AZG Armenian Daily #084, 07/05/2006
Crash
A MONUMENT IN SOCHI TO A320 VICTIMS
As the friends and relatives of 113 victims of
Armenian jet crash 3 mourn, they want to see a
monument symbolizing this horrible tragedy in Sochi.
“At request of the relatives of the perished, it was
decided to erect a monument to the crash victims,”
Igor Levitin, Russia~Rs transport minister, was quoted
as saying by the Russian mass media.
Ilham Aliyev: nothing new can be proposed on the Nagorno-Karabakh issue
settlement
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11:37 05/06/2006
“All possible ways of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement have already
been considered,” President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stated on May
5 in Baku, Trend News Agency informs.
According to Aliyev, “at present, the Co-Chairs are intensively
consulting each other and considering various conflict resolution
options. And it’s possible that some novelties will appear.”
“I don’t believe that any new proposal may be put forward to solve
the issue. Some of the proposals which are being discussed could
be adjusted. I do not rule that out. If that is the case, it could
facilitate resolving theissue,”
Ilham Aliyev added.
According to the Azerbaijani President, his country’s position remains
unchanged. “We advocate application of international legal norms,
and a single standard should be used in this case,” Ilham Aliyev added.
NKR leader denies rumours of changes in Karabakh government
Ayots Ashkhar, Yerevan
6 May 06 p 5
Text of Lilit Pogosyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Ayots Ashkhar
on 6 May headlined “The potential of the diaspora is not used in full”
An interview with the president of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic,
Arkadiy Gukasyan.
[Ayots Ashkhar correspondent] Mr President, are you pleased with the
work of the Ayastan All-Armenian Foundation and how do you assess
the effectiveness of the work carried out within the framework of
the Revival of Artsakh [Karabakh] programme?
[Arkadiy Gukasyan] I am pleased and displeased at the same time. I
am displeased because expectations are always greater. I am sure
that the diaspora and its powerful organizations could have given
greater support to Karabakh. What’s more, I think that we really have
a problem with the quality of our work. I think that the foundation
should exercise stricter control over the work that has been carried
out. But in general, our programmes are continuing and we hope that
the quality of our work will improve year by year.
[Correspondent] Do you think it necessary to replace the leadership
of the foundation?
[Gukasyan] It is up to the council of trustees. I cannot raise such
a problem. I think such a problem exists and it should be solved.
[Correspondent] Mr Gukasyan, has a national tax idea been instilled in
our society so that every year every Armenian donates a small amount
of money for the implementation of pan-national goals?
[Gukasyan] The national tax idea has always been discussed. I think it
is possible. I think we need authoritative people who would explain
the national tax idea to our compatriots from the diaspora and to
Armenians of Armenia and Karabakh. If they understand it, I am sure
the idea will come true.
[Correspondent] Rumours have it that radical changes will take place
in the government of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic.
[Gukasyan] Such rumours are simply ridiculous, first of all because
they do not come from Karabakh. There is no such problem on our
agenda today.
[Correspondent] There was a commentary on [Azerbaijani President Ilham]
Aliyev’s visit to Washington saying that Aliyev became a political
star because he passed messages from Iran to America and back and
that he will “swallow” Karabakh soon.
[Gukasyan] I can suppose that some people want that. Or maybe Aliyev
himself wants to present the situation in this way. I do not think it
is worth taking these rumours seriously. As for the Karabakh conflict,
you know that the talks are continuing although I do not think that
we have come closer to a final settlement of the conflict.
[Correspondent] But there is a view that in July the parties will
be forced to sign a preliminary agreement on the main principles of
the settlement.
[Gukasyan] I have also heard such rumours. Of course, we do not rule
everything out and we want a compromise acceptable to everybody to be
found as soon as possible. But nobody can say if it will be in July,
August or February.
You know that the negotiating process is moving forward slowly. There
are many participants in that process and their interests do not
always coincide because every party has its own position, and it is
really difficult to combine everyone’s interests and expectations.
GEORGIA TO TAKE PART IN ARMENIAN PLANE CRASH PROBE
ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 4 2006
TBILISI, May 4 (Itar-Tass) – Investigators from the Armenian Prosecutor
General’s Office agreed to participation of Georgian specialists
in the probe into the Airbus A-320 crash near Sochi, head of the
Gruzavianavigatsiya company Georgy Karbelashvili told.
The Georgian aviation service offered “cooperation to the group of
investigators from the Armenian Prosecutor General’s Office in the
plane crash probe, and received support in this issue,” Karbelashvili
said.
He said Georgia “will hand over all the available materials to the
investigation commission – the radiogram of the A-320 flight, the audio
recording of talks between the Georgian air traffic controller and
the plane crew and other materials necessary for the investigation.”
The head of Gruzavianavigatsiya met with the Armenian investigators
in Tbilisi earlier on Thursday.
There were 113 people on board the plane that met with an accident
on the approach to Sochi on May 3. As of now, 53 bodies have been
identified, including those of a crewmember and an airhostess.
According to the information of the Russian Foreign Ministry, 26
victims had Russian citizenship. There was a Ukrainian woman and a
Georgian man among the passengers, spokeswoman for the prosecutor’s
office of the Krasnodar territory Yulia Vlasova told Tass, which was
confirmed by the Ukrainian and Georgian embassies in Moscow.
