HERE THE PLANE IS
Lragir.am
13 July 06
The findings of the investigation into the crash of the Armenian plane
was expected to be summed up in the beginning of this week. The reason
was the announcement last week that the investigation is over, and the
official opinion would be published in one or two days. The official
opinion was not published, however. Instead, Levitin and the leadership
of the Interstate Aviation Committee arrived in Armenia on July 11,
who had done the deciphering of the black boxes. They were expected
to make announcements on the investigation into the cause of the plane
crash in Yerevan. It was also possible that the person who had carried
out the investigation would choose Yerevan for an official statement,
starting from the fact that the plane was Armenian, and the majority
of the victims of the crash were citizens of Armenia, which made the
cause of the crash more important and interesting for Armenia.
However, the minister of transport of Russia Levitin and the chair of
the Interstate Aviation Committee Anodina did not make any statements
about the cause. Anodina, however, made some clear statements, which
allow supposing that the Russian party can announce the cause at any
moment simply they are not in a hurry. Anodina announced in Yerevan
that they possess all the necessary data to “present the cause of
the crash absolutely definitely.” It is the same as to say that
they definitely know the cause of the crash. In this case why do
they decline to announce it. Officially they explain that first they
need to sum up and compare the findings of parallel works. However,
if these findings may bring changes into the preliminary opinion,
why do they hurry to announce that they have all the information to
state the cause of the crash.
By the way, Tatyana Anodina announced this after the meeting with the
president of Armenia, at which Levitin and Serge Sargsyan were also
present. And it is rather interesting to know what was discussed in the
meeting, if the president of Armenia said that all he was interested
in was the objective cause of the crash. At least, Anodina said about
her meeting with Robert Kocharyan that “during the meeting with the
president of Armenia on July 12 there were no questions related to
agreement, conclusions or instructions.” According to Anodina, the
president of Armenia considers his prime concern as the head of state
to find out the objective cause of the crash. Does this mean that the
other things will interest the president only after learning the cause?

TRUTH AROUSES DOUBT WHEN FEW KNOW IT
Lragir.am
13 July 06
Almost every time when the minister of defense is asked about his
political plans, he gets surprised why the mass media consider
it so important. Of course, journalists do not explain why. It is
clear that the political plans of a person who occupies several high
offices in the spheres of national security, economy, sport, culture
and science willy-nilly become important, independent from who this
person is. Presently, the society has reason to be more attentive to
Serge Sargsyan’s steps. The point is that formerly his steps were
characterized by a highly logical sequence, whereas now his steps
are highly controversial.
The defense minister announced July 12 that there is no arrangement on
selling the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Russia. Serge Sargsyan did
it calmly, as if another Serge Sargsyan had told news reporters in
the corridor of the Constitutional Court that there are “interesting
developments” in the negotiations with Russia over the pipeline,
and wished patience to learn about them. Now the minister of defense
announces that there is no arrangement on this at present. He also
said he would “ask” the minister of energy and the chief executive
of Armrusgasard to provide necessary information to the public,
filling in the gap in information on the pipeline.
What a quick response! And surprisingly it follows the Iranian visit
of the president of Armenia, the purpose of which was said to be the
gas pipeline. There is no need to repeat that Iran does not approve its
sale to Russia. The Iranian officials have announced about this for a
great number of times. Not directly, of course, but rather clearly. And
after all this Serge Sargsyan announces that there is no arrangement on
sale, because “there is no pipeline yet.” There was no pipeline either
when the minister promised interesting developments. There may have
been developments but not that interesting if Serge Sargsyan suddenly
recalled the absence of a pipeline, as well as that the Ministry
of Energy and Armrusgasard, in other words, the subjects of the
sphere, should give information about the pipeline. It is interesting,
however, why these subjects did not provide the important information,
waiting until Serge Sargsyan would make a hint. If Serge Sargsyan were
president or prime minister, it would be possible to understand, but he
is merely a minister, let alone of defense, or especially of defense.
On the other hand, these agencies might also need information
on what is going on in their sphere, and finally, is the pipeline
being sold to the Russians or not? Therefore, independent from Serge
Sargsyan’s remark, the Ministry of Energy and Armrusgasard could not
give information to the public for the simple reason that they have
no information. It is also possible that very few of the Armenian
high officials have this information. And this makes doubt every
statement, because if several people know the truth, they may come
to an arrangement on hiding it.
Of course, nobody would be eager to assume responsibility for
problems, which is definitely natural. But it is equally natural
that a person who assumes responsibility at a favorable moment does
not avoid responsibility in “bad weather”. Otherwise, natural logic
is violated. It would not be so bad if only logic were damaged.
Due to this national security is damaged too.
JAMES HAKOBYAN

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL AND THE ARMENIAN “POLITICAL” THOUGHT
Lragir.am
13 July 06
The eighteenth World Cup ended and excitement ended as well, making
us think anew about Armenian football. It is known that football is
a serious tool for great political moves all over the world except
in independent Armenia, where political and public figures are busy
with filling their pockets with money rather than doing politics. The
most vivid example – the team Lernayin Artsakh of Hayk Football Club
was left out of the Premier League in 2005.
In order to understand the point it is necessary to go through the
history of this club. The club started in 1992, after the independence
of Armenia, first known as Karabakh, and organized games under
the missiles and bullets of the foe to bolster up morale among the
Armenians of Karabakh, which the present criminal political leaders
fail to do. Several years later they renamed the team Artsakh which
won its place in Armenian football. And in 2001 on the proposal of
the president and prime minister of NKR a shareholder of the famous
watch company Franck Muller Vardan Sirmakes and Armenian American
Hrach Kaprielian became the owners of the club. Almost in the same
period these two “benefactors” received Ararat FC and Dzoraghbyur
Sport Base belonging to this club since Soviet times for 50 years
to reconstuct (this will be dwelled on separately). The odyssey of
these two glorious clubs began. Problems started when these two
“benefactors” decided that independent Armenia does not need a
national team, and all Armenians need is a club named Ararat. As
a result of this “bright” idea these two clubs were twice left
out of the championship of Armenia. Eventually, they put an end to
Karabakh football by giving the sport complex of Stepanakert to these
“benefactors” for 500 thousand U.S. dollars in 2005 for reconstruction
(by the way, Robert Kocharyan was against this deal, but one of the
influential ministers of Armenia and NKR Prime Minister Anoushavan
Danielyan met with him and persuaded Robert Kocahryan), but nothing
was reconstructed. Moreover, the space to the left of the government
of Karabakh in Stepanakert, where the office of Artsakhbank was located
(these two “benefactors” are the main shareholders of the bank), almost
a hectare of land, was given to these two to build a business center,
and since the leadership has been “fed” by Artsakhbank since long,
they overlooked the fact that no investments were made.
Anyway, on the eve of the parliamentary election in 2005 construction
in the stadium of Stepanakert began on Arkady Ghukasyan’s request. They
brought a lifting crane, started ripping off wooden benches. After
the election the “activity” of the sole lifting crane was stopped.
Presently the sport complex is in ruins, and a lifting crane continues
digging because Ghukasyan and Danielyan are eager to become president
and prime minister again.
And we keep complaining that the population of Armenia and Karabakh is
declining every year, there is no confidence in our own government,
and the money donated to Armenia Foundation is becoming less. Why
are we complaining all the time that no investments are made in the
economies of Armenia and Karabakh if such “investors” are invited?
VARDAN GABRIELYAN

COMMUNIST PARTY REJECTS UNIFICATION
Lragir.am
13 July 06
The Communist Party of Armenia made a statement July 13 that they
reject proposals on unification by communists who left the party at
different times. The Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist
Party authorized Tachat Sargsyan, the first secretary of political
committee of the City Committee of Yerevan to make this statement.
“With the election drawing nearer, there is more consideration
about the Communist Party, its activities and the alleged alliance
of communist parties. First of all, the Communist Party has never
been divided, but persons were dismissed from the Communist Party
for different reasons, who violated the bylaws of the political party
and did not obey the decisions of its bureau,” says Tachat Sargsyan.
He states that the leadership of the CP decided, “Reject the proposals
offered by separate persons, who were dismissed from the Communist
Party and set up Renewed and Progressive parties, on unification in
accordance with the bylaws of the CP.”
Tachat Sargsyan says they were not offered official proposals on
unification of the Communist Party. Tachat Sargsyan says they deny
all kinds of considerations about unification. Generally, however,
the communists accept the idea of unification.
“We consider the idea of unification as positive. After all it is not
accidental that Europe is being united today. Moreover, it unites
with Nazi Germany, which shattered Europe in 1941. It was thanks
to unification that Soviet Armenia was a ruined country and became
one of the prosperous cities. But this proposal on unification made
by our former fellow communists is a subject of another talk,” says
Tachat Sargsyan.

