Author: Emil Lazarian

RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE INITIATED CRIMINAL CASE ON A-320 CRASH
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The RA Prosecutor General’s Office has initiated
a criminal case on the A-320 Armavia-owned plane crash exercising
Yerevan-Sochi flight, Spokesman of the RA Prosecutor General’s
Office Gurgen Hambaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net. He said preliminarily
the criminal case was initiated in compliance of Article 241 of the
Armenian Penal Code (violation of security rules and operation of
railway, air and water vessels).

ARKADY GHUKASIAN CONVEYED CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES OF A-320 PASSENGERS
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 20:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR President Arkady Ghukasian conveyed condolences
to the relatives of the passengers and crewmembers of A-320 plane that
crashed into the Black Sea near Sochi. “I convey my deepest condolences
to the relatives of the killed passengers and crewmembers. In this
mournful hour I wish them firmness and patience,” the NKR President’s
message says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN US’S ‘KEY ALLY’ AND ‘PRECIOUS PARTNER’
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
03/05/2006
The April 28 meeting between president Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
and his US counterpart George W. Bush almost got no coverage in Azeri
and Turkish press. The reason must be lack of information. As to the
Turkish Public TV, it considers the White Home reception of Aliyev
a step to keep Azerbaijan back from Russia.
This view of the Turkish TV was indirectly confirmed by the White
House spokesperson Scott Mcclellan dubbing Azerbaijan “key ally” and
“precious partner” of the USA in a strategically important region.
One may assume that Azerbaijan – US’s precious partner and key ally
– should desist from getting closer to Russia and should not try to
counterbalance US influence with the Russian one and should in the
meantime back Washington in the Iranian issue.
Meanwhile, Aliyev declared in Washington that Azerbaijan will not
take part in possible assault on its southern neighbor.
The presumption that president Aliyev could be successful in offering
support in the Iran standoff against US support in Nagorno Karabakh
issue did not come true. Both presidents did not mention the Karabakh
issue at the meeting with journalists. Ilham Aliyev only familiarized
president Bush with Azerbaijan’s stance on the dispute. It’s hard to
say what was president Bush’s response to this, but Baku’s position
should not be something new for Bush.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NA SPEAKER CONDOLES
A1+
[12:26 pm] 03 May, 2006
RA AN Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan has sent a condoling message to
the families and relatives of the crew and passengers of the plane
which crashed the previous night.
“I’m shocked by the grievous news about the crash of the Armenian
plane flying from Yerevan to Adler.
On behalf of the National Assembly I condole with the families and
relatives of the crew and passengers of the plane. I am convinced
that we will do everything possible to reveal the reason of the crash.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