RESOURCES FOR REVELATION AND VIDEOING AZERBAIJANI CEMETERIES AND MONUMENTS IN ARMENIA AND ARTSAKH ALLOCATED
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 04 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. In accordance with the
May 4 decision of RA Government, 2 mln 308 thousand drams (5100 USD)
was allocated to RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs for the
purpose of revelation of Azerbaijani cemeteries and historic-cultural
monuments preserved in territories of RA and Artsakh, for marking the
place of their location and for videoing and photographing them. Noyan
Tapan was informed about it from RA Government Information and Public
Relations Department.
AIRCRAFT HAS UNDERGONE TECHNICAL INSPECTION IN APRIL 2006
Panorama.am
16:43 03/05/06
The Press-secretary of the State Department of Civil Aviation of
Armenia Gayane Davtyan dismissed the rumors about A-320 aircraft being
in a pure technical condition reports correspondent of “Panorama” from
Zvartnots airport. The information that the aircraft was completely
worn out was spread by a number of Russian media sources.
Let us remind that during the emergency press briefing chief of the
Department of Civil Aviation of Armenian Artem Movsisyan announced that
in opinion of Airport technical maintenance group the aircraft , was
in good technical condition and was completely ready for flight. The
similar opinion was expressed by the Sabena-Tekhnik Company that
is performing technical maintenance of the A-320 Aircrafts for the
“Armavia” Co. Besides, the health and professional qualifications
of the plane crew corresponded to the required standards. Airplane
passed technical examination in April, The flight Yerevan-Sochi that
was supposed to depart on 16:00 p.m. Yerevan time is postponed for
unknown period The numbers of catastrophe victims relatives arriving
to the Zvartnots airport increases since each minute, and it is surely
possible that two airplanes f shall depart to Sochi by the end of the
day : one with journalists and the other with victims relatives. At
present they are rendered medical and psychological assistance.
According to our sources in spite of the fact that Zvartnoc airport
functioned in its usual mode, passengers of several other flights
began turning back their tickets.
OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS SET UP CONSULTATIONS IN MOSCOW
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
May 2 2006
OSE Minsk Group co-chairs started consultations on the peaceable
resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Moscow on 2 May, Russian
Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, told Trend.
The co-chairs from France, Russia and the United States, as well
as special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office, Andjey Caspzyk
are discussing the current stage of negotiation process and further
steps. The mediators will also mull the aspects of the next visit to
the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Earlier the co-chairs stated that after the Moscow consultations they
plan to tour Armenia and Azerbaijan.
FLORIDA GOVERNOR JEB BUSH RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Yerevan, May 2. ArmInfo. The brother of US President George Bush,
the Governor of Florida Jeb Bush has designated Apr 24 as Armenian
Martyrs Day, reports Hurriyet.
In his official proclamation Jeb Bush says that “the Ottoman Turks were
responsible for a mass extermination of an estimated one and a half
million Armenians that began Apr 24, 1915 and continued until 1923.”
The source also reminds that earlier the Governor of California Arnold
Schwarzenegger proclaimed Apr 24-29 as Week of Remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide.
Meanwhile, US President George Bush has not to date used the word
“genocide” in his statements despite huge pressure on him.
DAVIS: KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MEETS INTERESTS OF THE WHOLE WORLD
Yerkir.am
April 28, 2006
CoE Secretary General Terry Davis stated he closely watches everything
what happens over the Nagorno Karabakh problem. “It’s regretful that
the problem resolution takes so much time, since the settlement is in
the interests of Armenia, Azerbaijan and especially Nagorno Karabakh,”
the CoE Sec.Gen. said.
When asked about the possibility of regional cooperation before the
settlement of the conflicts available. Mr. Davis said “cooperation is
always possible however the existence of conflicts limits its volume
and level.” When commenting on the CoE’s engagement in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement Terry Davis said, “The OSCE Minsk Group plays a
leading role in the process.
I sincerely wish success to the Russian, American and French
Co-chairs. The conflict settlement meets the interests of the whole
world. But as I have already said, the leading role belongs to the
OSCE but not to the Council of Europe,” reported Mediamax.
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 28 2006
IMF SATISFIED WITH ARMENIA’S BASIC MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS
YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA/. The IMF is satisfied with Armenia’s basic
macroeconomic indicators, the IMF permanent representative in Armenia
James McHugh stated during the presentation of the book “Growth and
Reduction of Poverty in Armenia. Achievements and Challenges”.
“Last time the IMF council discussed Armenia’s macroeconomic
indicators in December and gave positive evaluations, stating that
the country carries out a rather circumspect tax and budget policy
and system reforms,” he said. According to him, the IMF expects high
rates of economic growth in 2006 as well.
He pointed out that rather high economic indicators were recorded in
Armenia over the last two years. In particular, the economic growth
amounted to 13.9% in 2005 versus 6% in 2000, the inflation was left
below 3%, the budget was well-consolidated, and foreign debt factors,
testifying to foreign vulnerability considerably decreased.
McHugh said that the deficit of the account current, which is now 5%
of GDP, was considerably reduced. R.O. –0–