempt to present the facts
and phenomena in a “non-encyclopedic language”. The two chapters –
“The Lives of 13 Chess Kings and 10 Chess Queens” and “The Armenian
Inhabitants of the Chess World” are especially notable.
Co-author Gagik Hakobian noted at the presentation on March 15
that it is imposible to cover the entire history of chess in one
encyclopedia. That is why it is envisaged to refresh the encyclopedia
every three or four years. “The Armenians are fond of playing chess,
and since the 1950s the Armenian chess players have been in leading
positions. One should not forget that Tigran Petrosian was the 9th
World Champion, and let’s hope that Levon Aronian will win the World
Champion title next year.”
The encyclopedia presentation was attended by the RA Minister of
Defence, Chairman of the Chess Federation of Armenia Serge Sargsian
and some other high-ranking officials.

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Saturday, April 8, 2006
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Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
March 17, 2006 Friday
PEACE IS FORCED ON BAKU AND YEREVAN
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, March 15, 2006, p. 4
Washington needs a bridgehead of stability in the southern part of
the Caucasus to deal with Iran
by Sokhbet Magomedov
AMERICA’S INSISTENCE ON A SETTLEMENT OF THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT
IN 2006 HAS AN EXPLANATION; Washington insists on a solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem this year already.
The visit of US Undersecretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Daniel
Freed and Stephen Mann, American chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group for
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, to Baku ended yesterday. The
Americans met with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov and
were granted an audience with President Ilham Aliyev. Nothing is
reported on what transpired at the meetings and talks. Mann only said
that the sides discussed continuation of talks over the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.
The guests left Azerbaijan for Baku. They also intend to visit
Armenia. The American diplomats’ visits to Baku and Yerevan take
place when the Karabakh talks are in a cul-de-sac and when presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan threaten to resume the hostilities.
The cease-fire regime is broken practically every day, both
servicemen and noncombatants die and that does not make the whole
mess any easier to sort out. Needless to say, this state of affairs
worries OSCE intermediaries who spare neither time nor effort to keep
Baku and Yerevan from escalation of the hostilities.
Commenting on the highly volatile situation, US Ambassador in
Azerbaijan Rino Harnisch told journalists that “deaths occurring on
the front line show that the conflict is anything but over.” The
American diplomat said quite emphatically that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict “should be settled by negotiations only.” Wishing that the
recent meeting between presidents Aliyev and Robert Kocharjan in
France had been more productive, Harnisch emphasized the necessity of
regular negotiations between the leaders of the two states and
activization of intermediaries.
The American diplomat’s categorical tone matched the statement made
by intermediaries in the wake of the March 7-8 meeting in Washington.
Most Azerbaijani analysts believe that the insistence of world powers
and first and foremost the United States on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement in 2006 exactly, has an ulterior motive. Political
scientist Anar Safikhanov is convinced that “the matter concerns the
mounting tension over the Iranian nuclear program.” “It is this
factor precisely that is making international intermediaries and
first and foremost the United States frantic. Now that things are
rapidly progressing to isolation of the “obstinate” Iran, the United
States needs peace and stability in the southern part of the
Caucasus. The Americans view the republics here and particularly
Azerbaijan as a bridgehead – either for isolation of Tehran or for
actual military strikes at this country,” Safikhanov said.
Effectiveness of Freed’s and Mann’s mission will depend on what
Washington intends to offer to Yerevan and Baku. The Americans will
be discussing the same matter with the Armenian leadership later this
week.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN: IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT WRITING LETTER TO COUNTRY
PRESIDENT IS VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTION
YEREVAN, MACRH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The human rights violation in Armenia
is of a regulated character. RA first Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian
expressed such an opinion at the March 16 discussion organized
by the civil national initiative. According to her, particularly,
the process of violating the property rights of the Buzand street
inhabitants was implemented in conditions of different levels of
cooperation of the authorities.
According to L.Alaverdian, sale of a property may be implemented only
in the case when a profit for the society exists. But in this case,
one may speak about sale with corresponding compensation, but not
about an obliged buy and sale, when owners haven’t even the right to
have their property estimated by an independent agent.
In the given case, people were obliged to sign an agreement on sale
from the money got of which they had to pay taxes, when no taxes are
paid from the money got in the case of compensation.
The former Ombudsperson mentioned that when making an attempt to
draw the country administration’s attention to all these, she wrote
a letter to the RA President, persuading the latters to address to
the Constitutional Court on that issue, a response was got in which
she was accused of violating point 5 of the Constitution with the
explanation that she carried out actions which aren’t arisen of the
Ombudsperson’s commissions. “It became clear that writing a letter
to the President of the republic is a violation of the Constitution,”
Larisa Alaverdian mentioned.
While, according to her, it’s spoken only about the money problem:
people demanded such a size of money which will allow to buy flats
instead of the ones taken from them. According to L.Alaverdian,
in the case of fulfilling those demands, those people or groups of
people the interests of who were classified higher than the interests
of inhabitants at all levels of the authorities, will have no great
losses.
Touching upon the problem of violating the right of judicial
protection, Larisa Alaverdian mentioned that this issue is spoken
about so much that the Ombudsperson’s speech seems to be late. But
according to her, one must give the alarm not about dependence of
judges but about absence of a just legal action. According to her,
for complaints against an unjust decision made by a judge, it isn’t
much important who appoints that judge.

