Author: Toganian Liana

THEIR FACES ARE THEY TICKETS

Lragir.am
26 May 06

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation does not have shortage of
members, said Hrair Karapetyan, ARF, on May 26. For the forced
affiliation of school teachers with the Republican Party, Hrair
Karapetyan said it is unacceptable to force people to join a party.
He only stated that Dashnaktsutiun took up the portfolio of education
and science but it is not likely to force teachers become members of
Dashnaktsutiun.

`Levon Mkrtichyan has already occupied the post of the minister
ofeducation and culture, but nothing of the kind would ever happen. If
we had wanted to do, we could have done it last time. People would
learn and write about it,’ says Hrair Karapetyan. He says
Dashnaktsutiun does not have shortage of members, and they accept only
one out of one hundred applicants. Hrair Karapetyan says they do not
even give tickets to ARF members. `Their faces are their tickets,’
jokes Hrair Karapetyan.

FRENCH PROVINCE OF VENDEE TO SUPPORT ARMENIA IN SPHERES OF VILLAGE
TOURISM, AGRICULTURAL RECULTIVATING AND STUDENTS’ RETRAINING

YEREVAN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. During the visit of the delegation of
the French province of Vendee to Armenia (May 20-25), development
programs of village tourism, recultivating of agricultural products
and student’s retraining were discussed. Doninique Souchet, the
General Councelor, President of the Commission of the International
Cooperation Action in the spheres of culture, economy and tourism
announced about it during the May 24 press conference. The visit was
organized by the Armenian Development Agency together the
Franco-Armenian Gi2A organization. According to D.Souchet, Armenia has
a great potential to develop the village tourism, and the French
province of Vendee which receives 5 million tourists annually (the
second index in France) will support its implementation. As he stated,
the province which is also a leader in the agricultural recultivation
field has undertaken the readiness of supporting the Armenian
enterprises recultivating beef and poultry. It was mentioned that
already starting this year, the students of the French University in
Armenia will be retrained in big enterprises of Vendee. According to
D. Souchet, the enterpreneurs of the province can get acquainted with
the pecuilarities of the Armenian markets and markets of other CIS
countries by associating with the Armenian students. According to
D.Souchet, programs of economic cooperation between Armenia and Vendee
as well as programs of possible investments of the enterpreneurs of
that French province in Armenia will be discussed during the planned
mutual visits, exhibitions of productions of both sides in Vendee and
Armenia and during the business forums. As he states, in Vendee the
first exhibition of Armenian products is planned to be organized
during Year of Armenia in France.

GEVORG GEVORGIAN FEELS SORRY FOR LEAVING “HAYFILM” FILM STUDIO

Noyan Tapan
May 23 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. “I already feel sorry now for I left the
“Hayfilm” film studio then,” Gevorg Gevorgian, already the former
RA Minister of Culture and Youth Issues said in the interview to
journalists on May 23.

According to him, he thought then that working at the Ministry is
a more important mission. “It was not important for me which party
nominated me or which party’s portfolio it was. It was not important
for me which party’s proposal it was, it was important for me what I
wanted to do and I wished to do it. And if it was necessary to work
for the country, it was already a minor issue for me,” G.Gevorgian
emphasized. To recap, before having been appointed the Minister, Gevorg
Gevorgian was the Director of the “Hayfilm” studio. He officiated as
the Minister of Culture and Youth Issues less than 100 days.

LACK OF FUEL MOST PROBABLE CAUSE OF A-320 COLLAPSE

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.05.2006 18:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The most probable cause of collapse of A-320
airplane of Armavia Armenian company near Sochi is lack of fuel,
reports a source, close to the commission for investigation of the
crash. Owing to extreme lack of fuel and the plane flying under a big
angle of attack before landing, there could be formed an air-lock,
which prevented fuel access to engines.

“According to preliminary data, A-320 had the last phase of the flight
with minimal fuel aboard. The fuel level dropped further when coming
in land,” a specialist said. In his words, this could have caused
surge of both engines, Interfax reports.

On the night of May 3 a Yerevan-Sochi flight of Armavia airlines
crashed in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport killing all of
113 passengers, including 6 children and 8 members of the crew. Among
them were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and one Georgian citizen,
while the rest were Armenian citizens.

EARTHQUAKE WAS REGISTERED IN ARMENIA AT 8:17

ArmRadio.am
24.05.2006 11:53

At 8:17 this morning an earthquake was registered on the territory of
Armenia. The National Seismic Security Service told “Arminfo” that
the 3.4 magnitude earthquake was registered 20 km to the South-West
of Tashir city. The strength reached 4-5 points at the epicenter. The
quake was felt also in Zuygaghbyur and Nalband villages, as well as
in Vanadzor and Gyumri cities.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED VAYOTS DZOR MARZPET

ArmRadio.am
24.05.2006 13:56

The results of the works carried out last year in Vayots Dzor marz
and the current deeds were discussed today during President Robert
Kocharyan’s meeting with Marzpet Samvel Sargsyan.

The parties turned to the issue of continuing the evacuation of the
residents of settlements under the threat of landslide and rockfall,
and spoke about the necessity of allocating money from the 2007 state
budget for this purpose.

The interlocutors discussed issues related to compensation for the
technical and natural disasters the marz suffered, the full reoperation
of Yeghegnadzor cannery and restoration of the irrigation system.

The Marzpet informed that the first of the two water pipelines will
be ready in June, the second one will be completed by the end of the
year. These will provide the opportunity to irrigate 7 000 hectares
of land.

Turning to the execution of the community budget, the Marzpet said
that the own revenues totaled 92 percent in 2005, and the communities
are already implementing development programs.

ACCORDING TO ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN, ARTASHES GEGHAMIAN RECEIVES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM SERGE SARGSIAN THROUGH “SHADOW CHANNELS”

Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. “During the 2003 presidential elections,
the Orinats Yerkir Party straightforwardly endorced Robert Kocahrian’s
candidature both at the first and second rounds, unlike some leaders,
who left the opposition camp after the first round, because if they
had not left this camp, there would have been quite a different
political situation in Armenia,” the OYP leader Artur Baghdasarian
stated at at the May 22 sitting of the RA National Assembly. On
the same day, he sent in his resignation from the post of the NA
speaker. His statement was addressed to the leader of the National
Unity party and faction Artashes Geghamian, who repeatedly expressed
his suspicions in public, saying that the fact that Artur Baghdasarian
does not criticize President Robert Kocharian and Defence Minister
Serge Sargsian shows that the latest OYP-related developments are a
result of agreement reached with the authorities and a mere play. In
this connection, A. Baghdasarian also said that the National Unity
“receives direct financial assistance through shadow channels from
Defence Minister Serge Sargsian.” In his words, one can hardly point
out an instance when he or his party criticized the National Unity
or its leader Artashes Geghamian. He said that there are numerous
facts, and particularly the matter concerns absence of the NU durig
discussions of issues of importance to the people, whereas, according
to him, the UN publicly voices “personalized, trageted criticism”,
not doing anything else. A. Baghsdasarian noted that personally to
him, the recent developments within his party were “a great human
tragedy”. “If it is a game for some people, my answer is: may the
same game happen to you and your kins,” he said in resentment. Artur
Baghdasarian also expressed his surpise that they have met such a
hostile reception of the opposition.

Panorama.am

20:29 19/05/06

FAIR LOOK TO CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES

`You can overcome all difficulties because, unlike children who were
brought up in wealthy families, you are more persistent and
lively. You know life better,’ Alvard PETROSYAN, NA Deputy, former
head of Armenian Assistance Union (AAU) addressed to orphanage
graduates today in Tekeyan cultural center during a seminar `My
Right. ‘

Within the framework of state assistance program 56 orphanage
graduates will be provided with flats in different areas of the
republic. AAU selects the flats. They are purchased by Employment and
Social Affairs Ministry. /Panorama.am/

Agence France Presse — English
May 21, 2006 Sunday 1:11 AM GMT

Eurovision Song Contest final results

ATHENS, May 21 2006

Here are the full results from Saturday’s 51th annual Eurovision Song
Contest held in the Greek capital Athens. The scores were tallied on
a points system based on telephone and text voting in 35 countries,
with voters unable to vote for their home entrant.

The competition was won by Finnish heavy rockers Lordi

1 Finland – Lordi, group – 292 points

2 Russia – Dima Bilan, singer – 248

3 Bosnia-Hercegovina – Hari Mata Hari, singer – 229

4 Romania – Mihai Traistariu, singer – 172

5 Sweden – Carola, singer – 170

6 Lithuania – LT United, group – 162

7 Ukraine – Tina Karol, singer – 145

8 Armenia – Andre, singer – 129

9 Greece – Ana Vissi, singer – 128

10 Ireland – Brian Kennedy, singer – 93

11 Turkey – Sibel Tuzun, singer – 91

12 FYR of Macedonia – Elena Raniesteka, singer – 56

13 Croatia – Severina, singer – 56

14 Norway – Christine Guldbrandsen, singer – 36

15 Germany – Texas Lightning, group – 36

16 Latvia – Cosmos, group – 30

17 Switzerland – Six4one, group – 30

18 Denmark – Sidsel Ben Semmane, singer – 26

19 UK – Daz Sampson, singer – 25

20 Moldova – Arsenium, group – 22

21 Spain – Las Ketchup, group – 18

22 France – Virginie Pouchain, singer – 5

23 Israel – Eddie Butler, singer – 4

24 Malta – Fabrizio Fanielleo, singer – 1

Aero-News Network, FL
May 20 2006

After Accident And Fire, Armavia Fleet Now Back Up To Six Aircraft
Sat, 20 May ’06

Airline Takes Delivery Of Two Former Independence Air Planes
After suffering the loss of two of its aircraft earlier this month,
Armenian carrier Armavia’s fleet is once again back up to six
aircraft, with the airline’s acceptance of two A319s.

Armenian media reports state the second of the two A319s — that in
their past lives flew for now-defunct Independance Air — was
delivered to the airline Thursday. The leased A319s will replace the
A320 the carrier lost in a May 2 accident in the Black Sea that
claimed the lives of all 113 people onboard, and a second A320 that
burned in a Brussels hangar fire two days later.

PanARMENIAN.net reports the airline is also considering the purchase
of a new Airbus in the near future, as well as 50-70 passenger plane
produced “in the US” (which probably means a Canadian CRJ).

As it stands, Armavia now operates one A320 (above) and two A319s, as
well as a Yak 40, one Yak-42 and one IL-86. The airline flies over 60
regularly-scheduled flights per week, in 13 countries.

The airline states it does not operate any aircraft built before
2000.

FMI: