Interfax, Russia
April 28 2006

Baku criticizes Yerevan statement on Karabakh

BAKU. April 28 (Interfax) – Yerevan’s statement that Nagorno-
Karabakh’s re-inclusion in Azerbaijan is impossible was designed “for
domestic consumption,” an Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman said
Friday.

“You can only suggest that that statement was made for domestic
political reasons,” Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Tair
Tagizade told Interfax.

The diplomat also criticized the fact that the statement was made
“while the negotiating process on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is continuing.”

DISCUSSION OF YEREVAN WATER COMPANY’S BID FOR DRINKING WARER TARIFF
RISE POSTPONED FOR ONE MONTH

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Public Services Regulatory
Commission on April 28 posponed for one month the discussion of the
Yerevan Water Company’s bid that proposes increasing the current
tariff of drinking water of 125 drams for 1 cubic meter to 178.2 drams
(0.39 USD). The discussion was postponed at the request of Chairman of
the State Water Industry Committee of the RA Ministry of Territorial
Administration Andranik Andreasian and Director of the Yerevan Water
Company Serzh Popoff. According to A. Andreasian, this postponement
was due to some technical difficulties related to the transfer of
Water Canal’s property. He explained that the transfer of 30 thousand
property items in Yerevan Water Canal’s balance sheet to another
company is quite a difficult process. To recap, Yerevan Water Canal
Company was leased for 10 years by General Des Eaux Company, which in
its turn set up Yerevan Water. Asked if the commission’s refusal to
satisfy the bid is not considered a violation of the agreement
provisions on tariffs which were stipulated in the tender package of
General Dea Eaux, A. Andreasian said: “I think that all the necessary
preconditions have been ensured and all the steps taken so that the
commission will be able to make a respective decision. The whole
tender pakage was prepared jointly with the commission and the whole
process was agreed on beforehand.” According to the commission’s draft
decision, the tariff is set at 146.8 drams.

OFFICIAL OPENING OF NEW SEASON OF YEREVAN ZOOLOGICAL PARK TAKES PLACE
ON MAY 1

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The official opening of the season
will take place in solemn conditions in the Zoological park of Yerevan
on May 1. As Sahak Abovian, the Director of the park informed the
Noyan Tapan correspondent, works of cosmetic restoration, tree
planting were implemented in the park this year as well, for what the
Yerevan Mayor’s Office allocated 3 mln drams (about 6.7 thousand
U.S. dollars). It was also mentioned that there are 2300 animals of
190 types in the park at present.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN: “CITIZENS SUFFERED FROM BUILDING OF KENTRON HAVE
RIGHT TO ADDRESS TO RA PRESIDENT AND DEMAND SOLUTION OF THEIR PROBLEM”

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Citizens suffered as a result of the
building program of the Yerevan Kentron (center), based on “the newly
revealed circumstance” may address to the court with a claim to
compensate the damage.

Attorneys Artur Grigorian and Vahe Grigorian presenting interests of
former inhabitants of that territory stated about it at the April 27
press-conference in the DPA office. According to the attorneys, the
newly revealed circumstance is the April 18 decision of the RA
Constitutional Court by which a number of principles of the RA Land
and Civil Codes served as a legal basis for the RA Government’s
corresponding decision were recognized anti-constitutional.

V.Grigorian informed that there is also a case in the court, and the
RA judicial system’s attitude towards that issue will be clear from
its verdict. According to him, there are numerous cases of ignoring
the Constitutional Court’s decisions. A.Grigorian emphasized in his
turn that till October 1, making the anti-constitutional principles of
the mentioned codes corresponding to the Constitution, continuation of
similar violations may be estimated as a wilfulness.

He explained that decisions of the Constitutional Court come into
force from the moment of publication and are not subject to review. RA
first Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian persuaded “victims of building”
to continue the struggle. Particularly, the former Ombudsperson finds
that citizens must address to the RA President and demand to solve the
problem, taking into account the decision of the Constitutional Court.