THEY KNOW WHO GAVE THE ORDER
Lragir.am
13 July 06
The members of the CP Committee of Yerevan gave a press conference
July 13 to answer the statements of their former fellow members of
the Communist Party on Armenian channels. The CP Committee of Yerevan
even made a special statement on this occasion.
“Khoren Sargsyan, Sanatruk Sahakyan and several others, who have
recently been dismissed from the party, introduce themselves as
communists on TV channels, especially on Kentron and Shant. We
know who orders these speeches. And there is no need to call fake
communists those people who were dismissed from the CP,” runs the
statement of the CP, signed by the first secretary of the Yerevan
Committee Tachat Sargsyan. He says they do not have a purpose and
the right to criticize or direct the mass media.
“However, we are surprised and worried by the fact why a person
dismissed from the Communist Party appears on TV for several times, and
are referred to as “communists”. Everyone knows that Khoren Sargsyan
was dismissed on the decision of the Plenum of the Central Committee
of the Communist Party. Sanatruk Sahakyan is not a communist, he was
dismissed on the decision of the Plenum of the CP Central Committee,
but they keep referring to them as Communist this and Communist that,”
says Tachat Sargsyan. According to him, these people deviated from
the ideas of communism, especially that they announce on TV that they
have nothing to do with Marxism and Leninism.
The communists emphasize in their statement that they know who ordered
the TV speeches of their former fellow communists, nevertheless
the first secretary of the Yerevan Committee of the CP declines to
specify the names of these people, adding that it may not have been
a definite order but what happened fits in the logic of order.

COMMUNISTS CANNOT PAY TELEPHONE BILLS
Lragir.am
13 July 06
“The Communist Party has temporarily declined all over the territory
of the Soviet Union. It was facilitated by the capitalist world. It
is not a secret. Due to the presence of separate betrayers inside the
Communist Party,” Tachat Sargsyan, the first secretary of the Yerevan
Committee of the CP, stated July 12 when the reporters asked him
why some members of the Communist Party, such as Frunzeh Kharatyan,
own businesses despite the ideology of the party. The same persons
who were accused of deviating from communist ideas and dismissed from
the party make the same accusation against the Communist Party.
“The Communist Party of Armenia with its program and bylaws, not
absolutely, maybe also temporary accepts ownership in Armenia,
rejecting the bazaar we have in the economy today, commented in
our Republic, the entire Soviet space,” Tachat Sargsyan explains the
situation, and adds, “Who said that a communist does not have the right
to work? Who said that Communist Kharatyan does not have the right
to work? Frunzik Kharatyan used to be member of parliament, and we
saw his useful activities when he was member of the National Assembly.”
Tachat Sargsyan denies the accusation against the leadership of the
party that they cooperate with the government. The first secretary
of the CP Committee of Yerevan points to the economic situation of
the party in refuting this accusation.
“I will tell you. A political party cooperating with the government
would not appear in such a difficult state. Our telephones are
disconnected for the half of the month, we can hardly pay the
office rent, we cannot hold consultation or conference every month,
because 90 percent of our secretaries do not get any income, are
unemployed and it is a problem for them to visit the regions,” Tachat
Sargsyan says. According to him, a party which has appeared in such
a difficult economic situation could not have connections with the
government. Tachat Sargsyan says those people have connections who
are able to appear on TV at any time.

Transport Ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Kazakhstan to meet by
the end of the year
ArmRadio.am
13.07.2006 11:23
The sitting of task forces to prepare for the meeting of Transport
Ministers of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey and Kazakhstan over the
launching of Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku railway will be held in
Tbilisi today.
The Ministers will be by the end of the year in Kazakhstan. The
average cost of the Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi-Baku project is estimated
US$400 million

“Mika” to meet “Young Boys” of Switzerland
ArmRadio.am
13.07.2006 12:15
In the first match of the first round of UEFA CUP “Mika” (Ashtaak) will
meet today the Swiss “Young Boys” team. “Banants” will compete with “Ameri”
(Tbilisi).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EBRD and “Zvartots” airport to sign a contract
ArmRadio.am
13.07.2006 11:36
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and “Zvartnots”
airport will sign a 30 million credit contract. The money is provided
for the reconstruction of this international airport. The credit will
be given for the period of 7 years.
In 1994 EBRD had provided 17 million for the construction of the
freight terminal in “Zvartnots” airport.

Matthew Bryza: The date of meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents not set so far
ArmRadio.am
13.07.2006 13:00
The exact date of the meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
has not been set so far, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza declared, Day.az. reports.
In his words, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are waiting for the
initiative of the conflicting sides. In response to the question about
the reasons of publicizing the details of the negotiations without
considering the opinions of the conflicting parties, Mr. Bryza said he
did not do that at his own initiative. This was the decision of the
Co-Chairs. Bryza noted also that not all the details of the process
have been made public, only some elements discussed during the talks
were presented to public discussion.
“We are waiting for the reaction of the Presidents. I declare,
however, that the potential of the negotiations process has not been
exhausted. We are anticipating the guidance of the Presidents. They
should prompt us in which direction we must work in the future.” The
American Co-Chair did not rule out that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue
might be discussed at the G8 summit to open in Saint Petersburg.