COMMSSION ESTABLISHED TO ARRANGE FUNERALS OF THE PASSENGERS OF THE CRASHED PLANE
ArmRadio.am
03.05.2006 12:23
According to RA president Robert Kocharyan’s instruction, a commission
headed by RA Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik Abrahamyan
has been established to arrange funerals of the dead passengers and
provide necessary assistance to their families.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MAY 5-6 DECLARED DAYS OF MOURNING IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
ArmRadio.am
03.05.2006 16:25
Today NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan signed a decree, according to
which May 5-6 have been declared days of mourning for those who died
as a result of the air crash on May 3, 2006.
NKR President’s Press Office informs that Heads of Ministries,
Agencies, Regional Administrations, the Mayor of Stepanakert, NKR
Representations in foreign countries have been instructed to bend the
state flag of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on these days of sorrow.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS GAREGIN II MOURNS WITH THE WHOLE NATION
ArmRadio.am
03.05.2006 15:51
The Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II expressed his condolences
to families and friends of the passengers of the plane that crashed
on its way to Sochi.
“With deep sorrow we learned about the crash of the plane and about the
numerous victims. We mourn this great and sudden loss together with the
relatives of the victims of the disaster and with the whole nation. We
express condolences to all relatives and friends of the dead. We pray
the God to accept the souls of the dead and confer peace to them.
We ask the God to give patience and consolation to the families of
the victims.
Prayer and heavenly blessing to the memory of the disaster victims,”
the message says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNITED STATES IS NOT LIKELY TO BUILD NEW NUCLEAR PLANT IN ARMENIA
Lragir.am
03 May 06
The head of the American party of the U.S.-Armenia Task Force on
Economic Cooperation Tom Adams stated this May 2 in Yerevan. The energy
security of Armenia and the question of closing the nuclear power plant
were discussed in the meeting in Yerevan. The minister of finance
and economy of Armenia Vardan Khachatryan said the Armenian party
presented our approach towards closing the nuclear plant of Armenia.
“The deputy minister of energy stated clearly that one of the
preferable options in our strategy is to launch the second nuclear
plant on the day when this generating unit closes down, and the
government is trying to raise funds for its construction,” says Vardan
Khachatryan. Official Yerevan says if the 44 megawatt generating unit
of the nuclear plant is closed down, a new 1000 megawatt generating
unit should be constructed.
“There was a broad discussion, and the American party made a very
correct observation, that closing the plant also requires funds,
and these funds should be raised beforehand because it is a big sum,
and we need to raise them first,” says Vardan Khachatryan, adding
that it is at the same time a small and a big problem. The head of
the U.S.-American delegation Tom Adams says closing down a nuclear
plant is an important question for the government of Armenia, as it
is essentially related to people. Tom Adams reminded the disaster in
Chernobyl. Armenia has to make an important decision in the upcoming
several years, and there are questions of safety and security, which
concern both Armenia and its neighbors, as well as huge economic and
macroeconomic consequences, says Tom Adams.
He stated that the standpoint of the United States on this issue
is the same; the United States will aid Armenia with research to
enable Armenia to make the right decision. However, Tom Adams says,
much more data is needed to make a final decision. U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Evans confirms this standpoint. According to him,
it is necessary to think on the future choice of energy capacity.
Ambassador Evans says today we must make a choice for tomorrow. John
Evans also urges to conduct a research to express an opinion on the
future of atomic energy in Armenia. The Americans, nevertheless,
do not endorse a new nuclear plant, and Tom Adams stated this. The
head of the American delegation to the U.S.-American Task Force on
Economic Cooperation stated that the United States believes there is
a better alternative to a second nuclear plant in Armenia. Tom Adams
says considering that Armenia is in a seismic zone it would be wiser
to find an alternative to a second nuclear plant. According to him,
the United States does not endorse the construction of a second nuclear
plant in Armenia, and no American company would build a second nuclear
plant in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THERE IS NOT AN OFFICIAL VERSION OF THE CRASH OF A-320
Lragir.am
03 May 06
Sources, standing close to aviation, say the A-320 plane of Armavia,
which crashed near the Russian city of Adler, could have some
technical problems.
These aircrafts are automatic, the plane can land without a pilot.
However, the airport must have modern equipment. The airport of Sochi
did not have such equipment. According to our source, the dispatcher
informed our pilots that the weather was bad. In such cases the
commander of the plane decides whether to land or not. The pilots
decided to return to Yerevan, but some time later the same dispatcher
informed that the weather was improving, and the landing was possible.
On the other hand, several months ago the same plane had problems in
Paris. The airlines announced that the plane had problems, and the
flight was delayed for several hours. Problems occurred with the same
plane in Amsterdam, and Armavia had to send another plane for the
passengers, and this plane returned to Armenia empty. The aircraft
was inherited from Siberia Airlines. The entrance of these planes
to Europe is allowed on one condition: they must undergo a complete
technical examination once a month. And such technical examination
is done in Europe only.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARF SUPREME BODY OF ARMENIA ISSUES CONDOLENCES OVER PLANE CRASH
Yerkir
03.05.2006 15:03
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Body of
Armenia offered its condolences to the family and relatives of the
victims killed in the crash of the Armenian airliner on Wednesday.
The message reads: “It was with a great pain that we learned of the
crash of the airliner flying from Yerevan to Sochi. We offer our
condolences to the family, relatives and friends of the victims.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress