Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

SEARCH TEAM RECOVER SECOND ‘BLACK BOX’ FROM ARMENIAN AIRLINER

MosNews, Russia
May 24 2006

MosNews

A Russian search team has recovered the second ‘black box’ flight
recorder from an Armenian airliner that crashed into the Black Sea
on 3 May, killing 113 people. Investigators hope it will help explain
the cause of the tragedy.

The first black box, which recorded conversations between the plane’s
pilot and crew was recovered on Monday. A special intergovernmental
investigation committee will be set up to decipher the flight data
from the plane, an air safety official told RIA Novosti.

The second flight recorder had been thought to be lying 3-5 meters
(10-16 feet) away from the first one, was actually located 16 meters
(about 40 feet) from the first recorder and was buried deeper in silt,
Svetlana Kryshtanovskaya, a Russian Transport ministry representative
said.

The airliner, operated by Armenia’s Airliner A320, crashed while flying
from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, in stormy weather 6 kilometers
(3.7 miles) from Russia’s Adler airport, which services the popular
resort of Sochi.

Most of the passengers were Armenian, but there were also 26 Russian
nationals. Among those on board were eight crew and six children.

Armavia, the airline which owned the plane, says that it was in
good condition and that the crew were experienced. The Airbus was
manufactured in 1995 and underwent checks last month, BBC reports.

WHAT IS CULTURE FOR OUR POLITICAL ELITE?

Panorama.am
18:09 23/05/06

What is the reason to replace minister of culture and youth
affairs? Taking into consideration the known factors of internal
political processes, the answer is obvious from the first
look. However, the strange behavior of the government does not give
complete answer to that question.

Today Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan presented the newly appointed
Minister of Culture and Youth Affairs, stressing, “she does not
affiliate to any party…”

There comes a question whether the former minister Gevorg Gevorgyan
was a member of any party.

Even more questions arise when we hear the Prime Minister praising
the former minister. “A favorable atmosphere was created around the
former minister and there will not be considerable changes.” According
to the prime minister, the former minister supported him and could
make considerable achievement during his short term.

So, what was the reason to dismiss a person who was doing his job
well?

DECODING OF THE BLACK BOXES OF THE CRASHED A-320 WILL MOST PROBABLY START TOMORROW

ArmRadio.am
24.05.2006 16:40

Press Secretary of the Chief Agency of RA Civil Aviation Gayane
Davtyan told “Radiolur” that tomorrow morning Armenian specialists
will leave for Moscow, where most probably Armenian, Russian and French
specialists will decode the black boxes of the crashed A-320 Airbus.

RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Armen
Smbatyan said that in case of necessity the decoding of the black
boxes will continue in Paris.

According to Gayane Davtyan, in case the recorder boxes are not too
damaged, the first information about the records will be known in 2-3
days. However, according to the data of the Russian side, the black
boxes are damaged.

RUSSIAN, GEORGIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS CONFLICTS

Civil Georgia, Georgia
May 23 2006

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov described as “constructive” the
recent the talks with his Georgian counterpart Gela Bezhuashvili, which
took place on a sideline of a session of the Committee of Ministers
from the Council of Europe member states in Strasbourg on May 18-19.

Sergey Lavrov and Gela Bezhuashvili discussed bilateral relations and
conflict resolution issues, according to the Russian Foreign Ministry.

“I asked him [Bezhuashvili] not to create artificial problems around
the peacekeepers… We want that the peacekeepers to have normal
working conditions there,” Lavrov said.

Sergey Lavrov welcomed the creation of a joint Georgian-South Ossetian
working group, which will develop a joint peace program on conflict
resolution.

He also hailed setting up a consortium by the Georgian, Abkhaz,
Russian, and Armenian sides, which will rehabilitate the Abkhaz
section of the railway linking Russia with Georgia and Armenia.

However, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed concern over
“Tbilisi’s refusal” to approve the documents on security guarantees
and non-resumption of hostilities both regarding the Abkhaz and South
Ossetian conflicts.

Lavrov said that Bezhuashvili promised to accelerate the process
aiming at new registration of the internally displaced persons in
the Gali district of breakaway Abkhazia.

“I regret that the Georgian side drags out the process of registration
of those persons, who have already returned to the Gali district,”
Lavrov said.

ARMENIA IS THE MOST GASIFIED COUNTRY IN CIS

ArmRadio.am
22.05.2006 15:41

During the last three years “Hayrusgazard” Company invested US$60
million in the development of gas sector in Armenia.

Director General of the Company Karen Karapetyan declared today that
1 billion 685 million cubic meters of gas was imported to the Republic
in 2005.

In Karen Karapetyan’s words, Armenia is the most gasified country
in the CIS today. In 2005 the number of subscribers of the company
totaled 269 785, the number is expected to reach 450 thousand in 2006.

Karen Karapetyan noted that the intensive period of gasification in
the country will be over by 2007.

Russia favored Armenia at the Eurovision Song Contest

12:08 05/21/2006

Russia and Armenia exchanged a maximum score of 12 points at the
Eurovision-2006 Song Contest. Notably, the CIS countries that
participated in the contest showed a measure of solidarity. Ukraine
generously granted Russia 12 points, whereas Russians scored a
Ukrainian singer 10 (second highest point). Byelorussia scored
Armenia 8 (third highest), Ukraine 10, and Russia the maximum 12
points. It is noteworthy that Armenian singer received 10 points from
Turkish pop music fans.

