GRAND INSURANCE TERMINATES ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FROM KILLED PASSENGERS’ RELATIVES
Armenpress
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Grand insurance company
terminated on June 18 acceptance of applications from the relatives
of passengers of an Armenian airliner that crashed in the Black Sea
on May 3 killing all 113 people aboard for payment of compensations.
Artak Antonian, Grand company’s executive manager, told Armenpress
they have received applications from relatives of 100 killed passengers
and the crew members. He said 87 of applicants are Armenian citizens,
22 are citizens of Russia. He said relatives of the remaining four
killed passengers may file their applications later.
He said all relating documents will be send to London and after
their are approved by a London-based insurance company that has
reinsured Grand, agreements on payment of compensations will be
signed with relatives and compensations will be started to be paid
in 10-15 days. He refused to elaborate on the compensation amount,
but earlier reports said it may amount to $20,000.

COAF AWARDS CONTRACT FOR RENOVATION OF DALARIK SCHOOL
Armenpress
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Following town hall meetings with the
community and continuous discussions with the Coordinating Committee
elected by the Dalarik community, Children of Armenia Fund (COAF)
signed a bi-lateral agreement with the local Municipality delineating
the cooperative arrangements for the reconstruction of the Dalarik
School.
Subsequently, through a transparent and competitive procurement
process, COAF awarded the reconstruction contract to Epal LLC, a
construction company based in Hrazdan. This reconstruction project
takes into account the additional needs that arise from the 12-grade
system approved by the Ministry of Education for implementation in
the next school year.
The renovated school will accommodate 630 children in an improved
environment, access to indoor lavatories with running water and
central heating system. This COAF initiative also includes complete
refurnishing and site development. The project is fully funded by
COAF and is planned for completion by the New Year.

YEREVAN MUNICIPALITY TO CLEAN YEREVAN LAKE OF SILT
Armenpress
Jun 19 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 19, ARMENPRESS: Romik Kosemyan, head of nature
protection department at the Yerevan municipality, said today a major
silt-cleaning of the Yerevan Lake is to launch very soon. He said
the silt accumulated in the lake will be transported to a specially
selected site.
He said experts from a water design research institute will take
samples of the silt for a through examination as according to some
estimates, concentration of heavy metals in it exceeds all permitted
levels. Kosemyan said if the silt proves clean from hazardous
substances it will be used for cultivation of decorative plants or
as fertilizers, otherwise it will be stored at a special site.
Kosemyan also said that the municipality has got down to implementation
of a greenhouse gas reduction program in Nubarashen dump with the
support of the Japanese side which has pledged to invest $80 million
to build a factory that will convert greenhouse gas emissions into
electricity.
A relevant agreement was signed by Japan and Armenia within the
frameworks of the Kyoto protocol and envisages reduction of green
gases by 100,000 tons in 16 years.

PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN TO HEAD FOR UKRAINE
AZG Armenian Daily
20/06/2006
Yuri Yekhanurov, prime minister of the Ukraine, is going to visit
Armenia. During Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian’s visit
to Kiev his Ukrainian counterpart Boris Tarasyuk informed that not
only his country’s PM will visit Armenia this year but also Armenian
president will pay a visit to Ukraine in autumn. Weeks of Armenia in
Ukraine are scheduled to be held there in 2007.
Curiously, Ukraine has suggested holding the next meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents for the Nagorno Karabakh peace talks
in Ukraine.

SENATE OF CZECH REPUBLIC IS LIKELY TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN AUTUMN
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/06/2006
The Senate (parliament) of Czech Republic is likely to adopt an
announcement recognizing the Armenian Genocide committed by Ottoman
Turkey in 1915, Jaromir Stetina, member of the second chamber of
Senate said at the meeting with the members of Armenian parliament’s
committee on foreign relations. Backed by the Armenian community
of Czech Republic and foremer president Vaclav Havel two months ago
Stetina organized a conference on Armenian Genocide.
From: Baghdasarian

US AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS INVITED TO THE OPENING OF BAKU-CEYHAN-TBILISI OIL PIPELINE
AZG Armenian Daily
20/06/2006
The official opening ceremony of Baku-Ceyhan-Tbilisi oil pipeline
will take place on July 13. Turkish government is preparing for the
ceremony very seriously. Though the list of foreign guests is not
finalized so far, presidents of 6 states, including Ilham Aliyev and
Mikheil Saakashvili, 9 prime ministers as well as 23 ministers have
already accepted the invitation to participate.
According to Turkish daily Zaman, PM Erdogan’s government has also
invited US president George W. Bush and Russian president Vladimir
Putin to the pipeline opening ceremony.

AZERBAIJANI ‘FIRE’ FABLE
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
20/06/2006
The recent favorite topic of Azerbaijani online newspapers was “the
conflagration of fields” by Armenians in non-existent bordering
settlements.
Moreover, the made-up tumult grew into accusation and false
denunciation to international structures “on annihilation of Azeri
settlements by the Armenians.”
Perhaps the cause for worry about these extremely dubious settlements
is conflagration in Nagorno Karabakh lowlands that cannot be stifled
because of the firing from the Azeri side.
It should be reminded that a few years ago authorities in Nagorno
Karabakh applied to the Azerbaijani side via the OSCE Minsk Group
suggesting to cooperate in stifling the seasonal fires.
It’s not something new that the Azeri side does not discern methods
used against the Armenian side. If editing of their own officials’
statements is an everyday business, it is perhaps the boredom that
makes Azerbaijani journalists to bring diversity in the anti-Armenian
propaganda by using illogical creativity. Such as declaration of
uncommitted genocide, for one, or “subversive fires”, quotations from
Zori Balayan’s “unwritten book” etc.

THE CZECHS GOT ACQUAINTED WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE COALITION
A1+
[03:58 pm] 19 June, 2006
On June 19 the members of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations met the delegation of the Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations, Defense and Security of the Senate of the Czech
Republic. The delegation is in Armenia on official visit.
Member of the Committee Yaromir Shtetina mentioned that on the
initiative of the Armenian community of the Czech Republic and with the
support of former President of the country Vatslav Havel a conference
was organized in the Senate two months ago about the 1915 Armenian
Genocide. The delegate voiced hope that in autumn the Czech Senate
will adopt an announcement about recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
Asked by the Czech side if there are positive changes in connection
with the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, if the Minsk group
has exhausted itself and if there is a need for a new format, Armen
Roustamyan answered that there is no need for a new format as the OSCE
Minsk group has been engaged in the settlement of the issue since 1992,
is deeply aware of anything connected with the conflict and has made
three valuable offers during the past eight years.
As for why there is no progress in the negotiation process, according
to Mr. Roustamyan, in contrast to Armenia, the Azeri side turns down
all the offers and refuses to sign any documents.
At the guests’ request Mr. Roustamyan referred to the relations
between the EU and Turkey and between Armenia and Turkey mentioning
that Armenia has expressed its readiness to start relations
with Turkey without any preconditions, but the Turkish side keep
putting forward preconditions including those in the context of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations.
The Czech side added that the negotiations of Turkey about membership
in the EU will continue at least 10-15 more years.
During the meeting the perspectives of the development of the relations
of the countries and other issues of mutual interest were discussed.

FREEDOM OF INFORMATIOM IS IMPORTANT FOR KOCHARYAN?
A1+
[04:56 pm] 19 June, 2006
Today Robert Kocharyan received Ambassador Miklosh Harashti, OSCE
representative on the issues of freedom of information.
Robert Kocharyan assess the cooperation with the OSCE as
effective. Finding the freedom of information important, he said
that free press has an important mission in representing the legal
real situation in the country. At the same time, according to Robert
Kocharyan, the freedom of press must not violate human rights.
The sides exchanged ideas about the formation of free press, the main
obstacles of the realization of press as business and the necessity
of state Mass Media.
According to Kocharyan, Armenia is in the transitional phase and the
country is characterized by the features of that phase.

OIC PROTESTS CONSTRUCTION OF WALL BETWEEN ISRAEL, PALESTINE
by Sevindzh Abdullayeva and Viktor Shulman
ITAR-TASS News Agency
June 19, 2006 Monday 09:51 AM EST
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) called on Moslem
countries to pool their efforts for resolving conflicts in the
Islamic world.
OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu expressed concern about
the situation in Iraq, Palestine, Kashmir, and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Speaking at the 33rd session of the Islamic Conference of Foreign
Ministers, now in progress in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ihsanoglu condemned
Israel for the occupation of the Palestinian territories and protested
against the construction of the wall between Israel and Palestine,
as well as excavations under the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He welcomed recent elections in Palestine and urged its new government
to take effective measures to improve the situation in the region.
The OIC secretary general also expressed satisfaction with the
formation of a new government in Iraq and stressed that this gives
one optimism in assessing the possibility of resolving the crisis in
this country.
The OIC is making preparations for the opening of its mission in
Baghdad, he said.
Ihsanoglu also condemned the Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani
territories and urged Armenia to comply with U.N. Security Council
resolutions and free the seized land.
He called on Moslem countries to help Azerbaijani refugees affected
by the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
The secretary general believes that the OIC countries should pool
their efforts in maintaining peace and security in the world.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress