Author: Khondkarian Raffi

ARMAVIA DISAGREES WITH INTERSTATE AVIATION COMMITTEE
Lragir.am
28 July 06
Armavia Airlines disagrees with the conclusion of the Interstate
Aviation Committee on the cause of the crash of the Armenian
A320. This disagreement was stated by Arshak Nalbandyan, Armavia
executive in charge of flight safety, reports ARKA News Agency.
`The conclusion of the IAC gave a surprise to the Armenian party, for
it states that the investigation is over, which is not true,’ said
Nalbandyan. He stated that the task force carrying out the
investigation did not finish the work, for he is a member of this task
force and has not signed the conclusion yet. Arshak Nalbandyan says
the Armenian side did not receive any final document except the press
release. Nalbandyan says it is possible that thecrew of the ship
could make a mistake, but he says it cannot be asserted that it was
the cause of the crash.
`It could be the fault of the dispatcher, the conditions of the
airport of Sochi, the weather, but these are only suggestions,’ said
Arshak Nalbandyan.
He stated that if the work of the task force continues to be
insufficient for the Armenian party, Armavia will apply to a third,
neutral party for an independent investigation.

IAC: UNFORTUNATELY, WHOLE BLAME FOR LINER -320 CRASH LIES ON SCREW AND PILOT-IN- COMMAND
Moscow, July 26. ArmInfo. “Unfortunately, the whole blame for the liner
A-320 crash near Sochi lies on the screw and the pilot-in-command,
the deputy chairman of the Intergovernmental Aviation Committee Oleg
Yarmolov said, commenting on the official conclusion of the Committee
about the air crash reasons.
Evaluating the degree of the screw guilt and deprivation of
the “Armavia” Company of license for flights as a possible
consequence, Yarmolov noted that any technical investigation serves
only for clarification of the crash reasons and development of
recommendations. He added that the issue of determination of guilty
persons and use of sanctions as a ban for the Company flights is not
a subject of the Committee investigations, this is a priority of law
machinery and administrative authorities.
As for the character of recommendations in the IAC conclusion, Yarmolov
noted that they are particularly aviation and touch upon the issues
of professional preparation of pilots, as well as the check-up of
development of adequate actions of pilots in complicated situations. In
its turn, the Armenia’s State Department of Civil Aviation fully
agreed with the assessment, given in the IAC conclusion. The “Armavia”
itself withholds comments as yet.

EU RELUCTANT TO THINK ARMENIAN ELECTION WILL BE UNFAIR
Lragir.am
24 July 06
Peter Semneby, EU special representative to the South Caucasus, who
is visiting Yerevan, was rather rough with regard to the upcoming
Armenian parliamentary election in a news conference on July 24.
Semneby said a free and fair election will determine the quality of
relations between Armenia and the EU. The special representative of
the European Union announced that the Armenian individual partnership
program of the New Neighborhood Policy and the parliamentary election
are interdependent. The parliamentary election was one of the four
questions Semneby discussed with the Armenian leadership. The first
three are the Individual Partnership Program, Karabakh and Armenia’s
relations with its neighbors. However, during the news conference
Semneby dwelled on the individual partnership and the parliamentary
election.
Meanwhile, Vardan Oskanyan announced in the news conference that
the IPP is almost complete, and Finland chairing the EU will soon
decide the time of signing this document. Vardan Oskanyan assures
that Finland plans to sign the IPPs with the three South Caucasian
states until the end of its chairmanship. Peter Semneby who spoke
after Vardan Oskanyan immediately announced that he wants to connect
dividual partnership and the Armenian parliamentary election because
the IPP assumes fair and free elections compliant with the European
standards as a prime goal of Armenia.
Peter Semneby said the upcoming election will have vital importance
for EU-Armenia relations and emphasized that every election must be
compliant with their standards. By the way, in speaking about Armenia
he said the upcoming Azerbaijani election, but then he apologized
and added that elections must be fair and free in all the countries
of the South Caucasus.
Peter Semneby declined to say what consequences an incompliant election
would have for Armenia. He said he expected free and fair elections,
therefore he declined to make hypothetical speeches about sanctions
in case the elections are not free and fair. After all, Peter
Semneby said, Armenia assumed an obligation to conduct elections
in compliance with European standards. It is notable that after
Vardan Oskanyan answered a question about a different topic Semneby
carried on the topic of elections and said that the European Union
will be following the evaluation of international observers to the
parliamentary election. Semneby said after the election the EU will
build up relations with Armenia on the basis of evaluation given by
the observers.

GOLDEN APRICOT FESTIVAL RUNS SUCCESSFULLY
Panorama.am
18:46 21/07/06
Harutiun Khachatryan, director of Golden Apricot film festival,
summed up the festival in a press conference today. He said Pusan and
Rotterdam cross-border international festival heads have suggested
to become sister festivals.
Looking 6 days ahead, the organizers say the festival has accomplished
its main objectives. Armenian culture and history as well as a 10
minute film on the festival was many times shown on Euronews. The
sponsors are content with the festival, too. The government has
promised to increase budget funds for the festival next year and
the major sponsor has made a committment to fund the next year
program./Panorama.am/

ARMENIANS OF LEBANON DO NOT NEED SELF-DEFENSE
Lragir.am
21 July 06
The Armenian community of Lebanon does not have a problem of
self-defense presently, because the Israeli attacks do not theaten
Armenian settlements, stated Kiro Manoyan, a member of the ARF
Bureau responsible for Hay Dat and political affairs, July 21 at the
Pastark Club.
“My concern is the possible consequences of the land-based intrusion
of Israel rather, which may lead to a civil war,” says Kiro
Manoyan. According to him, disarmament of Hezbollah is not only the
demand of the international community and Israel but also the political
forces of Lebanon. And efforts should have been made to fulfill this
demand but the intrusion of Israel occurred, says Kiro Manoyan.
“While they were trying to settle the problem by national agreement,
negotiations, they had not reached a lasting result when the offensive
was stepped up. And when this surge calms down, we need to see that
Lebanon as a state will get over it in some way and avoid a civil
war,” says Kiro Manoyan. He says if a civil war starts, the Armenian
community will need self-defense.

NKR Adheres to Supreme Values – Freedom and Democracy
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.07.2006 18:32 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
responded today to a July 17th speech on the House floor by Congressman
Dan Burton (R-IN) that seriously misrepresented Nagorno Karabakh’s
history, status, and right to self-determination.
The Indiana legislator took to the House floor yesterday in an apparent
attempt to undermine the growing Congressional support for Nagorno
Karabakh – as demonstrated by the successful recent Washington, DC
visit and U.S. Capitol reception for the Parliamentary Speaker and
Foreign Minister of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. Commenting
on what he perceived as a pro-Nagorno Karabakh tilt among U.S.
legislators, Rep. Burton stressed that: “Any outside influence, any
shift in neutrality can only result in a false peace. That is why I
am deeply concerned when I hear some of my colleagues throwing barbs
at the Azeris and attempting to lay all the blame for this complicated
issue at their doorstep.”
In a factually incorrect statement, he sought to call into question
Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination, asserting that:
“So far as I know, the Nagorno Karabakh region has never been a part
of Armenia. To suggest otherwise, and to suggest that the problems
in Nagorno Karabakh are caused solely by Azerbaijan seems to me to
distort the facts and potentially undermine our good faith efforts
to see this conflict resolved; and to see peace and prosperity come
to the people of both Azerbaijan and Armenia.”
In a three-page fact sheet sent to every Congressional office, the
ANCA challenged Congressman Burton’s inaccurate description of the
Nagorno Karabakh issue as well as the biased and counter-productive
advice he offered to his House colleagues. The key points addressed in
the ANCA document included: 1) Nagorno Karabakh’s commitment to peace;
2) Azerbaijan’s threat to regional stability; 3) Nagorno Karabakh’s
economic growth; 4) Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination;
5) Nagorno Karabakh’s commitment to democracy; 6) Nagorno Karabakh’s
pivotal role in ending the Soviet threat to America
In addition, the ANCA provided a one-page update on Azerbaijan’s
post-Soviet evolution into an increasingly corrupt and autocratic
petro-state, characterized by leaders who seek to bridge the growing
gap with their own population by demonizing their Armenian neighbors,
ANCA press release says.