The 52nd Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Finland in 2007, The
Finnish Lordi group won the 51st contest that ended last night in
Athens. Their song `Hard Rock Hallelujah’ received the total score of
297 points. Dima Bilan from Russia was voted second best by receiving
243 points. The Khara Mata Khari group from Bosnia that presented the
`Leila’ song ranked third. Ukraine was the seventh with 145
points. Armenian pop-artist André ranked eighth.

24 countries took part in the contest. Out of that total, 14 had been
included automatically and 10 were rated by the TV audience during the
semifinal vote. The contest final was staged in an indoor stadium in
Athens. 14, 000 people were watching the show inside the stadium, and
millions around the world saw it live on TV.

Genocide Intervention Network Praises AU’s Bold Decision to Welcome UN
Peacekeepers

by _SOPnewswire_ ( OPnewswire)

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2006 – The Genocide Intervention Network,
( bw7ubab.yxaevtbab.1&p=3Dhttp://www.genocideint ervention.net/)
today commends the African Union’s decision to transfer control of the
peacekeeping mission in Darfur, Sudan, to a United Nations force. The
transfer is a positive step toward ensuring that the civilians in
Darfur are finally provided with adequate protection from a genocide
that has continued for more than three years, GI-Net says. A UN force
is therefore essential to ensuring that the recently-signed peace
agreement is actuallyenforced on the ground.

Because of its limited capacity and mandate, the AU has been unable to
stop hundreds of thousands of deaths and the displacement of millions
of people,’ says GI-Net Executive Director Mark Hanis. `While the AU
is currently the only force willing and able to protect Darfurians,
they must be reinforcedby the UN.’

Sam Bell, GI-Net Director of Advocacy, notes that a UN force has been
instrumental in securing peace elsewhere in Sudan. `Concerns over
security and adherence to the peace deal are just as real in Darfur as
they were in Southern Sudan, where the government approved a UN force
to help keep the peace,’ he says.

KOCHARYAN WILL GET A HIGHER STATUS THAN THAT OF PRESIDENT OR PRIME MINISTER

Lragir.am
20 May 06

Analyses of home political developments highlighting Robert
Kocharyan=80=99s aspirations to hold power are not true. This
sensational statement was made by Garnik Isagulyan, adviser to Robert
Kocharyan, on May 20. He said that the wrong direction of these
analyses is due to not knowing Robert Kocharyan. Garnik Isagulyan
assures that he knows Robert Kocharyan. Isagulyan states that Robert
Kocharyan devoted 20 years of his life to the solution of key issues
for state building, never appeared in a secondary position, was always
among the first. Introducing Kocharyan to the public, Garnik Isagulyan
said this person would never place his personal ambitions above the
interests of the state, and would never act for the sake of his
office.

The reporter of Lragir.am asked Isagulyan if this means that Kocharyan
will not run for the third term or become prime minister. Isagulyan
denied the third term, and for becoming prime minister he said time
will show that those analyses are wrong. Considering the third term
and the office of prime minister impossible, however, Garnik Isagulyan
did not move Robert Kocharyan, who is used to primary positions, to
the background. `I think he will have influence on the Armenian
political thought and in a much higher position than the prime
minister,’ stated Garnik Isagulyan, clarifying that he does not mean
the office. And he leaves the office to Serge Sargsyan. Isagulyan says
he endorses Serge Sargsyan as the successor of the
president. According to Garnik Isagulyan, Serge Sargsyan is the
best-prepared figure in the political life of Armenia, and his
`inheritance’ will help to maintain the present political line of
Armenia.

ANDRE GOES TO THE FINAL OF “EUROVISION-2006”

ArmRadio.am
19.05.2006 11:45

Sharp at midnight yesterday the semifinal of the 51st “Eurovision” song
contest started in Athens. At its first entry Armenia was represented
by Andre, who performed “Without your love” song. According to the
draw, Andre was to open the contest.

The official “Eurovision” website writes, “Armenia is in the contest
for the first time and has been drawn to open the show – talk about
a baptism of fire. But in front of a capacity crowd and millions of
TV viewers, Andre performs with a confident swagger… A great debut.”

According to “Eurovision” rules, the singers are graded by TV
viewers. The result of the voting revealed that Andre was among
the top ten, which means he will represent Armenia at the final on
May 20. Other countries that went to the final include Macedonia,
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lithuania, Finland, Ukraine, Ireland, Sweden,
Turkey and Russia.

The finalists to perform on May 20 include also 14 countries that best
presented at “Eurovision-2005.” These include Switzerland, Moldova,
Israel, Latvia, Norway, Spain, Malta, Germany, Denmark, Romania,
Great Britain, Greece, France and Croatia.

ACCURATE “EUROPEAN” CLOSED DAYS OF EUROPE

Panorama.am
17:44 18/05/06

“Days of Europe”, initiated by the European Movement of Armenia,
closed today in Yerevan. Despite of their big strive to Europe, the
young people started the event not as accurately as a European would
do – they started half hour late.

5 photographers’ works and 3 video films were shown within the
framework of European days. The chief award among video films was
granted to Mariam Yeghiazarian for her film “Hoplia”. Ruben Michaelyan
was announced as the best photographer. The head of the organization
Viktor Yengibaryan, who perhaps has won grants for the initiative,
presented a T-shirt and a badge for the film “Hoplia”.