Author: Hambardsumian Paul

THE OPERATION OF LIFTING THE BLACK BOXES OF THE CRASHED A-320 TO START ON MAY 16
ArmRadio.am
15.05.2006 11:45
The operation of lifting the black boxes of the crashed A-320 will
start on May 16, RF Minister of Transport Igor Levitin said.
In his words, the equipments will be brought from Novorosiysk, RIA
“Novosti” informs. According to the Minister, the operation may last
for 2-3 days.
“The rest will depend on weather,” the Minister added.
According to latest data, the recorders lay 496 meters deep in the
water; the visibility allows to carry out the woks. The distance
between the black boxes makes about five meters.

Panorama.am
13:58 13/05/06

CLEANER BURNS HERSELF IN UNDERGROUND STATION
An emergency case is reported at Garegin Njdeh station of Yerevan
underground today at 7 a.m.. One of metro employees has burned herself
at the station. The ambulance services say that they have received a
call at 7.30 a.m. According to the same source, one of G. Njdeh
station cleaners, 65 year old Emma S., has used fuel to burn
herself. The woman is in very serious conditions now with 3rd level
burns. The fire was put down by people nearby. A criminal case is
initiated on the incident. /Panorama.am/

NDU OPPOSITION PARTY LEADER BELIEVES WITHDRAWAL OF “ORINATS YERKIR”
FROM RULING COALITION APPROPRIATE
Yerevan, May 12. ArmInfo. The withdrawal of “OY” party from the ruling
political coalition of Armenia was appropriate and expected, Leader of
the National Democratic Union included in the “Justice” opposition
bloc, MP Vazgen Manukyan says in an interview with ArmInfo.
To recap Thursday “Orinats Yerkir” Party Board resolved to withdraw
from the country’s ruling political coalition. In addition, the “OY”
Board adopted a decision on resignation of “OY” Leader, Parliamentary
Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan from his post. Arthur Baghdasaryan intends
to made public the party’s decision today at 2:00 PM. Sources close to
the party report that approximately an hour before the party meeting
yesterday, A. Baghdasaryan met with President Robert Kocharyan and
then convened immediate meeting of the party Board.
Vazgen Manukyan sees nothing surprising in the withdrawal of the party
as it was repeatedly stating about its inability to control over the
situation in the country and was coming against the course taken by
the coalition.
“However, the party has been shaken and split, which was unnatural,”
V. Manukyan says. Withdrawing from the coalition, the party will
automatically become an opposition, but if it will join the opposition
or will act independently will become known over time, he believes. As
regards the probable nominees to the post of the speaker, V. Manukyan
says: “We shall not participate in these games.
There are no elections in Armenia. There is no parliament. There is
only a Plenum of the Central Committee that resolves who will take the
post of the speaker.”

New Anatolian, Turkey
May 12 2006
Voltaire in tears
Yavuz Baydar
[email protected] May 2006

