Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

ONE OF TWO RECORDERS
by Igor Glanin
Vremya Novostey
RusData Dialine – Russian Press Digest
May 23, 2006 Tuesday
Armenian Airbus’s in-flight recorder recovered from the Black Sea
Searchers on Monday recovered the cockpit voice recorder from an
Armenian passenger jet that crashed in the Black Sea nearly three
weeks ago, killing all 113 people aboard, Transportation Minister
Igor Levitin said.
Workers using a remote-controlled diving apparatus with a robotic arm
plucked the recorder from the sea floor nearly 500 meters beneath the
surface after removing a layer of silt up to half a meter thick that
had covered the black box and hidden it from searchers for days.
Levitin said at a news conference that authorities hope to soon
recover the flight data recorder, which they believe is under silt
just three to five meters away.
Officials hope the recorders will help determine the cause of the
May 3 crash of the Armavia Airbus A-320, which plunged into the sea
in heavy rain and poor visibility as it approached the airport on a
flight from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, to Sochi.
“I think that what happened would be revealed,” said Tatyana Anodina,
head of the Interstate Aviation Committee, the civil agency that
links Russia with 11 other former Soviet republics.
Anodina said the cockpit voice recorder was damaged by the crash and
may have suffered from the harsh conditions beneath the silt, but
expressed confidence that it would yield information “very important
to investigators” — a recording of the voices and other sounds in
the cockpit in the final minutes of the doomed flight.

ARMENIA CAN BECOME EU MEMBER ONLY WITHIN SOUTH CAUCASUS’ GEOPOLITICAL FRAMEWORKS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 22 2006
YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA/. Armenia can become an EU member only within
South Caucasus’ geopolitical frameworks, MP from opposition Armenian
Republican Party Armen Ashotyan told reporters.
According to him, a state, cooperating individually with European
structures cannot hope for a status of an individual EU member. In
this respect, he expressed doubt as to the fact that the region of
South Caucasus is ready to adopt the European values.
“The problem lies in the unresolved status of regional issues,
particularly the Karabakh conflict, and also the unfavourable situation
with economic integration and disturbance of economic relations,”
he said.
Ashotyan also stated that the South Caucasus region cannot expect
a positive resolution of the problem of joining the EU in the near
20-25 years.

BRIEF REPORT ON STATE BUDGET PERFORMANCE IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2006

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
20 May 2006
In the first quarter of 2006 the actual receipts of the NKR state
budget totaled 2253.8 million drams, exceeding the estimate by 21.9
percent. Budget receipts are up by 35.9 percent or 595.7 million
drams compared with the first quarter of 2005, including a 512.1
million dram increase in return on tax, and a 74 million growth of
non-tax receipts. Return on tax comprises 75.8 percent of budget
receipts in the first quarter, state due 4 percent, non-tax receipts
9.5 percent, capital transactions 10.7 percent. In the first quarter
of 2006 return on tax totaled 1708.3 million drams, increasing by 42.8
percent compared with the same period in 2005. The VAT collections in
the pattern of the return on tax are 57 percent, totaling 973.9
million dram, having grown by 51.9 percent or 332.9 million drams
compared with the first quarter of 2006.
Return on excise tax mounted to 109.3 million drams, comprising 6.4
percent of the return on tax, increasing by 47 percent or 34.9 million
drams compared with the previous year. Income tax collections totaled
about 221.4 million drams, growing by 33.1 percent or 55 million drams
compared with the first quarter of 2006. Profit tax collections
totaled 112.7 million drams, comprising 6.6 percent of return on
tax. Lump-sum tax collections topped 55.8 million drams, comprising
3.3 percent of tax collections. Lump-sum tax collections grew by 51.7
percent or 19 million drams compared with last year. Return on tax on
trade was 93.2 million drams, growing by 26.5 percent or 19.5 million
drams compared with the first quarter of 2006. State due collections
totaled 89.2 million drams, growing by 4.2 percent compared with the
first quarter of 2005.
Non-tax receipts were up by 52.6 percent or 74 million dram against
2005.
Return on capital transactions totaled about 241.6 million drams,
including 104.2 million drams from sell-off and 137.4 million drams
from alienation of state capital assets. In the first quarter of 2006
the receipts of the NKR Social Insurance Fund totaled 518.1 million
drams. Community budget receipts totaled 104.2 million drams,
increasing by 25.2 percent or 20.9 million drams against 2006. In the
first quarter of 2006 budget outlays totaled 4345.1 million drams,
including 68.6 percent of current expenditure, and 31.4 percent
capital expenditure. Budget outlays are up by 38.7 percent or 1212.6
million drams compared with the same period of 2005. Current
expenditure totaled 2979.9 million drams, increasing by 17.2 percent
or about 437.4 million drams compared with the first quarter of
2005. 25.7 percent or 766.4 million drams was allocated for salaries,
growing by 16.2 percent or 106.7 million drams compared with
2005. 283.8 million drams was allocated for subsidies. Over 545.1
million drams was allocated for retirement benefits and allowances. In
the first quarter of 2006 1384.6 million drams or 46.5 percent of
current expenditures was purchase of goods and services, growing by
258.9 million drams or 23 percent compared with the first quarter of
2005. Over 1365.1 percent was capital expenditures, growing by 775.2
million drams or 2.3 times compared with the first quarter of
2005. NKR Ministry of Finance and Economy
AA.
20-05-2006

56 COUNTRIES TO TAKE PART IN 3RD INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL GOLDEN APRICOT
Yerevan, May 19. ArmInfo. The organizational committee of the 3rd
international film festival Golden Apricot, to be held in Yerevan July
10-15, has received applications from 257 film directors from 56
countries.
The honorary guest of the festival will be the world renowned
documentary film director Artavazd Peleshyan, who will get a special
award for outstanding contribution in the world
cinematography. Similar awards will be given to the well-known Italian
film director Marco Bellocchio and his Iranian colleague Mohsen
Makhmalbaf.
The leitmotif of the festival will be the Crossroads of Cultures and
Civilizations. 50 films will be shown during the festival. The
chairman of the jury of feature films will be the ex director of the
Berlin Film Festival Moritz de Hadeln, of documentary films – US film
director Godfry Reggio.
There will be one grand prix and special award in each category and
special award for Armenian documentary and feature films. This year
there will be no animation films.
Film Directors Without Borders, a new project approved by European
Cultural Parliament and comprising almost 60 film directors from
around the world, will hold its first seminar in the framework of the
festival.
The artistic director of the festival Susanna Haroutyunyan says that
the budget of the festival is the same as last year and is provided by
the Armenian Government – $300,000.

Azad-Hye, Dubai, 20 May 2006
We received the following press release from Qatari Armenian community,
issued on 1st May 2006
On 27th April 2006 for the first time in State of Qatar the Armenian
community commemorated the Genocide and paid its respect to the 1.5 millions
martyrs.
The event was organized by the Armenian National Council in Qatar. The
orator of the day was Archbishop Sebouh Sarkissian, Prelate of the Dioceses
of Tehran, who was present in Doha to take part of the “4th Doha Conference
on Religions Dialogue”.
At the beginning of the event the community members lit 91 candles in
remembrance to the souls of the forgotten in order to show their solidarity
for the 91 years of fight against injustice. After inviting the audience to
one minute silence in respect to the souls of the 1.5 millon of martyrs, the
master of ceremony Sarkis Kerkezian made the opening speech on behalf of the
Armenian Council.
In his speech, Kerkezian mentioned that the blood that our martyrs shed in
the deserts of Der Zor is sacred and it is from that same blood that a group
of second generation surviving Armenians put the seeds of a new community in
another Arabian desert of Qatar. As William Saroyan Says’ when two Armenians
meet they form a new Armenia’. He gave a quick view about the current
international status of the genocide and the effort of recognition that are
getting carried on around the globe. He added, `This event is the first in
its nature and a stepping stone to the direction that hopefully one day, in
the upcoming future, our friendly Arabian Gulf countries will take the
necessary steps of recognizing the Armenian Genocide’.
It was decided to show the `Genocide Denied’ documentary which due to some
technicalities it was cancelled. Hence the Keynote speaker of the day Sebouh
Serpazan Sarkissian was invited to deliver the message for the occasion.
Serpazan Hayr gave a comprehensive historical background about the reasons
why the Genocide had been planned and occurred. He expressed his gratitude
that such small Armenian communities that exit around the globe create such
occasions to get together to support and encourage each other to live as
Armenians and carry on the April 24 oath by commemorating and paying homage
to our martyrs. `Nobody can destroy a nation unless a nation destroys
itself’ he said.
He added `the genocide was planned way ahead and it was not derived by
religious motives but through the pan-touranic dream plan of turkey which
failed. The second cultural genocide is still continuing by destroying the
historical Armenian monuments. The third genocide is the fight against the
Armenian memory and remembrance by faking the historical facts which is
impossible to do so due to the existing evidence.’
`We have to continue our struggle of existence’ Serpazan hayr said,
“Genocide is a crime and sin against the God and the laws that He has given
to us that we abide’
Serpazan hayr finished his speech by telling about his experience in the
conference and the commemoration of the Genocide in Tehran. He said `Our
expectation is that in the Arabian Gulf countries in our day to day life we
have to keep our Armenian and Christian Spirit and should commemorate the
genocide which is part of our heritage and permanence.’
At the end of his speech the floor was open to the compatriot Armenians to
address their questions to the Serpazan Hayr.
Subsequently, the Armenian Genocide comprehensive CD, which was prepared by
the Haigazian University Heritage Club, was demonstrated and explained to
the fellow Armenians and a copy of the CD was distributed to all.
 
Afterwards, a collection of Armenian Genocide posters, in a movie format,
was demonstrated to the audience which included the poster prepared for the
event by the young promising designer Kayane Kouzoujian. The poster will be
submitted to the website as an expression of
solidarity by the Armenian community of Qatar to our collective pan-Armenian
fight against injustice.
The event adjourned with a collective singing of the `Der Voghormya’
followed by a prayer to the souls of the martyrs `Hokehankisd’ and
`Bahbanich’ Blessings of Serpazan Hayr. A group of spirited Armenians ended
the event with the `Sartarabad’ anthem.
=621ahl41

EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL AIDE: OFFICIAL CAIRO FULLY SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN’S EFFORTS TO PUBLICIZE INVASION FACT IN THE WORLD
Azeri Press Agency
May 19 2006
“The Arab Republic of Egypt has broad knowledge of the Nagorno Garabagh
conflict and Cairo fully supports Azerbaijan’s efforts to publicize
the occupation fact to the international community,” said Usae Ilbaz,
political aide to Egypt’s President Hosnu Mubarak at a meeting with
Azerbaijani delegation at Egyptian Foreign Ministry (APA).
Mr.Ilbaz said that official Cairo is ready to deploy different
delegations to Azerbaijan to promote raising much more awareness in
Egyptian public on the Nagorno Garabagh conflict.
“Do not feel offended for our parliamentarians lacking broad
information on the conflict during the meeting at Egyptian
parliament. Most of our parliamentarians are interested in the problems
that concern Arab world mainly. We can deploy different delegations to
Baku to familiarize with Azerbaijan’s stance and have much knowledge of
the truths on its problems. Everybody knows that there is instability
in the world, systems are changing and problems are emerging. After
the September 11 events, the international community has thought of
Islam religion as a threat to the world.
This opinion is absolutely wrong,” the presidential aide noted.
Mr.Ilbaz also aid he gained large impressions about our country by
his short-term visit to Baku.
“I have been to Azerbaijan recently, got chance to familiarize with
your country. My 48-hour stay in Baku was enough to get acquainted
with your culture. I was deeply impressed by your rich culture and
hospitability,” Ilbaz stressed.
The presidential aide also reported that Egyptian large delegation
will visit Azerbaijan soon. This visit will be important from the
aspect of drawing up a wide report o Azerbaijan and problems it
faces. Stating that the official Cairo supports the settlement of
the Nagorno Garabagh, Usame Ilbaz stressed that no conflict has ever
brought dividend to the parties.
“I assure you that no parties to a conflict win anything. Egypt is
ready to take steps in level of international organizations for the
settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict, and supports Azerbaijan’s
efforts in this field,” Mr.Ilbaz concluded.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMS’ MEETING HELD IN STRASBOURG
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 19 2006
May 18 RA and AR FMs Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov met in
Strasbourg. During the meeting the parties considered the ways of
the Karabakh conflict settlement.
According to the information DE FACTO received at the RA MFA press
service, the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs Steven Mann (the U.S.), Bernard
Fassier (France) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) had also participated
in the meeting. After the negotiations Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar
Mammadyarov proceeded with the talks in a separate format.
The meeting’s goal is to prepare a visit of the Deputy FMs of the U.S.,
France and Russia, the countries that co-chair the OSCE Minsk group,
to the conflict region late May. In the course of the meeting the
principles and approaches to the Karabakh conflict settlement were
discussed. The Armenian party gives positive estimate to the meeting,
though there still remain unsettled issues.

SURPRISING ENTRIES ADVANCE IN EUROVISION SONG CONTEST
Christine Pirovolakis, dpa
Deutsche Presse-Agentur
May 18, 2006 Thursday 11:11 PM EST
Amid a cluster of ancient Greek gods, Spartan warriors and mythical
creatures, musicians from 23 countries battled it out for a place in
Saturday’s main Eurovision 2006 Song Contest in Athens.
Competing for 10 places for the main event in the former Olympic city,
Russia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania, Finland, Ukraine,
Ireland, Sweden, Turkey and Armenia made the cut after a public text
and telephone vote.
Ranging from pop to ethnic music to rock, the winning acts for the
semi-finals included a wide assortment of genres, including Belfast-
born singer Brain Kennedy’s soft, heartfelt ballad with soaring vocals
and a simple arrangement.
Russia’s Dima Bilan performed a modern pop song with a serious edge,
while Sweden’s Carola’s Invincible was an anthemic production that
started slow and built to a thumping chorus.
Again this year, Eurovision is producing its fair share of controversy
and extreme behaviour.
Among the more unusual and surprising bands to advance to the finals
were controversial Finnish heavy metal band Lordi, whose act features
gruesome masks, armour and jets of flame.
“We are so satisfied – imagine a band that look’s like us can reach
the finals in a song festival like this,” said Lordi’s lead singer
during a press conference.
Other unexpected winners also included Lithuania’s Lt United with
their title We are the winners, as well as Turkey and Armenia, the
latter competing for the first time in Eurovision.
Hosts Greece, nine top-scoring nations from last year’s contest and
four major countries have automatic berths in the final: Switzerland,
Moldova, Israel, Latvia, Norway, Spain, Malta, Germany, Denmark,
Romania, United Kingdom, France, Croatia and Greece.
France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom qualify automatically
as the four most populous countries in the event.
Eager to entertain the more than 10,000 fans in the Olympic Basketball
stadium in Athens and the more than 100 million people who tuned in to
the event from 40 countries, dancers dressed-up as Zeus and Aphrodite,
the Greek goddess of love, took to the stage singing past Eurovision
hits Volare and Diva.
The show’s choreographer, Fokas Evagelinos, said he wanted to inject
a dose of humour while also showcasing Greek culture in the event.
Still basking in the glory of the 2004 Olympics, when they impressed
audiences by bringing the history and authenticity of the event back
to its homeland, organizers have spared no expense for Eurovision.
Athens won the right to host the event after Helena Paparizou triumphed
last year in Kiev with her song My Number One.
This year, Greece’s ancient capital and its 5 million people have
embraced the contest with even greater enthusiasm than the Olympic
Games. With the necessary infrastructure from stadiums to transport
already in place, Athenians are confident of Eurovision success.
Anna Vissi will be battling it out to score yet another win for Greece
with Everything, a ballsy, heartfelt rock ballad about the breakup
of a relationship.
Despite being described as a showcase of kitsch, Eurovision is one
of the most watched television programmes in the world, and the
competition has served as a springboard for such international stars
as Abba and Celine Dion.

ANOTHER ACCIDENT
A1+
[01:08 pm] 19 May, 2006
At night of May 18 a bronze car of brand “Infinity” with state
numbers 90LO200 burned in the yard of the house N1 on Yekmalyan street,
Yerevan. It was registered by the name of Alexander Vardanov, executive
director of “ArmEconomBank” but was used by a woman of about 25-30
named Gayane. The site of the fire is an elitist building built by
businessman Mika Baghdasarov. Let us inform you that Mika Baghdasarov
is also stockholder of “ArmEconomBank” and owner of “Armavia” the
two planes of which were destroyed recently.
The fire brigade received the alarm at 02:03 AM, and at 02:14 the
fire was put out. We received the information from the information
service of the Emergency Administration. Besides this, they also knew
that the wheels and the left back part of the car had burned and that
it belonged to someone by the name A. Vardanov.
One thing strange about the case is that yesterday it was not included
in the police statements. The representatives of the corresponding
police service learned about the arson of the car from us.
After the fire had been put out Gayane who uses the car informed
those gathered that it belongs to his grandfather.
According to the friends of the woman, leakage of petrol took place in
the back of the car which resulted in the fire. There had been about
20 liters of petrol in the car. But eyewitnesses give evidence that
the fire was result of external interference, as some of the wheels
were destroyed by explosion, not by fire.
According to the Rescue service, the case is being investigated by
experts, and conclusion will be drawn days later. The police service
does not give any information about initiating a criminal case.
You learn about the details of the accident in today’s issue of the
newspaper “Ayb-Fe”.

ANGRY SCENES AS FRENCH PARLIAMENT SHELVES VOTE ON ARMENIAN ‘GENOCIDE’
Agence France Presse — English
May 18, 2006 Thursday 12:14 PM GMT
PARIS, May 18 2006
Angry scenes broke out in the French National Assembly on Thursday
after lawmakers were forced to call off a vote on a bill that would
make it a punishable offence to deny the Armenian “genocide”.
Debate on the opposition bill — which has sparked a diplomatic row
between France and Turkey — started late, and the time allocated
for its discussion ran out before a vote could take place.
Shouts filled the assembly as the bill’s supporters accused members
of the ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) of stalling debate.
Dozens of lawmakers — angrily yelling “Vote! Vote!” — had to be
evacuated from the building after the leader of the assembly declared
the session closed.
Earlier Foreign Minister Douste-Blazy came out openly against the bill,
which follows on from a 2001 French law officially recognising the
Turkish massacres of Armenians at the end of World War I as genocide.
“If adopted, this text would be seen as an unfriendly gesture by the
great majority of the Turkish people,” he told lawmakers, warning
its adoption would have “serious political consequences and weaken
our position not only in Turkey but across the entire region.”
If approved, the bill would allow up to five years in prison and a
fine of 45,000 euros (57,000 dollars) for denying that Turkish troops
committed genocide against the Armenians.
The same punishment is on the statute books for people who deny that
the Jewish Holocaust took place.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan — backed by Turkish
business leaders and unions — appealed this month to France to block
the contentious new bill, warning of the threat to bilateral relations.
While the 2001 law was passed when the Socialist Party had a majority
in the National Assembly, the new bill could pass only with support
from ruling party deputies.
The UMP said its members had a free vote — raising the prospect that
a number of lawmakers could have voted for the text.