IT’S EARLY TO SPEAK ABOUT THE REASONS OF THE A-320 CRASH, ARMAVIA COMPANY SAYS
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 12:44
“All comments of anonymous sources about the reasons of the crash of
the A-320 jet near Sochi are void,” “Arminfo” correspondent was told
at the press service of Armavia Company.
The Company informed that it is not correct to speak about the
reasons of the tragedy, unless the decoding of the black boxes is
completed. The official results will be made public by the Interstate
Aviation Committee.
The press service denied the suggestion that such “anonymous”
information may pursue certain objectives. However, sources close
to aviation circles of Armenia are concerned that some of these
“anonymous” information may be paid for to expel the national
transporter of Armenia from the market.

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN BUSINESS FORUM POSTPONED
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 13:48
The Armenian-Russian business forum scheduled June 30, 2006 has been
postponed till November, President of the Union of Manufacturers and
Entrepreneurs of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan told “Arminfo.” According to
him, the delay of the forum is connected solely with organizational
reasons, since the period of summer holidays is ahead. Arsen Ghazaryan
said it is early to tell what issues of importance for Armenia will
be discussed during the forum.

ARMENIAN SPORTSMEN PARTICIPATING IN THE EUROPEAN YOUTH BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 14:00
The European Youth Boxing Championship started in Tirana,
Albania. Eight sportsmen from Armenia, led by chief trainer Fedya
Alexanyan, are participating in the tournament. The Armenian youth
boxing team comprises Hrant Sargsyan (46 kg), Karen aylazyan (48 kg),
Vladimir Margaryan (50 kg), Zaven Kankaryan (52 kg), Arsen Hovhannisyan
(54 kg), Gor Harutyunyan (57 kg) and Tigran Armenakyan (70 kg).

ANTI-SMOKING MEDIA CAMPAIGNS IN THREE MARZES OF ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 14:53
A presentation describing anti-smoking media campaigns, implemented
in three marzes of Armenia, will take place on June 16, 2006 in the
Golden Tulip Hotel in Yerevan.
In August 2005, three international cancer charities — the American
Cancer Society (ACS), Cancer Research UK, and the International
Union Against Cancer (UICC) — awarded an advocacy fellowship to
Dr. Narine Movsisyan. The intent of this fellowship was to facilitate
anti-smoking media projects in Armenia. D r. Movsisyan is a leading
Armenian tobacco control advocate and a Project Coordinator at the
Center for Health Services Research and Development at the American
University of Armenia. Dr. Movsisyan’s efforts have also been supported
by an IREX/ECA social marketing training grant.
An intensive one-and-half day training session on tobacco control
issues took place in Tsakhkadzor in December 2005, followed by
a competition open to all marz TV companies. A professional jury
selected four winning proposals for the implementation of anti-smoking
media campaigns in three marzes of Armenia. The companies selected
were: Lori TV (Vanadzor), Fortuna (Stepanavan), ALT (Armavir), and
Khustup TV (Kapan). The on-site training provided by the Internews
experts facilitated the creation of anti-smoking media campaigns in
these marzes.
According to Dr. Narine Movsisyan, “The heavy burden of smoking to the
Armenian society is yet to be largely recognized in Armenia. Smoking
is the primary risk factor for the leading causes of death in Armenia,
namely cardiovascular disease and cancer. We are loosing about 2000
human lives due to smoking each year in Armenia and these premature
deaths are totally preventable. We should spread the knowledge
about risks of smoking and the risks of exposure to tobacco smoke
to everyone, especially to people in rural areas of Armenia, who are
already disadvantaged in terms of access to information”.