If alive today, the great French thinker, known for his unconditioned
defense of dissenting opinion no matter what it is, would feel
absolutely shattered. By the way his countrymen, with a great historic
achievement in deep values of freedom for humankind, are unable to
raise their voice against yet another `European’ folly…
New bill, criminalizing denial of `Armenian Genocide’ with prison
sentence, to be debated in French parliament next week, is certainly a
cloud of shame over that country. I am, not as a Turk, but as a
journalist, deeply concerned for the mindset that has created it, and
for consequences, if passed.
It was also with the same shared anxiety, a group of Turkish
intellectuals printed an appeal to French politicians and opinion
makers in Liberation.
They said, in brief, the following:
“We, the Turkish citizens, feel all the burden of the inhuman disaster
faced by the Ottoman Armenians during the last days of Ottoman
Empire. The agony of Armenians is our agony. The 1915 disaster cannot
be denied by anyone who claims to be human. Looking for the reasons
and aims behind such a tragedy is nonsense…’
“But the democratic process is on in Turkey, as was seen during the
Istanbul conference held last Sept. 23-24. This process will chip away
at the darkness confronting the public on that issue. Even though the
people who struggle for this are branded traitors, we know that these
are the stages of a democratic process, so we will keep on struggling
through the issue.’
“But we have serious concerns about the French Parliament’s possible
approval of the Armenian bill. Whatever its aim, such an initiative
would destroy joint efforts to investigate the facts. Such an
initiative would curb free discussion in France and would also create
a negative impact in Turkey.’
“Such polarization would encourage monologues, as France should very
well know. In fact, we need dialogue more than such a vicious
argument. Freedom of expression is a universal principle, just like
the struggle for the crimes against humanity. Defending one does not
mean neglecting the other.
“But today it’s a shame that both sides are unable to communicate
their understanding to one another. Such a deadlock carries the risk
of further, more serious conflicts.
“The pioneers of such initiatives in France or in other places should
take into consideration those circles who are trying to avoid free
argument about the 1915 incidents..’
It is apparent there is something deeply wrong in Europe, in general,
as the attempts to limit the free speech increase. Take the case of
David Irving, or Ernst Zündel, holocaust deniers. The more they are
subjected to trials or prison, the more popular they become.
Richard Bernstein wrote an article in IHT about the growing anti free
speech trends in Europe and expressed his concern about it.
He wrote: `During the uproar over the Prophet Muhammad cartoons,
Muslims attacked the Holocaust denial laws in several European
countries as rank hypocrisy because those same countries permitted
insults to Muslims, and, as the American legal scholar Ronald Dworkin
observed recently in The New York Review of Books, they had a point.
But, Dworkin continued, the response should not be to broaden the
coverage of the laws against insult to religion but to strike them
down. Free speech, he argues, is an indispensable requirement of a
democratic society, not something that can be bargained away to
mollify this or that offended group. And so, as an American in Europe
and a Jew mightily offended by Holocaust denial, I nonetheless come
down on the side of free speech rather than on the prohibition of
offensive speech. One of the cultural differences between America and
Europe in this regard is that in America this issue is debated. In
Europe it is not.’
So true. Perceived arrogance of some Europeans in these matters have
strong elements of double standards, of hyprocricy.
Take Setif, a French case. As the subject stil haunts many French, as
a dark point in their recent history, with some 60.000 civilian
Algeriennes massacred by the French forces, France still rejects the
attempts to deal with the issue properly, by not acknowledging that
it was a crime of humanity.
Given the broad definition of genocide in 1948, it may even be called
an `act of genocide’. By saying `let us leave it to historians’, it
is rather easy to conclude that the world will have hard time to
praise the French political class for championship in righteousness,
will it not?
Pushing denialists in any issue into corner, into marginality may be
a noble task, but, after all, it all comes down to free speech and
its limits. Civilised societies, such as UK, Canada, USA deal even
the most loathable, most nonsensical expressions with tolerance. You
do not put those who say things that may offend some of us, however
deeply the offense may be, to prison. If you do, you have nothing to
say against others who do.
Truly disturbed by what the French bill represents, one certainly
hopes, as Richard Bernstein does, that Europe really comes to its
senses about protecting free speech with no ifs and buts. This bill,
if it becomes law, will definitely pollute, even disrupt (what if
Turkey criminalises, as a retaliation, acceptance of the 1915 events
as genocide?) all civil attempts to reach an understanding and
reconciliation between Armenians and Turks. It will, at the best,
delay them.
I call -and expect – all French colleagues to say no this folly.
What is happening, for the moment, is an insult, an attack to a
fundamental human right, a right constituted by Voltaire and his
countrymen.

BLACK BOXES IN BLACK SEA AIR CRASH LOCATED, OFFICIAL SAYS
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 11 2006
SOCHI, May 11 (RIA Novosti) – The flight recorders of an Airbus that
crashed into the Black Sea last week killing 113 people have been
located to within 5 meters, a rescue operation official said Thursday.
“The location of the black boxes has been established with an accuracy
of 5 meters,” he said.
The official said two measurements had been made using a French
high-precision direction-finding system and confirmed by the Russian
deep-sea Kalmar vessel. He said another Kalmar submersion was scheduled
for Friday.
Russia’s health minister said earlier Thursday the government would
pay 100,000 rubles ($3,700) to families of people killed in the crash.
On May 4, the head of Armavia said all passengers had been insured and
their families would receive $20,000 each, and the Armenian government
promised compensation worth $3,400.
The Airbus, owned by Armenia’s Armavia airline, crashed in stormy
weather near the Russian resort of Sochi on May 3.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
MAY 5-11, 2006
HIGHLIGHTS:
TIGRANUHI TYUTYUNJYAN PASSED AWAY
“PRESS-CLUB+”: COMMUNIST PARTY DISCUSSING THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF
ARMENIA AND COOPERATION WITH CIS COUNTRIES
“FOURTH ESTATE” AND “THIRD SECTOR” CONSIDERED POSSIBILITIES OF JOINT
INITIATIVES
GOVERNMENT ALLOCATED PREMISES TO “A1+”
“YERKIR-MEDIA” NEWS ON MEDIASCRAPE
NEW PRESS-SECRETARY OF FOREIGN MINISTRY APPOINTED
PRESS WON THE DIALOGUE ON THE GREEN FIELD
TIGRANUHI TYUTYUNJYAN PASSED AWAY
On May 5 at the age of 55 having suffered through a long disease the Chief
Editor of TV broadcasting of “Mir” Interstate TV and Radio Company Tigranuhi
Tyutyunjyan passed away. She was a wonderful person and a true professional,
who educated numerous generations of journalists. At her rare leisure time
she had a particular hobby – collecting photographs of smiles. Smile never
left her face either. We all call her Tiga…
Yerevan Press Club expresses its condolences to the family and friends of
Tigranuhi Tyutyunjyan.
“PRESS-CLUB+”: COMMUNIST PARTY DISCUSSING THE POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OF
ARMENIA AND COOPERATION WITH CIS COUNTRIES
On May 9 the seventh talk show of “Press Club+” series went on the evening
air of “Yerkir-Media” TV company.
The invitees of the program host, the Chief Editor of “Aravot” daily Aram
Abrahamian were the leaders of Communist Party of Armenia as guests and NGO
and media representatives as experts. The TV discussion focused on the
political organization of Armenia; prospects of cooperation between Armenia
and former USSR republics, involved in CIS.
It is expected that at 21.00, May 16 (next Tuesday) “Press Club+” will give
floor to the representatives of “National Unity” party, sharing their
opinions on the issues of the day.
“FOURTH ESTATE” AND “THIRD SECTOR” CONSIDERED POSSIBILITIES OF JOINT
INITIATIVES
On May 4-5 in Yerevan seminar “Cooperation of Media, Journalistic and Other
NGOs to Develop Freedom of Speech and Press” was held. The event was
organized by Yerevan Press Club under “Strengthening Advocacy Potential and
Networking of Journalistic Associations of Armenia” project, supported by
the Open Society Institute. YPC President Boris Navasardian presented to the
representatives of NGOs and regional media the YPC strategy on networking of
journalistic communities of Yerevan and the regions of the country. The
meeting participants also discussed the possibilities for the improvement of
media legislation, activation of work to protect rights of journalists,
cooperation between regional media and NGOs, development of their potential.
GOVERNMENT ALLOCATED PREMISES TO “A1+”
On May 4 at the session of the RA Government it was decided to allocated
premises to the “A1+” TV company founder, “Meltex” LLC. The press release of
the Department of Information and Public Relations of the RA Government
informs that territory of 221 sq. m in a building in the center of Yerevan
is allocated to “Meltex” LLC “with a right of free use for five years’
term”.
As it has been reported, on July 20, 2005 “A1+” TV company Director Mesrop
Movsesian addressed a written request of assistance to the Prime Minister of
Armenia Andranik Margarian. The request was due to the demand of the RA
National Science Academy to vacate the premises that “A1+” had been renting
from NSA since 1992. “A1+” motivated the refusal to comply with this demand
by the violation of existing financial agreement by the National Academy. In
early 2005 the NSA filed an appropriate suit with the RA Commercial Court.
On April 11, 2005 the suit was secured, and the “A1+” founder challenged the
ruling with the RA Court of Cassation, which left it unchanged on May 26,
2005. On March 16, 2006 NSA made another attempt to evict “A1+”: the
representatives of RA Compulsory Execution Service who visited the editorial
office demanded to vacate the premises until 12.00 March 17 to implement the
court ruling. The intervention of the Prime-Minister prevented the
“expedient” eviction. A little later the Department of the State Property at
the RA Government, as commissioned by the Prime-Minister, offered “A1+” to
use the new premises above (see details in YPC Weekly Newsletter, March
17-23, 2006).
“YERKIR-MEDIA” NEWS ON MEDIASCRAPE
Since May 10 the main news of “Yerkirn Aysor” newscast of “Yerkir-Media” TV
channel can also be viewed on the Internet. This became possible due to the
cooperation of the TV channel with Canadian MediaScrape Internet Broadcast
News Company. According to the Vice-President Tyler Cavell, MediaScrape is
the information global network, uniting companies from around the world,
whose news pieces are translated into English and placed on the site.
“Yerkir-Media” video news with English subtitles is accessible on
NEW PRESS-SECRETARY OF FOREIGN MINISTRY APPOINTED
On May 10 the web-site of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the
replacement of the Press-Secretary of the Ministry. Hamlet Gasparian, who
held the position since September 2003 as well as headed the Department of
Press and Information, was appointed Envoy in the Embassy of Armenia in
France. The duties of the Press-Secretary are temporarily assumed by
Vladimir Karapetian, the Head of the Media Relations Division of the same
Department.
PRESS WON THE DIALOGUE ON THE GREEN FIELD
On May 8 at “Pyunik” stadium in Yerevan a football match between teams of
journalists and public officials of Armenia was held. The game had a slogan
of “Dialogue on the Green Field” and was organized under the project “Role
of Media in the Process of Monitoring Government Programs”, implemented by
the British Council Armenia and UNDP Office in Armenia. Assistance in the
conductance of the match was provided by the Football Federation of Armenia.
The victory in “The Dialogue…” with a score of 4:2 was gained by the team
of journalists. The hat-trick was made by the correspondent of “Zhamanaki
Ughekits” newspaper David Nazarian, and another goal was stricken by the
sports observer of the Public Television of Armenia Edward Kalantarian. In
the team of public officials goals were hit by Mher Badalian (RA Ministry of
Foreign Affairs) and Edward Badoyan (RA National Assembly).
The revenues from the ticket sale will be transferred to the assistance
account to the families of passengers and crew members of Yerevan-Sochi air
plane, who periled on May 3.
When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.
You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]
Subscription for the Newsletter is free. To subscribe or unsubscribe from
this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]
Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
_____________________________________ _______
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
0002, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 10) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 10) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

RA STATE BUDGET SURPLUS MAKES 2 BLN 151.7 MLN DRAMS IN JANUARY-MARCH 2006
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2006, the RA state
budget revenues and official transfers made 82 bln 109.1 mln drams
(about 182.4 mln USD), exceeding the respective index of 2005 by
6%. According to preliminary data of the RA Ministry of Finance and
Economy, in January-March 2006, expenditures of 79 bln 957.4 mln drams
(including expenditures of the Program Implementation Office (PIO)
of the ministry – 85 bln 315.6 mln drams) were made at the expense of
the RA state budget resources. The RA state budget surplus amounted
to 2 bln 151.7 mln drams, its deficit (including PIO resources)
– 3 bln 206.5 mln drams. According to the RA National Statistical
Service, in the first quarter of 2006, the current revenues of the
state budget made 79 bln 114.9 mln drams (a 6.8% increase compared
with January-March of last year), including tax revenues of 70 bln
888.1 mln drams (a 16.2% increase), in which land tax accounted
for the largest increase of 180% (land tax revenues made 6.3 mln
drams). In January-March 2006, the budget expenditures on salary
payment amounted to 7 bln 728.7 mln drams (a 25% increase), interest
rate payment on domestic debt – 1 bln 387.1 mln drams (a 39.8%),
interest rate payment on foreign debt – 1 bln 60.3 mln drams (a 10.1%
decline). The transfer expenditures in the first quarter made 19
bln 498.9 mln drams (a 24.7% increase), including benefits of 6 bln
13.9 mln drams (a 15.1% increase), scholarships of 296.6 mln drams
(a 21.3% increase), compulsory social payments of 705.4 mln drams
(a 27.3%), pensions of 4 bln 94.2 mln drams (a 8.5% increase),
and other transfer expenditures of 8 bln 388.8 mln drams (a 43.8%
increase). In January-March 2006, the budget expeditures on purchase
of goods and services made 37 bln 653.4 mln drams (a 25% increase),
capital expenditures – 6 bln 51.1 mln drams (a 71.3% increase),
and net crediting amounted to 3 bln 365.4 mln drams (a 20.3% increase).

Environment and Energy Publishing, LLC
Greenwire
May 8, 2006 Monday
OIL AND GAS: Bush questions Russia’s willingness to use energy as
political weapon
President Bush questioned Russia’s energy policy today, rebuking
President Vladimir Putin for using oil as a political weapon.
In an interview published today in the German newspaper Bild, Bush
said: “One of our concerns is economic nationalism, to a certain
extent, where [Putin] is using his oil companies to achieve what
appears to be political objectives.” He added: “And we make our
concerns known when someone uses natural gas, for example, to send
signals to government.”
Bush also said there is full agreement between Moscow and Washington
about nuclear non-proliferation. “It is very important that the
United States and Russia work closely to make sure that nuclear
materials are stored as safely as possible,” he said (Agence
France-Presse, May 8). Russia responds to Cheney’s accusations
The comments came after Vice President Dick Cheney last week accused
Russia of betraying democracy by using oil and gas supplies to bully
its neighbors, speaking at a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.
“No legitimate interest is served when oil and gas become tools of
intimidation or blackmail, either by supply manipulation or attempts
to monopolize transportation,” he said.
Cheney said Russia must return to democratic reform soon, rather than
trying to harness its position as an energy giant. Russia drew
worldwide criticism for turning off natural gas supplies to Ukraine
earlier this year (Greenwire, May 4).
Today, Russian officials responded to the criticism, saying it is
time the West came to terms with Russia’s progress as a market
economy.
“We are deeply puzzled by recent commentary in the West that distorts
Russian energy policies,” Russian Energy and Industry Minister Viktor
Khristenko wrote in the Financial Times. “The truth of the matter is
that Russia has moved away from Soviet-era arrangements of subsiding
the energy prices of our neighbors and turned to market-based pricing
mechanisms.”
Khristenko said Russia’s policies on energy and market and democratic
reform were “consistently misinterpreted.”
“We are aware that old impressions fade slowly, but it is time for
the West to recognize and acknowledge the maturing role and state of
progress that Russia has achieved,” he wrote. “At a time when Russia
has embarked on a speedy transition to market principles, we are
accused of politicizing the energy issue” (Agence France-Presse, May
8). Natural gas price hikes spurring efficiencies
While former Soviet republics now pay substantially more for their
natural gas after Russia started raising prices, the jolt is starting
to force fundamental change on some of the most energy-wasteful
economies in the world.
Georgia scrapped plans to build new gas-fired power stations. It is
going to build a hydroelectric plant instead. Armenia also has
ordered a plan targeting gas consumption.
Maxim Burtovy, director of an energy savings company called Energy
Alliance, is trying to put together a project to capture more waste
heat from an electricity-generating station and pump it into the
city’s heating system. He estimates that doing so could cut gas
consumption by 500 million cubic meters per year, worth about $47.5
million at the price Ukraine currently pays for gas from Gazprom, and
twice that on world gas markets (Marc Champion, Wall Street Journal
[subscription required], May 8). — LK