RA GOVERNMENT MAKES AMENDMENTS IN REGULATIONS OF RA NATIONAL ACADEMY
OF SCIENCES

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Government made amendments in
the regulations of the RA National Academy of Sciences at the April 27
sitting. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the RA Government’s
Information and Public Relations Department. By the Government’s
decision, it was particularly fixed that the RA NAS Chairman’s
election is held by close (secret) votion, with clear majority of
votes of members involved in the list of the staff, for 5 years, not
more than 2 for electoral periods. In the case of vacancy of the RA
NAS Chairman’s post, the RA Government appoints acting RA NAS
Chairman, before electing a new Chairman. Position for RA NAS Deputy
Chairman was also defined, who is elected at the general meeting of
the academy from the RA NAS academicians, with the RA NAS Chairman’s
proposal.

RA PRESIDENT SIGNS DECREE ON HOLDING SPRING CALL-UP AND DEMOBILIZATION
OF 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 27, RA President Robert
Kocharian signed a decree on holding the spring call-up and
demobilization of 2006. In April-June 2006 the persons of human sex of
RA who have turned 18 before the conscription day, as well as citizens
who have lost the right of deferment from the compulsory military
service received before are called up to the army.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA President’s Press Service, in
April-June 2006, servicemen who have done the military service in the
fixed term will be demobilized.

EUROPEAN COURT CONSIDERS ACCEPTABLE COMPLAINT OF “GERAGUYN KHORHURD”
CLUB RELATING TO 2003 ELECTIONS

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The European Court of Human Rights
considered acceptable the complaint of the “Geraguyn Khorhurd”
(Supreme Council) deputies’ club about violation of its observer’s
rights in 2003 NA elections. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the club,
the corresponding chamber of the court made a decision on April 11 to
infrom the RA Government about it, proposing to express in written
form its attitude relating to that complaint till July 6 of this year.
From: Baghdasarian

“NOR ZHAMANAKNER” PRESIDENT STATES THAT CLIENT OF ATTACK ON HIS GUARD
IS COUNTRY PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. “Nor Zhamanakner” (New Times) party
Chairman Aram Karapetian characterizes the April 21 attack on his
guard as a “political brigandage.” As he stated at the April 27
meeting with journalists at the “Pastark” club, such a line of actions
is characteristical to “third-rate” countries and has a goal to
frighten a politician and his surrounding. Unlike other countries,
where the police is used for similar cases, in this case, according to
Karapetian, the elite detachment of the National Security Service was
put in operation. “I would not like to speak about the professionalism
of the people implementing the action, as by it, we’ll give possibility
to real terrorists to understand defects of our anti-terrorism
sphere,” the “Nor Zhamanakner” Chairman mentioned. Karapetian stated
that according to his data, the client of the attack was the political
heads of the country. According to him, after watching the videotape
shot by the National Security Service, President of the country Robert
Kocharian said that “Aram Karapetian is a difficult case.” According
to the latter, such actions of the authorities “are a consequence of
the political agony and may raise only laugh of serious politicians.”
Responding the question if he did not organize the above-mentioned
case, Aram Karapetian mentioned: “If I may buy Serge Sargsian’s decree
and the whole administration of the National Security, then I must
only implement inauguration.” On the occasion of the guard members’
body injuries got as a result of the case the party addressed to the
forensic doctor. The latter demanded to present a corresponding apply
from the Prosecutor’s Office. But they did not manage to get such an
apply from the Erebuni community, Yerevan city as well as RA
Prosecutor’s General Office. The “Nor Zhamankner” party had to shoot
the consequences of the case and send it on laser disk to foreign
embassies.

SPRING SOWING NOT DONE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SCHEDULE IN KOTAYK MARZ

HRAZDAN, APRIL 28, NOYAN TAPAN. This spring, only 1,000 ha was sown
with grain out of the planned area of about 10,000 ha in low-lying
lands of Kotayk marz. The sowing of other cultured plants is also
behind the schedule, while in mountainoues area it has not been
started at all. The reason is bad weather, mainly continuous rains.

FOREIGN INFLUENCE MAY CREATE NATIONAL PROBLEMS IN IRAN

Yerevan, April 28. ArmInfo. The Iranian Azeris can hardly be involved
in the actions against Tehran, says the senior research worker of the
Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the Russian
Academy of Sciences Alexander Krylov The 20 mln Iranian Azeris are
deeply integrated in the social-political life of Iran and have their
representatives in the top echelons of the Iranian authorities. But
the political processes in the world show that foreign financial and
military influence may create national problems even in places having
no such problems before.