DANIEL FRIED INDICATES U.S. WOULD NOT OBJECT TO CONSTRUCTION OF NEW NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN ARMENIA
Armenpress
Mar 16 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 16, ARMENPRESS: US assistant secretary of state,
Daniel Fried indicated during d a news conference in Yerevan today
before wrapping up a brief visit here that the U.S. would not object
to the Armenian government’s ambitious plans to build a new nuclear
power station in place of the Metsamor plant, which is due to be
decommissioned by 2016.
Fried said after recent explosions on the gas pipeline shipping
Russian gas to the South Caucasus the USA and Europe have been paying
a greater attention to the energy security of the region and its
energy diversification to cut its heavy dependence on Russian fuel
supplies. He said Armenia’s desire to built a new nuclear power plant
will be discussed in Washington. According to Armenian energy experts,
construction of a new plant would require at least $1 billion.
Fried also responded to a question about whether U.S. position on
recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide has changed by saying that
president Bush describes these events in all his April 24 statements
as ‘horrible events and a tragedy.” He then denied media allegations
that US ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, would be recalled soon,
allegedly for acknowledging publicly last year that 1915 massacres
of Armenians in the Ottoman empire was genocide.
“Ambassador Evans enjoys the confidence of the State Department
and will continue to serve as US ambassador to Armenia,” he
said.. Ambassador Evans who was also present at the news conference
reiterated what he had said before, “I serve to the pleasure of US
president.” Steven Mann, the US cochairman of the OSCE Minsk group,
accompanying Fried, said Armenia and Azerbaijan were ready to move
forward to end their dispute over Karabakh and the USA was ready to
assist the process. He said the visits to Baku and Armenia were to
learn what should be done next to go on with the talks.
Daniel Fried, accompanied by Senior Advisor for Eurasia Steven Mann,
will depart for Ankara, Turkey on March 16. In Armenia, Assistant
Secretary Fried held meetings with President Robert Kocharian,
Minister of Defense Serzh Sarkisian, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Vartan Oskanian, and political leaders from the full spectrum of
local political parties. A number of issues were discussed during the
meetings, including the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations, democracy,
and Nagorno-Karabakh.
This trip was Ambassador Fried’s second visit to Armenia since his
appointment as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs in May 2005.

“ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE” ALL-ARMENIAN SECOND FESTIVAL TO BE HELD ON JUNE 23-30
Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The “One Nation, One Culture”
all-Armenian second festival will be held in Armenia and Arstakh
on July 23-30 for the purpose of sterngthening and deepening the
Armenia-Diaspora cultural ties. More than 1500 artists from different
communities of Armenia, Artskakh and Diaspora will participate in
the festival. 100 mln drams (about 222 thousand U.S. dollars) were
allocated from the state budget.
As Tamar Poghsosian, the Executive Director of the “One Nation,
One Culture” fund mentioned in the interview with the Noyan Tapan
correspondent, the group regulating the festival works has already
sent official invitations to all the all-Armenian structures, and
conditions of participation in the festival were officially made
public with the help of embassies.
The “One Nation, One Culture” first festival became a national fete
and a new impulse of spiritual uniting of all the Armenians. The
festival gives possibility to present our national culture with joint
efforts and to unite round the idea of one nation, one culture, one
Fatherland,” T.Poghosian mentioned. The Executive Director of the
fund also mentioned that faults existed during the previous festival
were taken into account, and they will attempt to hold it this time
more organized.
The solemn opening ceremony of the festival took place on June 23 at
the Karen Demirchian Sports and Concert Complex. Numerous concerts,
exhibitions, theatrical performances will be organized within the
framework of the festival both in Yerevan and in RA marzes and Artsakh.
The RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Issues and the “One Nation, One
Culture” fund are the festival organizers, as well as the Armenian
General Benevolent Union and National Armenian Educational and Cultural
Union assist it.

OSKANIAN: ARMENIA WILL NOT GIVE TERRITORIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2006 21:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The historical and legal factors are important in
conflict settlement. However, latest developments, as well as current
situation are also important, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated when
answering questions of Azg Daily readers. In his words, taking it
all into account, Azerbaijan not willing to put up with the reality
is a major obstacle in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. Besides,
it does not even wish to compromise, take a risk for attaining a
political solution.
Answering a question from Baku, that asked “Which of the regions
the Republic of Armenia is ready to return immediately in response
to Azerbaijan giving up the solution of the conflict by force?”,
Oskanian said, “Firstly, your question formula is incorrect. Armenia
will not give the territories either under the treat of war, or in
case of refusal from war. Armenia is ready to discuss issues relating
to territories and refugees only in case Azerbaijan recognize Karabakh
people’s right to self-determination.”
As of “whether the Armenian Government is going to pay compensations to
200 thousand refugees from the Republic of Armenia,” the Armenian FM
stated, Armenia is ready to discuss the issue within Azeri Government
providing compensation to 350-400 thousand Armenian refugees from
Azerbaijan.