IS AN NKR-ARMENIA JOINT STATEMENT LIKELY?
Lragir.am
09 May 06
The past month in Karabakh was full of meetings with Armenian public
officials. Debates, parliamentary hearings and the meeting of the
parliamentary committee were held. Foreign Minister of Armenia Vardan
Oskanyan gave a surprise, visiting Stepanakert, and delivered a
lecture at Artsakh State University.
On May holidays Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan is visiting
Karabakh. What is the reason of such interest?
Vahram Atanesyan, Chair of the NKR Committee of External Relations,
said there is no need to look for a political context of this
activity. He mentioned that the delegation headed by Tigran Torosyan
arrived in Karabakh for the meeting of the parliamentary committee,
the delegation headed by Armen Rustamyan visited NKR for the
parliamentary hearings. For Oskanyan, he said you had better ask
him. In answer to our question if Karabakh and Armenia disagreeon the
principles of settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the leader of the
Democratic faction Vahram Atanesyan said at the moment Armenia should
not recognize the independence of NKR, and should claim a status of
Karabakh in the talks, which will not be inferior to the present
status. The leader of the parliamentary group ARF-Movement 88 Armen
Sargsyan said his political party claims the dominance of NKR in the
liberated territories, and silence over refugees and peacemakers, for
these would cause the war to ignite.
We possess information that during the NKR-Armenia Parliamentary
Session the two parliaments arranged to make a joint statement on the
settlement of the Karabakh issue. This statement has not been
considered so far. Answering the question of KarabakhOpen.com, NKR
Deputy Speaker Rudik Hyusnunts said, =80=9C During the session of the
Karabakh-Armenia Parliamentary Committee on April 26 and 27 in
Stepanakert a series of important legislative, political and social
questions were discussed, including the present state of debates on
the Karabakh issue in European organizations and parliamentary
relations, and the opportunities of spurring cooperation between the
parliaments of both countries.
During the debates the participants voiced the idea of issuing a joint
statement. However, considering the statement of the parliamentary
hearings involving the parliamentarians of both states on the Karabakh
issue, there was not a final decision on issuing another message.’

Bodies returned home to Armenia after Black Sea plane crash
Agence France Presse — English
May 5, 2006 Friday 2:34 PM GMT
YEREVAN, May 5 2006 — The first bodies of passengers killed when an
Armenian Airbus crashed into the Black Sea were flown back to Yerevan
early Friday, an airline spokesman said.
All 113 passengers and crew on the flight from the Armenian capital
are thought to have died when the Airbus A320 plunged into the sea
early Wednesday as it tried to land at Sochi, southern Russia, in
bad weather.
A total of 53 bodies have so far been fished out of the water and 37
have been identified, including that of an air hostess.
Of these, 26 were returned to the Armenian capital Yerevan early
Friday on board a Russian emergency ministry aircraft, a spokeswoman
for Armenian airline Armavia said.
Relatives of the victims had earlier overwhelmed the authorities in
Sochi when they began the grim task of identifying their loved ones
from photographs taken of the bodies, including that of a child.
Hopes for an orderly process quickly evaporated when relatives rushed
all at once to view the photos posted in a Sochi hotel.
Two people passed out and doctors attempting to comfort relatives
with drinks of water and sedatives ran out of drugs.
“We don’t have any more sedatives and we have the whole night ahead
of us,” said one nurse.
The repatriation of the bodies of victims already identified
was briefly delayed by a shortage of coffins, according to Andrei
Agajanov, a spokesman for the Armenian airline Armavia, which owned
the ill-fated plane.
“I hope that all the other families can recover the bodies. The
important thing is to be able to bury the victims so that there is
a place where you can go to cry,” said Arman Davtian, a 20-year-old
just returned from Sochi where the remains of his brother have been
identified.
For another grieving man, his eyes red through crying and fatigue,
the search for a brother-in-law continues.
“The victims’ bodies are unrecognisable, horribly disfigured. A mother
wouldn’t know her own son,” the young man said.
Russian authorities intend to carry out DNA tests on the corpses which
cannot be otherwise identified, said Russian Transport Minister Igor
Levitin in Sochi.
Some people who arrived at Yerevan airport late Thursday to reclaim
their relatives’ bodies left again in angry mood after being informed
of the delay which meant the plane carrying the victims remains would
not arrive until Friday.
Friday is a day of national mourning here and in Russia with religious
services planned throughout the Armenian diaspora.
The Armenian state will grant 3,300 dollars to victims’ families who
can expect another 20,000 dollars each in insurance payouts.
The two “black box” flight recorders have been located, Levitin said.
Neither the Russian Black Sea fleet nor the Northern Fleet was fully
equipped to retrieve the recorders, he said, and appealed for help
from foreign countries in raising them from the seabed.