“BELATED FOX” OR WHO AND WHERE IS GOING TO SEND “ARMORED TRAIN” OF REPUBLICANS
Lragir.am
20 July 06
More people are starting to realize that the criminal community
“reigning” for over a decade now under the flag of the “Karabakh
warlords” has led itself to the gibbet. Something is going on in the
“king’s family”.
The native criminal has started preparing its squad for the
political fancy dress party of 2007, which is usually referred to
as parliamentary election in Armenia. It is supposed that from this
ball the defense minister Serge Sargsyan wearing a “white jabot”
will pass to the ball of 2008. Just like in a fairy tale.
Armenia has already seen something like this, in 1998 or in 1999. The
Republican Party lent itself to the lords at that time, the army
oligarchy. Then the oligarchy flew and plunged to death. Instead,
one or two of the Republicans stayed next to the power summit. It
appeared interesting. And the political party was happy because already
nobody of the pioneers remained there by that time. Only those people
remained who adhered to the government camp. And they quickly started
accepting official-comrades.
Perhaps they are not mistaken to say that bad things are learned
fast. The Republican leadership could not even dream of such a
successful scheme. And they decided to try it out again. Especially
that there are a number of people who are eager to rent the
Republican “camouflage”. Probably, Andranik Margaryan and Galust
Sahakyan had a talk, and invited Tigran Torosyan too for the sake of
politeness (camouflageness) and recalled the good old days and past
adventures. There was no time to think hard, for there are traditions,
and they should act in accordance with these traditions.
They attracted Serge Sargsyan and his criminal corps. Perhaps they let
themselves for a song. They did not tell Serge of course what they
really thought. How they could say to him, “we will fly together,
and the borrower will plunge in any case”. And the cunning troika
will get on well with the president, the present or future, it does
not matter. And since Serge Sargsyan considers himself more than the
former defense minister Vazgen Sargsyan, they make him appear even
better to himself. Perhaps they also told him that they would make
him president if he could promote them as much as possible.
Serge Sargsyan and his corps have no place to go. He dreamt for a long
time that Robert Kocharyan would admit him and make him president. He
did not think out everything. He did not think that Robert Kocharyan
needed him as long as he served his government. Now that Robert
Kocharyan meets other problems and Serge Sargsyan has no role in the
settlement of these problems (he only hinders), he became a “fifth
wheel” and even began to disturb Kocharyan.
They say Kocharyan told him for a number of times but “his formerly
obedient boy” would not listen to him. He would not listen because
he is eager to rule and order the ball he arranged with a bleeding
heart and would not like to give it away. He is not a fool to “give
Armenia to Armenians”. Especially that this Armenia may become so
fragile without its ambitious father Kocharyan. Dream on!
It seems that severe Kocharyan already starts disliking seriously the
spoilt “errand boy’s” behavior. That is why he sent Vardan Oskanyan to
explain Serge in simple language that he should behave himself. Perhaps
he personally continues explaining to Serge who Republicans are and
why Armenia needs them. No way. The “boy” would not understand. He
even started going up to the Harsnakar to persuade Kocharyan from the
top of the hill how big and powerful he is. He went to Karabakh as
well. He even showed that he is Fouchet, and has files on everybody,
even on the father himself (this was already unnecessary, he should
not have done this, Daddy does not like such things). He also said
that the businessmen are with him, and he does not need money.
In fact, something is underway in the government camp. It seemed they
are experienced people, they saw a lot and said enough. But look how
narrow their thinking is. An ordinary citizen cannot understand how
a person can be so blind as to fail to notice everything around. But
Serge Sargsyan perhaps is not the most foolish and mean person. One
looks around and sees terrible faces. But processes have started in
the country that these figures are unable to understand. They led
themselves to a place where there is no way out. Therefore, they
are blind.
The government will stand this of course. They will promote whoever
they want, they will check out who needs to be checked out and will
send them to the famous place. Especially that the armored train of
the Republicans is ready. They only need to place wise Andranik at
the wheel to take this important transport back to the depot. How
will the citizens of Armenia benefit from this? People are tired
and they want to decide how to live. And all those “impostor lords”
would not realize that times have changed and they cannot act only
the way they want. They end up similarly as the others ended up not
long ago, who did not realize either that they need to walk with
time. For the armored train may turn over on the way. It is wrong
to make false conclusions looking only at the faces of Sadoyans and
Geghamyans. It is necessary to look around as well. Even Oskanyan
understood this. How about you, glorious guys in Karabakh camouflage?
MELIK AVANYAN
P.S. We congratulate Serge Sargsyan on his membership to the Republican
Party.

