Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

FAMILIES OF TU-154 PLANE CRASH VICTIMS TO RECEIVE 32 THOUSAND EURO INSURANCE PAYMENT EACH

Noyan Tapan
July 17, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. At the beggining of the July 16 sitting,
the members of the Armenian government observed a minute of silence
in memory of those who died in the crash of Tu-154 plane bound for
Yerevan from Tehran on July 15.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said that by instruction of the Armenian
president, an operative staff was set up. It is headed by Deputy Prime
Minister Armen Gevorgian and has already held several sittings with
the aim of dealing with issues related to transportation of victims’
relatives to the crash site, funeral expenses, provision of insurance
payments, etc.

Head of the Civil Aviation Department Artyom Movsesian announced
that the list of the passengers on board the crashed plane has been
completely clarified: there were 36 Armenians on board, including 5
Armenian citizens: 3 passengers and 2 aircraft mechanics. The plane
was carrying 4 children, one of whom was an Armenian. Two of the
plane’s three black boxes have already been recovered and sent to
Tehran. According to A. Movsesian, if the black boxes are not damaged,
they will be analyzed in Iran, while in case of being damaged, they
will be sent to an expert group in Moscow for analysis.

He said that in connection with the crash 11 commissions have been
formed in Tehran. Besides, cooperation has been established with
the Interstate Aviation Committee. A. Movsesian stated that Armenia
is ready to provide assistance as the country’s civil aviation
has highly-qualified staff with considerable experience of Tu-154
aircraft operation.

A. Movsesian said that a special plane would come from Iran to Armenia
on the same day to carry victims’ relatives – 51 people to Tehran. In
his words, Caspian Airlines which operated the flight will cover
all the expenses on the funerals of the crash victims. The airline
intends to give an insurance payment of 32 thousand euros to each
victim’s family. For some persons, this payment will amount to 42
thousand euros.

ARFD: MADRID PRINCIPLES JEOPARDIZE REGIONAL PEACE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.07.2009 22:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the threshold of Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting, ARF
Dashnaktsutyun addressed a letter to the RA President to express its
deepest disappointment with the OSCE Minsk Group, whose Co-chairs
compel Armenia to unilateral concessions.

"Madrid Principles jeopardize regional peace," the ARFD said.

The resolution adopted during All-Armenian conference in Stepanakert
was also attached to the letter.

FRANCE EXPRESSES SYMPATHY TO THE PEOPLES AND AUTHORITIES OF ARMENIA AND IRAN

armradio.am
16.07.2009 15:08

The Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of France issued a
statement on the occasion of the crash of the Iranian plane en route
to Yerevan. The statement reads:

"We were shocked to learn of this accident involving a plane on the
Tehran-Yerevan route which, according to initial reports, has resulted
in a very large number of casualties.

In these painful circumstances, France extends its sincere condolences
to the victims’ families and close friends and expresses its heartfelt
sympathy to the Iranian and Armenian peoples and authorities."

EXPLOSION CONSIDERED ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS OF THE TU-154 AIRPLANE CRASH

ARMENPRESS
July 16, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 16, ARMENPRESS: In Iran explosion is considered to be
one of the main reasons of the crash of the TU-154 aircraft of the
Iranian Caspian Airlines.

Consultant to the Embassy of Iran to Russia Said Adinelu told "L!FE.ru"
that according to the preliminary data there was an explosion in the
plane, but other hypotheses are also checked.

According to the manager of the Tehran airport Ahmed Momen during the
last conversation with the pilot everything was normal; no technical
fault was registered. According to the witnesses the aircraft broke
into pieces directly in the air. Parts of the airplane which were
scattered over 200 square meters of territory, burnt on the ground.

The airplane was exploited 22 years ago in 1987. At the beginning
of 2008 the Caspian Airlines had 4 airplanes, 1 MD-82 rented from
Ukrainian "Khors" airlines and 3 TU-154.

ARFD: ARMENIA SHOULD RECONSIDER ITS FOREIGN POLICY

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.07.2009 20:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The latest developments in Karabakh process arouse
serious concerns about Armenia’s national interests, the Supreme
Body of Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun said in
a statement.

"A severe divergence from the Armenian national security doctrine is
observed. Armenia fails to act as the guarantor of Nagorno Karabakh
people’s security. International recognition of the Armenian Genocide
is being blocked," the statement said.

"Armenia should reconsider its foreign policy until it’s too late… We
are hopeful that the RA President will not sign any document and spare
no effort to bring Artsakh back to the negotiation process," it said.

ARF Dashnaktsutyun also urged resignation of Armenian Minister of
Foreign Affairs.

ARF CALLS FOR NALBANDIAN’S RESIGNATION

Yerkir
Jul 16th, 2009

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme
Council of Armenia on Thursday issued an announcement calling for the
resignation of Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, saying
"Armenia’s foreign policy has deviated from the main provisions of
its national security strategy."

"For the purpose of eliminating the negative consequences that have
emerged in the foreign policy domain and restoring the national-state
course, we demand the resignation of Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, who is immediately responsible for the sphere," said
ARF Supreme Council of Armenia chairman Armen Rustamian at a press
conference Thursday.

The ARF Supreme Council of Armenia has called for foresight and
political will from the governments of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic to work in tandem to secure "our place and capabilities in
the region."

"We anticipate that the Armenian President will not sign any document
that will ignore the will of the Karabakh people, which has already
been expressed through two referendums, and will make every effort
to bring the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic into the negotiations as a
full party to the conflict," said the statement.

"If, God forbid, such a document is signed, our struggle will receive
a completely different nature," said Rustamian adding that the20ARF
has "repeatedly said that no matter who the incumbent president is,
we will oppose such a policy with all available constitutional means,
including by demanding [the president’s] resignation."

"The president still has an opportunity to make a drastic change in
the situation and, most importantly, not to sign the document that
is being proposed today," he said.

Rustamian also said that while Armenia’s recognition of Karabakh’s
independence was always a priority, the time had come for Armenia and
Karabakh to sign a strategic political agreement, whereby Armenia is
clearly identified as the guarantor of Karabakh’s security, calling
it a "serious step."

Rustamian also announced that the ARF had addressed letters to
the ambassadors of the United States, France and Russia to Armenia
informing them of "the deepest disappointment of Armenians around
the world with the unjustified and groundless pressure of the
Minsk Group co-chairing countries on Armenia for the purpose of
imposing unilateral and dangerous concessions in the issue of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

The ARF asserted that "the concessions will imperil the security
of Armenia, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and the Armenian people;
increase the prospects of renewed Azeri aggression; and undermine
the ability of the parties to the conflict to reach a truly lasting
and durable peace."

GUESTS FROM ARMENIA TO BE GIVEN FLOWERS AND TO BE SERVED DURING ARMENIA-TURKEY FOOTBALL MATCH IN KESARIA

NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY
JULY 15, 2009
ISTANBUL

ISTANBUL, JULY 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia-Turkey
football match to be held in October is being prepared in Kesaria. On
this occasion 70 thousand pinks are envisaged to decorate the sports
ground.

The Marmara daily reports referring to the Turkish Sabah daily that
besides the 70 thousand pinks, the families of Kesaria are going to
receive and serve the Armenian team fans, who will arrive in Kesaria
to watch the competition. A Hospitality Club will be also opened.

The football match will take place at a newly built, modern Kadir
Has sports ground. The chairman of Florists Union Erengul said that
the sports ground will be decorated like a bride, each woman fan of
Armenian team will be given a rose and the men will be given a pink
or any other flower. "We should express our love and open-mindedness
with flowers," Erengul said. And the football players and those
accompanying will be given bouquets.

It is mentioned that the goal of these events is the rapprochement
of Armenians and Turks.

ANCA DENOUNCES MINSK GROUP PRESSURE TO SECURE UNILATERAL ARMENIAN CONCESSIONS IN KARABAGH TALKS

armradio.am
15.07.2009 13:19

Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian
expressed "profound disappointment" at the unreasonable pressure being
applied by the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) Minsk Group Co-Chairs, which could threaten the viability of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh.

The concern was expressed in a July 14, 2009, letter to President
Obama, where Hachikian noted that the Minsk Group’s "heavy handed"
approach to secure unilateral and dangerous concessions by Armenians
regarding the Nagorno Karabagh conflict would "imperil the security
of Armenia, the Nagorno Karabagh Republic (NKR) and the Armenian
people; increase the prospects of renewed Azerbaijani aggression;
and undermine the ability of the actual parties to this conflict to
reach a truly lasting and durable peace."

Hachikian went on to argue that the Nagorno Karabagh Republic’s
participation in the peace process is fundamental to the success
of the endeavor. "As a direct party to this conflict, the primary
victim of Azerbaijan’s aggression, and a full stakeholder in the
search for regional peace, the Nagorno Karabagh Republic must be
a full and equal participant in all aspects of the peace process,"
explained Hachikian. Similar concerns were addressed in letters sent
to French Ambassador to the U.S. Pierre Vimont and Russian Federation
Ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The ANCA has also initiated a letter writing campaign to President
Obama and the State Department as well as the Embassies of France
and Russia in the U.S. encouraging Armenian Americans and human
rights activists to express their thoughts to Minsk Group Co-Chair
country leaders.

The effort reflects worldwide Armenian apprehension following a
July 10 statement issued by U.S. President Barack Obama, French
President Nikolas Sarkozy and Russian Federation President Dmitry
Medvedev calling on Armenia and Azerbaijan to "to resolve the few
differences remaining between them" based on an updated version of
the "Basic Principles" advanced by the co-chairs in the November 2007
Madrid Document.

BULGARIAN, CROATIAN OFFICIALS, BUSINESSMEN EXPECTED TO TRAVEL TO ARMENIA SOON

ARKA
July 13, 2009

YEREVAN, July 13. /ARKA/. Bulgarian and Croatian officials and
businessmen are expected to visit Armenia in the coming fall at
the invitation of Gagik Tsarukyan, prominent Armenian businessman,
chairman of Multi Group Concern.

His spokesman, Khachik Galstyan, speaking at a press conference on
Monday, said that Croatian businessmen are expected to come to Armenia
in September for discussing joint business programs and some proposals.

Galstyan said that that the Bulgarian delegation’s trip to Armenia
is scheduled for October.

He said that Gagik Tsarukyan make every effort to find new markets
instead of many traditional outlets closed because of the global
crisis.

TURKEY WELCOMES MINSK GROUP’S KARABAKH STATEMENT

Hurriyet/Turkish Daily News
July 13 2009
Turkey

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has welcomed a joint statement from the
United States, France and Russia as the co-chairmen of OSCE’s Minsk
Group on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

In a statement released from the Group of Eight summit in Italy on
Friday, the United States, France and Russia called for the leaders
of Armenia and Azerbaijan to settle a long-running row over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region. The three countries said they "affirm our
commitment" to efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize "the
basic principles for the settlement" of the conflict.

A day after the so-called Minsk Group’s statement, the Turkish Foreign
Ministry said the joint statement referred to the "basic principles
for the settlement of the Karabakh problem" submitted to Armenia and
Azerbaijan on November 2007 in Madrid, noting that "the principles
in question formed a whole, reflecting the stances of both parties."

"The parties should assume a constructive approach and consider the
importance given to the matter by the co-chairmen. Both Azerbaijan
and Armenia should achieve a final solution in this conflict, which
continues to be a bleeding wound for the south Caucasus region,"
the Anatolia news agency quoted the ministry’s statement as saying.

Border issue:

Nagorno-Karabakh is an enclave in Azerbaijan that has been under the
control of ethnic Armenian forces since a six-year conflict that
killed about 30,000 people and displaced 1 million before a truce
was reached in 1994.

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of Azerbaijan
during its conflict with Armenia. Mediators from the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, who have been monitoring
peacemaking efforts, had reported in early May that they saw signs
of progress.

As peace efforts in the South Caucasus intensify, Armenia has
reaffirmed it wants to restore ties with Turkey and open its borders
without any preconditions.

The statement came from Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian,
who spoke at a joint news conference with U.S. Deputy Secretary of
State James Steinberg, Armenian dailies reported. "As it was previously
said, Armenia is ready to normalize relations with Turkey without any
preconditions," he said. "Now we are waiting for a response from the
Turkish side."