EXPERTS CONSIDER FINDING A-320 FLIGHT RECORDER GOOD FORTUNE
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.05.2006 13:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The flight recorder of A-320 airbus of Armavia air
company that was lifted from the sea bottom yesterday is not sent
to the Inter-State Aviation Committee (ISAC) for decoding yet. “The
speech recorder of A-320 is in Sochi and is not provided to us yet,”
reported head of the ISAC Center for Air Transport Investigations
Rudolf Teymurazov. He also noted, “It is good fortune to find even
one flight recorder among the fragments.” Earlier the experts doubted
the flight recorders could be found.
“I am skeptical over the opportunity to find anything at the Black
Sea bottom farther than a kilometer away from the coastline,” Rudolf
Teymurazov said a day after the catastrophe.
“There are real mountains under the water and their tops are covered
with silt,” he added. In the expert’s words, in case a plane falls into
the sea, maximum 3% of its fragments are found, reports RIA Novosti.
On the night of May 3 a Yerevan-Sochi flight of Armavia airlines
crashed in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport killing all of
113 passengers, including 6 children and 8 members of the crew. Among
them were 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian and one Georgian citizen,
while the rest were Armenian citizens.

THE CENTRAL BANK IS NOT TO BE PRESSED
A1+
[01:12 pm] 23 May, 2006
No pressure was exerted by the President’s Office during the change of
banks with sole administration into banks with group administration,
claims Vache Gabrielyan, member of the Council of the Central Bank
(CB).
Let us remind you that Tigran Sargsyan, president of the CB confessed
that there are a few banks that are categorically against the
corporative administration but he assured that he will make them
do it. Even the heads of commercial and central banks met with the
President for consultation on this score. Kocharyan supported their
approach that corporative administration may not go in line with
the subjective interests of the organization owners. “No, we are not
subjected to any pressure by the President,” repeated Vache Gabrielyan.
Today a seminar was initiated on this score by the International
Financial Corporation (IFC). IFC is a substructure of the World
Bank and deals with the problems of developing countries. IFC
illustrated a number of examples in order to make the representatives
of banks invited to the seminar realize the importance of adopting
the principles of group administration and what prospects of better
life it will suggest them. IFC studied 21 companies in Russia and
found out that they registered a fantastic increase of the bank’s
value by 70 000% after they had improved their worst corporative
administration by raising it to the best one.
Among Armenian banks “ArmEconomBank” applies the tools of corporative
administration, and “HSBC” has a group administration. This information
was presented by Vache Gabrielyan.
The expenditure of the three-day seminar was compensated by three
commercial banks along with the Government of the Netherlands and RA
Central Bank.

IT WAS BUT A POLITICAL CALCULATION
A1+
[01:44 pm] 23 May, 2006
“The NA President’s resignation was not determined by the pressure
of internal forces but by the outer ones,” deputy of the Armenian
Republican party Hamlet Haroutyunyan informed “A1+.”
In his words the current events are the result of normal procedure
only the reasons presented by Arthur Bagdasaryan don’t go in line
with the reality. “It is merely a result of political calculation. As
for the inner discord of the Coalition, I haven’t faced any conflict
within the last three years; approaches, positions and conflicts are
quite different.”
Hamlet Haroutyunyan doesn’t deem the three-year work of the NA
satisfactory whereas in his speech the NA President announced that
the NA has worked efficiently and properly, and then added that
there is discord in the Coalition. “The discord cannot be revealed
in three years. Discord on political issues exists from the very
beginning. It shouldn’t be mixed with the babble of a kid who matures
in the course of time and realizes that his pranks are determined by
his age. I think one must be unbiased and frank and say openly that
it is a mere calculation connected with the next parliamentary and
Presidential elections.”

ARTHUR BAGDASARYAN WASN’T IN THE HALL TODAY
A1+
[02:12 pm] 23 May, 2006
Today the Parliament resumed its work rather actively and efficiently
passing 31 bills unanimously within the first 30 minutes. By the way,
the most striking was that the bills were supported by deputies who
quitted the Orinats Yerkir and by deputies who are still members of
the party. Mainly it was Vram Gyurzadyan who voted for all the bills.
NA deputy president Tigran Torosyan presented Gegham Manoukyan, deputy
of the Dashnaktsutyun party elected by proportional system who has
so far participates in the voting process with abstentions. Arthur
Bagdasaryan was not present in the hall today.
Viktor Dallakyan, secretary of “Justice” bloc informed that so far
25 signatures have been collected in order to discuss aviation
issues. This step was initiated yesterday at 13:30 p.m. If they
don’t get the required sum, 44 signatures, he is going to give his
evaluation of the matter during the parliamentary announcements.
On the whole, parliamentarians look forward to the time of
announcements where they predict to hear interpretations on the
“accusations” and “explanation” of the parties Orinats Yerkir and
National Unity.

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL IS INTERESTED IN THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
A1+
[02:44 pm] 23 May, 2006
Today President Robert Kocharyan received Robert Simmons, special
envoy of the NATO Secretary General on South Caucasian affairs.
The key issues of the discussions were connected with NATO – Armenia
cooperation.
Giving his positive evaluation of the procedure of the Individual
Partnership program with the NATO, Robert Simmons noted that
significant progress in realizing the program provisions is evident
within this short period. On this score the sides attached a great
importance to the implementation of reforms and enhance of democracy
in the system of the defense of the country’s security.
While viewing the relations with the NATO in the political framework of
the Armenian integration into European structures, Kocharyan stressed
that a interdepartmental committee has been set up which will handle
with the problems of confronting work with various structures and
going ahead in a more systemized way. The committee will frequently
report the President on their actions and progress on this score. “Our
objective is to keep abreast with the work, go ahead more quickly and
realize the joint program to full extent,” mentioned Robert Kocharyan.
Taking into account the request of the guests President Kocharyan
referred to the recent developments of the Karabakh conflict
settlement.

SERGE SARGSYAN’S BROTHER THREATENED A JOURNALIST
A1+
[03:22 pm] 23 May, 2006
Today NA deputy, member of the Armenian Republican party and Serge
Sargsyan’s brother Alexander Sargsyan mouthed indecent curses at Taguhy
Tovmasyan, correspondent of “Iravunk” and then threatened her by saying
“the end won’t be a good one.”
Taguhy Tovmasyan only informed in the newspaper that Sashik Sargsyan
participated at the birthday party of one of their district authorities
in the restaurant “Shant” on May 3. During the party some of the
drunken authorities remembered that they had certain problems with
Sashik Sargsyan, to say more precisely, the latter was involved in
a story connected with large sums of money, so the above mentioned
authorities decided to settle their affairs with Sargsyan in the yard
of the restaurant.
Today in the Parliament Alexander Sargsyan was eager to find out who
gave Taguhy Tovmasyan the information.
The latter answered that in case the information doesn’t correspond to
the reality Sashik Sargsyan may bring an action or demand refute. “Do
you know who I am?” declared Sargsyan. Ashot Aghababyan, member of the
Republican Party was also present during the incident and he tried to
calm down the “deputy,” whereas the latter continued his curses about
the journalist in the presence of many people. “If you don’t reveal
the source of the information, you will have many problems. You know
who I am, don’t you?” threatened Sargsyan in the end.
Hrant Khacatryan, NA deputy was also involved in the incident who
claimed, “If you have any problems turn to us, you know both us and
the newspaper. What do you want from journalists?”

WHAT WILL THE NEW DEPUTY DO IN THE PARLIAMENT?
A1+
[03:56 pm] 23 May, 2006
“I would like to hear more political debates in the Parliament instead
of non political ones,” Gegham Manoukyan, NA new deputy informed
us today.
He entered the Parliament as a result of a procedure which certain
political analysts call a collapse of the Coalition. It means that
in case OYP didn’t quit the Coalition, and Levon Lazarian wasn’t
appointed the Minister of Education, Gegham Manoukyan wouldn’t go to
the Parliament.
But he is of different opinion. “The Coalition exists, and it is
independent of certain people. There is a Coalitional memorandum which
is the base of the Coalition. There is a principle of the Coalition,
a document which testifies to the existence of the Coalition.” In
Gegham Manoukyan’s opinion the political state of internal affairs is
quiet in the country and nothing strange or extraordinary has happened.
“The changes are normal and logical on the threshold of elections,”
he claims. By the way, the latter will continue his creative work. “I
would like to be engaged in journalism and I shall continue my work.”
Asked whether he will be involved in political or legislative activity
in the Parliament he answered, “Whenever any deputy deals with only
political issues in the Parliament he harms the activity of the
Parliament, politics and legislative activity are connected.”

OPPOSITION IS NON-LICENSED ACTIVITY
Lragir.am
23 May 06
“I congratulate Arthur Baghdasaryan on the final establishment of
the Orinats Yerkir Party,” said the leader of the Ramkavar Party of
Armenia (Liberal Democratic Party of Armenia) Harutiun Arakelyan May
23, assessing the recent developments related with the coalition and
the Orinats Yerkir Party.
The Ramkavars say Orinats Yerkir made a political decision. The members
of parliament who left the party for the mandate and their businesses
also made a political decision. The leader of the Ramkavar Party does
not share the joy of certain members of parliament, for they also
have entrepreneur members of parliament. Harutiun Arakelyan relies
on his experience as a person who witnessed rats in politics.
“In 1993-1994 the same happened in our political party. Members of
parliament tended to affiliate with the Ramkavar Party; well, they had
heard about the Diaspora, a rich political party, etc. Later they left,
however. The new bureau of the political party has changed its style
of work to prevent this from reoccurring,” said Harutiun Arakelyan.
The Ramkavar Party has worked out with the Hzor Hayrenik Party 100
amendments to the electoral legislation to reduce and eliminate the
influence of economic factors and businessmen on political processes.
“We especially underline two: application of the proportional system of
vote and lifting of the immunity of members of parliament.” According
to Harutiun Arakelyan, the latter will make the mandate of a member
of parliament less attractive for a businessman. “They will leave
the National Assembly alone. The National Assembly has deviated from
its main function – the National Assembly is a place where laws are
made.” For the opposition, it is neither a place, nor a geographical
location, and Harutiun Arakelyan says it is funny when Orinats Yerkir’s
affiliation with the opposition is met with slings and arrows.
“Opposition is a stance. Some oppositionists have assumed a status
as if they are supposed to get a license for being opposition.
We do not need anybody’s permission for our opposition stance.”
The Ramkavar Party will stand for elections in 2007 and 2008. It will
act seriously. The question of candidates and alliances with other
political forces will be decided in the extraordinary congress of
the political party in February 2007.

IRAN REPORTS SUSPECTED BIRD FLU DEATHS
Armenpress
May 23 2006
TEHRAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS; Medical officials in Iran say local
tests indicate two people have died of bird flu. If confirmed by
international laboratories, they will be the country’s first deaths
from the H5N1 strain of the disease.
A 41-year-old man and his 26-year-old sister are among five members of
the same family who became sick after returning from a trip to the town
of Marivan, close to their home in the northwestern city of Kermanshah.
Officials say the three surviving relatives are in hospital and one
of them remains dangerously ill. A number of Iran’s neighbors have
reported deaths from the virus in recent months. Bird flu has killed
at least 123 people, mostly in Asia, since December 2003.

ALL-ARMENIAN ISSUES MUST BE SETTLED WITH ARMENIA
Lragir.am
23 May 06
The Ramkavar Party of Armenia (Liberal Democratic Party of Armenia)
has not had cooperation and contacts with the president of the World
Congress of Armenians Ara Abrahamyan since 2003, stated the leader
of the party Harutiun Arakelyan May 23. As a co-founder of the World
Congress of Armenians, the Ramkavar Party is not “delighted” with
the activities of this organization. Harutiun Arakelyan goes frank
and says there is likelihood inside the political party to secede
from the Congress: “Currently I hold them back.”
The Ramkavar Party also dislikes the recent initiative of the World
Congress of Armenians to take Turkey to court. First of all, it is an
emotional decision: it would mean declaring war on Turkey. Besides,
“Armenia must participate in the settlement of all-Armenian issues.”