ANTI-ARMENIAN HYSTERIA IN AZERBAIJAN CONTINUES
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 16:16
NKR Ministry of Defense has rejected the statements of Baku on firing
Azeri villages and destruction of cultural monuments on territories
under the control of Nagorno-Karabakh Armed Forces. Head of Press
Service of NKR Ministry of Defense, Deputy Colonel Senor Asratyan
informed that “by spreading apparently false information Azerbaijan
tries to neutralize the negative attitude of the international
community connected with the destruction of the ancient Armenian
cemetery in Nakhijevan.”
Senor Asratyan noted that after every unsuccessful round of
negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement Baku undertakes
measures to defame the Armenian side.
“Azeri authorities are not ready for concessions. Therefore, they
try to stiffen the settlement process in every possible way by
strengthening the anti-Armenian propaganda,” Senor Asratyan underlined.

MATTHEW BRYZA TO REPLACE STEVEN MANN AS OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR
ArmRadio.am
15.06.2006 16:35
Adviser to US Secretary of State on Europe and Eurasia Matthew
Bryza has been appointed US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan declared yesterday. “The American
side informed us that Matthew Bryza will replace Steven Mann and he
will get fully engaged in the process of settlement of the Karabakh
conflict after confirmation in Vienna,” Oskanyan said.
Matthew Bryza is expected to visit the region to lean about the major
approaches of the sides in place.

SERGO YERITSIAN APPOINTED RA PRESIDENT’S ADVISOR
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. By President Robert Kocharian’s June
14 decree, Sergo Yeritsian was appointed the RA President’s Advisor.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA President’s Press Office,
by Robert Kocharian’s decrees signed on the same day, Ara Ayvazian
was discharged obligations of the RA Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Chile and the Eastern Republic of
Uruguay and Vladimir Karmirshalian, the RA Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Argentina (residence in Buenos
Aires), was pluralistically appointed on that post.

MEN’S DEPARTMENT TO OPEN IN 2007 OCTOBER IN ARMENIAN-AMERICAN MEDICAL CENTER OF YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. It is planned to open also a men’s
department in 2007 October at the Armenian-American Medical Center
of Yerevan, where only women are rendered medical services for the
present. As Noyan Tapan was informed from Center Director Khachanush
Hakobian, examinations of prostate, kidney and bladder will be
carried out at the newly opened department. Besides, operating-rooms
will open on the Center’s third floor where light operations will
be done. According to Kh.Hakobian, they have reached agreement with
one of the leading clinics of the U.S. about giving modern medical
equipments to the department.
Kh.Hakobian said that at present repairs are being done in the Center
with the assistance of the USAID. After the end of the repairs the
circle of the services rendered at the Center will enlarge.

DESERTIFICATION RISKS TOO HIGH IN YEREVAN, SPECIALISTS CONSIDER
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. A discussion dedicated to the World
Day of Struggle Against Desertification and Drought will take place
on June 16 at the UN Armenian Office. As it was mentioned in the
report provided to Noyan Tapan from the For Stable Human Development
Association, in the opinion of specialist-experts, desertification
risks are too high in Yerevan.
At present the Association with the assistance of the UN Environment
Program is preparing a report dedicated to the ecological state
of Yerevan.
According to Association Chairwoman Karine Danielian, desertification
risks have extremely increased in Yerevan in consequence of the urban
development policy carried on in the recent years. K.Danielian said
that abrupt reduction of green zones, growth of the number of transport
means turn Yerevan into an ecological disaster zone. According to
official data, a photochemical smog has been registered almost in
the whole spring-summer-autumn period over the past two years.

CRIMINAL CASE OPENED BASED ON FACT OF SALE OF VARDENIS MENTAL HOSPITAL PATIENTS’ INTERNAL ORGANS
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. It is suspected that there have been
cases of human internal organs sale in Armenia. Independent deputy Emma
Khudabashin stated at the June 14 sitting of the RA National Assembly
that this information was in a letter she has received from a group
of residents of the city of Vardenis (Gegharkunik marz). According
to the letter, the internal organs of some patients of the Vardenis
mental hospital have been sold. No body was found in the grave during
an exhumation to check these suspicions.
In response to the deputy’s question whether the government has
been informed about the fact, and if so, what its attitude to such
phenomena is, the RA Minister of Health Norayr Davidian said that
a criminal case was opened based on the above mentioned facts, and
after its completion the deputy will get answers to her question.