Author: Kalashian Nyrie

MG CO-CHAIRS REPORT TO BE LISTENED AT OSCE PERMANENT COUNCIL MEETING
Today, Azerbaijan
June 21 2006
Minsk Group co-chairs’ report will be listened at OSCE Permanent
Council meeting to be held tomorrow.
As APA reports, in the report, information on the issues on the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict regulation, Azerbaijan and Armenian presidents’
and foreign ministers’ latest meetings, has found its reflection in
the report.
In the meeting, the USA will present the appointed new co-chair of
Minsk Group – state secretary deputy assistant, diplomat Matthew Bryza.
The first consultation of co-chairs in new composition will be held
in Vienna. They will analyze the last Paris meeting of Azerbaijan and
Armenian foreign ministers – Elmar Mammadyarov and Vardan Oskanian,
will work on the initiative of ministers’ next meeting. Russian
co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov stated that he is not willing to make
statement before Vienna meeting, all the questions will be responded
after the meeting.
OSCE Permanent Council meetings are held every 4th day of the week.
In the meeting 55 states permanent representation of the organization
discuss topical issues, chairman in-office and mission heads reports
are listened, documents are confirmed.
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AMENDMENTS TO THE ELECTORAL CODE ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR DEMOCRACY
A1+
[05:11 pm] 20 June, 2006
NA deputy Speaker Tigran Torosyan met with Hayke Renate Paychi, German
Ambassador to Armenia. During the meeting Tigran Torosyan attached
great significance to the improvement of political atmosphere in
Armenia and noted that the amendments to the electoral code are not
enough for holding elections by democratic criteria. He found the
hostility of political powers towards each other inadmissible and
focused on their rivalry.
The improvement of political atmosphere and the importance of holding
elections by democratic criteria will ensure the further security of
the integration in the European structures.
The two sides also referred to the activity of the German funds
in Armenia, emphasized the observation of the German parties’
experiment and its exchange with the Armenian parties ignoring
unilateral approach.

ARKADI GHUKASYAN: AZERI ATTEMPTS TO DEPRIVE OUR PEOPLE OF INDEPENDENCE ARE SHORT-SIGHTED
ArmRadio.am
21.06.2006 14:40
NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan characterized the Azeri
attempts “to deprive our people of freedom and independence” as
“short-sighted.” Arkadi Ghukasayn mentioned this in his address
to the participants of the international scientific conference on
“Nagorno-Karabakh Republic: Past, Present, Future,” that started in
Stepanakert today.
“Today Azerbaijan is trying to turn back the history and to deprive
our people of freedom and independence acquired at the cost of
irreversible losses.
This is a hopeless path. I’m confident the future belongs to the
talks between NKR and Azerbaijan aimed at searching for mutually
beneficial ways and launching cooperation between the two countries,”
NKR President informed.
“The past 15 years showed the world that the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
has the right to have its own independent republic, which was declared
in compliance with USSR laws and the international law. Notwithstanding
the fact that NKR has not been recognized by the international
community so far, our republic is far ahead of Azerbaijan in regard
to the commitment to European standard, ” NKR President stated.
Arkadi Ghukasyan underlined that “a combatant army equipped with newest
armaments has been created in NKR, and it is the most trustworthy
guarantee of the security and prosperity of our country and people.”

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE DEDICATED TO GEORGI GURJIYEV’S SCIENTIFIC HERITAGE TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN AND GYUMRI ON JUNE 16-18
Noyan Tapan
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN. An international conference dedicated
to great thinker Georgi Gurjiyev’s life and scientific activity will
be held in Ye revan and Gyumri on June 16-18 during which Armenian and
American scientists will present reports concerning the philosopher’s
works. A film telling about Gurjiyev will also be presented within
the framework of the conference.
G.Gurjiyev is one of remarkable figures of philosophical and religious
conception of the early 20th century. During the philosopher’s
lifetime and after his death, his works were a source of inspiration
for numerous scientists. A huge literature concerning psychology,
literature, philosophy, health care, nature protection and religion
has been created based on their researches since 1950.

INITIAL ARMAVIA AIRBUS A320 CRASH PROBE RULES OUT FUEL AND ENGINE PROBLEMS
By David Kaminski-Morrow in London
Flight International
June 19 2006
Preliminary analysis of the flight-data recorder from the Armavia
Airbus A320 that crashed into the Black Sea last month has ruled out
fuel exhaustion and engine problems as contributing to the accident.
Russia’s Interstate Aviation Committee (MAK) has also disclosed that,
during the last minute, the aircraft was switched into flight mode in
which the flight director was active but the autopilot was disengaged.
MAK says that the flight-data recorder contained 26h20min of
information on eight flights conducted between 30 April and the crash
on 3 May, including the entire 1h26mins of the final one.
The jet had been attempting a second night-time approach to Sochi
Airport in Russia after a service from Armenian capital Yerevan.
Investigators studying the final flight have concluded that the
fuel on board was “sufficient for the safe completion of the flight”
and that the CFM International CFM56 powerplants “worked until the
moment of the aircraft’s impact with the surface of the water”.
MAK adds that the aircraft was not destroyed in mid-air.
Armavia flight U8 967 crashed after abandoning an initial approach
to Sochi Airport’s runway 06. None of the 113 occupants, comprising
105 passengers and eight crew members, survived.
06/06/19/Navigation/177/207312/Initial+Armavia+Air bus+A320+crash+probe+rules+out+fuel+and+engine.htm l

DROUGHT STARTED ACROSS ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:41 19/06/06
Drought started across the regions of Armenia, Zarui Petrosyan,
department head at the Armenian hydremeteorological service told
Panorama.am. In her words, at the moment the level of temperature
of air is above 4-6 degree. There will be no precipitations in the
country until the end of the month with June 22 and 23 the hottest.
The drought was a complete surprise for the ministry of agriculture. In
the words of the department head on relations with the ministry
Vahag Martirosyan drought was not anticipated at the beginning of
the year. Such a disaster covering the republic was reported only 5
years ago. The ministry of agriculture refutes to forecast the damage.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER FOR EASY PROVISION OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP TO
ARMENIANS WORLD WIDE
Yerevan, June 17. ArmInfo. Dual citizenship one of the most important
tasks of both Armenia and Armenians, Vardan Oskanyan, Foreign Minister
of Armenia, said at a forum “Dual citizenship: alternative decisions,
economic and social consequences” opening in Yerevan, Saturday.
I am extremely liberal in this issue as I think we must provide dual
citizenship in the easiest way to all Armenians who would like to get
naturalized in Armenia. I understand all the nuances and difficulties
of the issue which we must give answers to, but the starting point for
making a final decision on the issue must be a board vision of the
issue,” the minister said. He said his position is not conditioned
by the fact that he had to refuse from the citizenship of a foreign
country to get naturalized in Armenia. He said he believes in the
potential of the Armenian people, in the future of Armenia, and he
is well aware of the situation and of mutual expectations of the
Armenian people inside and outside the country.
The minister believes that when considering the issue, several
circumstances must be taken into account: the “forced” separation
of the Armenian people (Armenia and Diaspora), the idea of newly
formed state-nation, the fact that Armenia has passed a great way as
regards the provision of rights to Diaspora. Vardan Oskanyan said
the status of a ten-year-long residence is equal to the status of
citizenship, with the exception of army service and the right of
vote and election. “That is why, I am surprised at such questions
as what will be the impact of dual citizenship on economy, on the
property prices in the country. We have already given this right to
our compatriots and that was right. We can see its positive results
already now. So, the greatest part of the way has been passed, we just
need to settle the army problem and the right of vote and election
in accordance with the law,” Vardan Oskanyan said. And the last issue
is regulated by the Constitution, the minister added. Mentioning the
small number of Armenians and the current challenges in the region,
the minister stressed the necessity of using the chance to increase the
number of Armenian people. Getting naturalized in Armenia, a person
will not need to return to Armenia. “I think our solidarity with
the Diaspora is our power.” The minister shared his concern over the
fact that removing the ban on dual citizenship from the Constitution,
but adopting a law hampering provision of dual citizenship, Armenia
will disappoint the Diaspora. “If the whole our people resolved to
change the Constitution, we ought to make the process of getting dual
citizenship maximum easy,” Vardan Oskanyan said.

Parliamentary elections in Slovakia
ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 12:28
According to preliminary data, the Christian-Democratic Party has
good chances to win at parliamentary election in Slovakia. The Party
played a great role in presenting the bill on the Armenian Genocide
to the Parliament of the country. It is probable that after becoming
part of the ruling coalition the Christian-Democrats will suggest
the issue of recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition
for Turkey’s accession to the European Union.

G-8 INTERIOR, JUSTICE MINISTERS DISCUSS TERRORISM, ILLEGAL MIGRATION IN MOSCOW
Anton Troianovski
AP Worldstream
Jun 15, 2006
The ministers of interior and justice of the Group of Eight member
countries on Thursday opened two days of talks on international
strategies to combat terrorism, Internet crime and illegal immigration.
Franco Frattini, the European Union’s justice and home affairs
commissioner, told reporters that he would propose that each EU and G-8
member state establish a central national unit to prevent cybercrime
in order to create “a real international network of cooperation.”
Frattini said he would also discuss new measures to combat illegal
immigration, focusing on the countries where migrants start their
journeys as well as transit countries. He called the black labor market
“the most dangerous pull factor for illegal immigration to Europe.”
Frattini said the EU had recently flown its first joint repatriation
flight out of Europe _ an Austrian-organized mission to return dozens
of Georgian and Armenian crime suspects to their home countries.
At the outset of Thursday’s meeting, Russian presidential chief of
staff Sergei Sobyanin called illegal immigration a pressing problem
for G-8 member countries.
“Uncontrolled and illegal migration is fraught with significant side
effects, and we are feeling this throughout the world,” Sobyanin said,
according to the Interfax news agency.
“The criminalization of the labor market, a rise in interethnic tension
in society, shadow financial flow _ ultimately, these are serious
threats to the internal stability of all our countries,” he said.
This week’s talks, held in advance of the G-8 summit in St.
Petersburg next month, will also focus on the financing of terrorism.
Frattini said that within 12 months the EU would enact limits on
moving more than A10,000 (US$12,600) in cash through Europe, and
noted that the European Council had approved “in principle” plans on
the traceability of public and private financial transactions.
Frattini spoke to reporters before a bilateral meeting with U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, with whom he planned
to negotiate a new agreement on providing passenger data to the U.S.
after the EU’s highest court found problems with the current agreement.
Frattini also called on the U.S. Congress to expand the country’s
visa waver program to all EU member countries.
“The Congress of the United States is thinking about extending step
by step _ I mean first to Poland and then we will see,” Frattini
said. “It would be very much preferable for us to have a road map
for all new member states.”

SALES OF “ASHTARAK KAT” DAIRY PRODUCTS TO RISE BY 30% BY THE END OF 2006
Yerevan, June 14. ArmInfo. The sales of “Ashtarak Kat” dairy will
be increased by 30% by the end of 2006. Since January 2006 till May
inclusive, the company’s sales volume reached 703.6 million drams,
“Ashtarak Kat” Executive Director Khachatur Atanesyan told ArmInfo.
He said the company’s sales for 2005 totaled 1 billion 343 million
drams, net profit – 206 million 200 thousand drams as against 988.2
million and 120 million 800 thousand drams in 2004, respectively. Kh.
Atanesyan said the sales were increased due to the growing demand
for the company’s products.
He said to meet consumers’ needs, in the September of 2005, the
company started an exclusive production of candied cheese-curds of
four types: vanilla, chocolate, with peach jam and condensed milk
filling. In addition, the company launched production of 7 types of
yogurts and yogurt drinks. Kh. Atanesyan said the company’s products
are special due to the milk delivered from the highly mountainous
meadows in Armenia which are 2,000 m above the sea level. The company
has milk purchasing points in five regions of Armenia: Aragatsotn,
Lori, Shirak, Gegharkunik, and Syunik. Kh. Atanesyan assured
ArmInfo’s correspondent that the whole process of dairy production
is controlled in the system of up-to- date laboratories accredited
by the Armenian state standard. He said that guided by the principle
of mutually advantageous cooperation with farmers, “Ashtarak Kat”
effectively uses also the surplus milk in spring season. Thus, due
to the up-to-date technologies, whole milk power has been produced
since 2001. The ratio of nutrients in the dried milk is the same
with that in the original milk. Kh. Atanesyan said the company both
exports and uses the dried milk in the production in winter period.
To note, “Ashtarak Kat,” was founded in 1995 on the basis of the
cheese dairy plant in the village of Agarak, Aragatsotn region. The
company cooperates with 1,200 farms in 52 villages in Armenia and
employs 350 people.