Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Armenpress

RA Prime Minister A. Margaryan’s Greetings Message on
the Occasion of the New Year and Christmas

YEREVAN, JANUARY 1, ARMENPRESS: Dear Compatriots
in Homeland, Diaspora, Artsakh and Javakhk,
Please accept my congratulations and best wishes
for a Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas. Soon the
clock will strike the last few seconds of the passing
year and the start of the new one. Let it be a year of
success and new achievements. Of course, independence
is the biggest acquisition for all of us, the 15th
anniversary of which we celebrated this year. I am
confident that during future such celebrations we will
be able to speak of ever greater achievements the
foundations of which are being formed and consolidated
today. The economic year was endowed with positive
indicators. The Government succeeded in meeting fully
and in due time, all the commitments assumed under the
State budget law, with at least 13% growth recorded by
the close of this fiscal year.
Social expenditures have gone up in parallel to
State budget’s growing capacity, and the year 2006
made no exception to the rule. A considerable increase
in budget allocations to the wage, pension, benefit
funds and to the spheres of education and health care
is envisaged for 2007, and this process will be
continued in the years ahead. Of course, there are
still many problems and unsettled issues, among which
the question of equal distribution of the GDP with the
view of lessening the gap between extreme poverty and
prosperity, the depth and consistency in the fight
against corruption, the winding up of the pace of
reform processes in a number of key areas with
enhanced efficiency in the implementation thereof.
Similarly important is that political life has been
free from any shakings this year. Parliamentary
elections are ahead of us and I am hopeful that all
the participants – public authorities, political
forces, civil society – will do everything to hold
them up to the mark.
It is a common rule to see the New Year in the
narrow circle of close relatives and friends by taking
a share in the joy of the holiday and exchanging best
wishes with festive spirits. I join these festive
wishes and, first of all, wish you peace for which our
people has paid a very high price, as well as
solidarity in the defiance of all internal and
external challenges, robust health, infinite love and
warmth in your homes coupled with a firm belief in the
future of our State.
A Happy New Year and a Merry Christmas!

AZERBAIJAN NOT TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE WINTER SESSION OF PACE

Today, Azerbaijan
Dec 27 2006

The issue concerning Azerbaijan has not been put in the PACE winter
session agenda.

Azerbaijani delegation member Gultekin Hajiyeva told APA that the
agenda of the winter session has been adopted.

"The issues concerning Armenian and Albanian commitments before the
PACE will be discussed at the session. The issues concerning nonuse of
energy for political purposes, children rights defense, commitments
before the organizations are the main topics of discussion at the
session," she said.

PACE Secretary General Terry Davis will answer the questions of the
organization members within the session. PACE winter session will be
held in Strasbourg, 22-26 January 2007.

URL:

10 MILLION FROM OPEC TO ARMENIA

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 27 2006

The board of the OPEC approved the 10 million dollars lending to
Armenia, stated the minister of agriculture of Armenia Davit Lokyan
on December 27. Davit Lokyan said the money will be spent on the
development of the agricultural infrastructures. In February the
project will be submitted with the National Assembly for approval. 10
million dollars will be lent for 20 years with a grace period of
5 years.

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN’S DEFENDERS APPEAL AGAINST DECISION OF COURT OF FIRST INSTANCE

Noyan Tapan
Dec 20 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2O, NOYAN TAPAN. Defenders of Zhirayr Sefilian,
the coordinator of the "In Defence of Liberated Territories" public
initiative presented an appeal to the RA Appeal Court on Criminal and
Military Cases on December 19 against the decision of the Court of
First Instance to choose arrest as precautionary measures. The Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed about it by Zh.Sefilian’s defender,
attorney Ara Zakarian. The defendant side asks to immediately make
a decision on setting free Zh.Sefilian.

DO YOU HAVE HEART REMORSE?

A1+
[05:24 pm] 19 December, 2006

The filling stations belonging to businessman Michael Baghdasarov
sell one-ton cement produced in their factory 12 000 AMD higher than
its cost price.

The representatives of "Mika-Cement" tried to persuade the State
Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition that it is
not superprofit.

"I have no connection with the cement sold in the filling stations. I
am the head of "Mika-Cement", announced Naira Martirosyan, director
of the company.

The latter didn’t want to accept the fact that when the cement having
28 000 AMD cost price is sold at 40 000 AMD, it is already superprofit.

Naira Martirosyan kept on complaining that their expenses have
increased as a result of gas price augment.

"Gas price increase has resulted in the increase of metals and spares",
she continued saying that Armenian cement is the cheapest and the
best in the whole region.

Mrs. Martirosyan claims that the cement of Ararat and Hrazdan plants
fully suffices the needs of interior market and is exported to Georgia
and Iran.

The State Commission for the Protection of Economic Competition
also referred to other cases when the heads of companies or
factories increased the prices of certain goods de facto without
any documentation.

For instance, the cost price of an egg is 32 dram, whereas its market
price is 71 dram. "Do you have heart remorse? Can the egg be sold
at such a high price in the country which exports eggs to other
countries", announced Mr. Shahnazaryan, head of the Commission.

ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT FUEL CRISIS IS OVER

Yerevan, December 18. ArmInfo. The Fuel crisis is over in Zvartnots
airport. It lasted a month and caused flight delays. The Airport press
service reported ArmInfo that Mika Limited provided the airport with
4 thsd t of aviation fuel on 16 November. For 4 years, the company
has been the fuel monopolist of Zvartnots.

Earlier, Mikhail Baghdassarov, President of Mika Limited, told
journalists delays with fuel supplies were caused by bad weather
and lack of transportation tanks that resulted in the force major
situation.

EUROPEAN REGIONAL ACADEMY FUND APPLIES TO APPEAL COURT AGAINST
DECISION OF FIRST INSTANCE COURT

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Regional Academy Fund
on December 14 applied to the RA Court of Appeal against the December
1 decision of the court of first instance, which satisfied the lawsuit
of the RA Ministry of Education and Science. The academy rector,
member of the Orinats Yerkir Party Victor Martirosian told NT
correspondent about it. To recap, the RA Ministry of Education and
Science applied to the court, contesting the legality of the current
board of the academy and the legality of election of the board rector.
The ministry considers the grounds for the academy’s creation as
false.

The minister Levon Mkrtchian said at a recent press conference that
all the foreign organizations presented as members of the academy’s
founding board have denied this fact. According to V. Martirosian, the
further stepts of the academy will depend on the decision of the RA
Court of Appeal. "I look at all this with a smile and I am sure
justice will triumph," he noted.

Russian Air Force receives first advanced bombers -1
12:01 | 15/ 12/ 2006

(Adds Air Force commander’s quotes, paragraphs 5-7)

MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s Air Force received Friday
its first two newly built Su-34 Fullback bombers.

Designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau, the Su-34 will replace the Su-24
Fencer frontline bombers. Experts said the new bomber has the
potential to become the best plane in its class for years to come.

A ceremonial handover of the Su-34s took place at the Chkalov Aircraft
Production Association in Novosibirsk, in West Siberia. In attendance
were Russia’s Air Force commander, Army General Vladimir Mikhailov,
and Sukhoi holding Director General Mikhail Pogosyan.

The $36 million Su-34 fighter-bomber is a two-seat strike aircraft
equipped with twin AL-31MF afterburning turbojet engines. It is
designed to deliver high-precision strikes on heavily defended targets
in any weather conditions, day or night, and fields weaponry that
includes a 30mm GSh-301 cannon, up to 12 Alamo or Archer AAMs, ASMs,
and bombs

Mikhailov said Russia’s Air Force needs about 200 Su-34s, which will
be on active duty in the next 30-40 years along with modernized
Su-24s, which are expected to be gradually replaced over the next 20
years.

"In all, we need about 200 [Su-34] aircraft," he said, "But at the
same time, we do not want to replace the modernized Su-24[M] in the
next two or three years, as the aircraft can be in service for 10-15
years. All of the Su-24s will be replaced with Su-34s in around 20
years."

The commander said the Su-34 has been modernized twice since the late
1980s, when it was designed, and will be further modernized after 10
years in service.

Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said earlier that Russia’s Air Force
will buy 58 Su-34s by 2015.

CE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS CONSIDERS KARABAKH REFERENDUM UNRECOGNIZABLE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 13 2006

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expressed its
concern over the so-called "constitutional referendum" held in Dec.10,
2006, in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
APA reports.

The Committee stressed that this act violates the relevant norms and
principlaes of international law, and interferes with an ongoing
peace process, The so-called "referendum" and its results shall
have no legal effect and any constitutional document envisaging a
self-rule for the population of the Nagorno Karabakh region can only
be elaborated through a legal, democratic and peaceful process with
full, equal and direct participation of the entire population of the
region consisting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities.

The statement points out that "constitutional referendum", organized
in Nagorno Karabakh will not be recognized by the Council of Europe.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH ADOPTS 1ST CONTROVERSIAL CONSTITUTION
TNA with RIA Novosti / Ankara

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Dec 12 2006

Azerbaijan’s disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh overwhelmingly
voted in favor of its first controversial constitution to reaffirm
the predominantly Armenian region’s independence from Azerbaijan,
the central election commission said Monday.

Nagorno-Karabakh residents voted Sunday in a referendum on the
republic’s constitution, which was rejected by Azerbaijan as having no
legal meaning. More than 100 international observers and journalists
from Russia, France, the United States, Italy, Israel, Serbia and
other countries monitored the referendum.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s leader Arkady Gukasian hailed the vote as a landmark
move that would "determine the Nagorno-Karabakh’s people destiny." He
insisted the vote would not jeopardize peace talks. "The passage of the
constitution will have a positive impact on talks," he told reporters.

According to preliminary results, "A total of 78,389 voters (87
percent) out of 89,044 eligible voters participated in the poll,
with 77,279 people, or 98.58 percent of the electorate, casting their
ballots in favor of the constitution, while 549 people or 0.7 percent
voted against it," said Sergei Nasibyan, the chairman of the Central
Election Commission.

Nasibyan said there was no voter turnout threshold at the referendum,
but according to the unrecognized republic’s legislation, at least
one-third of registered voters were required to vote in favor of the
constitution for it to be adopted.

"Dec. 10 can be regarded as Nagorno-Karabakh constitution day,"
Nasibyan said, adding that the commission will announce the
referendum’s final results tomorrow.

Nagorno-Karabakh is a region in Azerbaijan that has been under the
control of Armenian and ethnic-Armenian Karabakh forces since a 1994
cease-fire ended a six-year separatist war that killed about 30,000
people and drove about 1 million from their homes.

The region’s final status remains unresolved, and years of talks
under the auspices of international mediators have brought few
visible results.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Azeri population fled the conflict more
than a decade ago, and large numbers of them have lived as internally
displaced people since then.

In December 1991, Nagorno-Karabakh held a referendum in which ethnic
Armenian residents voted overwhelmingly for independence.

Masis Mailian, deputy foreign minister in the Nagorno-Karabakh
administration, said the constitution was essential to codify the
structure of its administration and citizens’ rights.

"It’s necessary to formalize the already existing foundations of
state system and relations between the state and its citizens,"
Mailian told The Associated Press.