THE OSCE MINKS GROUP TRIED TO EXERT PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE, SAYS
OPPOSITION DEPUTY
Yerevan, July 18. ArmInfo. The statement by American Co-Chair
Matthew Bryza about Minsk Group resigning mediation between Armenia
and Azerbaijan was a mere attempt to exert psychological pressure
upon the conflict sides, says Vazgen Manukian, leader of the
‘National-Democratic Union’ party.
To the opinion of the party leader, Armenian politicians usually
exaggerate the influence of the OSCE Minks Group on the authorities
of Armenia and Azerbaijan. He said that there was only once in the
history when the international structures forced a state to cede
territories to another: Adolf Hitler was given the Sudet region of
Czechoslovakia so as to prevent the war, but nevertheless it broke out
a year after. He added that even if ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian
had ceded the security zone territories, still Azerbaijan would not
stop claiming Karabakh for its own, and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
line would still go round Armenia.
Vazgen Manukian admitted that the new suggestions by the Minsk Group
are more profitable for Armenia than the previous ones, about to be
signed by President Ter-Petrosian. He assured that in any case none of
the project could insure peace in Karabakh, as they do not provide for
the determination of the status of Nagorno Karabakh, the cornerstone
of the conflict. The new project contains another dangerous term –
return of Azeri refugees to Karabakh, which can promote new skirmish
among the population.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER: “ACHIEVEMENT OF SOLUTIONS IS POSSIBLE ONLY
WITH PARTICIPATION OF LEGALLY ELECTED AUTHORITIES OF THE NKR”
Lragir.am
18 July 06
Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian commented
upon the statements of IA REGNUM, made during the summit of the Great
Eight countries in Saint Petersburg.
“One may only welcome a statement of the Great Eight countries on
maintenance of the intermediary efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group and on
necessity of co-ordination of the core principles of the conflict’s
peaceful resolution. Nagorno Karabakh has always come out in favor
of peaceful resolution of the problem and is ready to exert every
effort to achieve the agreement on establishing long-term peace in
the region. Unfortunately, it is not everything that depends on the
mediators. Considering Azerbaijan’s extremely destructive position
and its unwillingness to be in any contact with Nagorno Karabakh
it is very difficult to find an acceptable and correct solution to
date. The President of the Russian Federation has fairly noted that
Russia is not going to impose any solutions on the parties to the
conflict and that the compromise must be reached by people.
Taking into account the Russian Federation’s readiness to become a
guarantor of the agreements’ fulfillment we remind once more that the
achievement of solutions directly concerning the future of our country
and our people is possible only with participation of representatives
of legally elected authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic,
the main and the most suffered party to the conflict”.

G8 Calls to Modernize ANPP
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.07.2006 15:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The G8 members called upon Armenia to allocate funds
and implement measures for modernization and secure operation of the
Armenian Nuclear Power Plant. Armenia is offered to undertake measures
until the ANPP can be stopped and put out of operation. “We take into
account the measures Armenia has already taken in this direction,”
the report says.
The authors of the report call on Armenia to prepare and implement
multisided program for raising the level of the ANPP safety, ensure
the proper number of employees and render them the essential level
of authority essential for efficacious performance of duties in
accordance with international standards, reported Rosbalt.