Cher sells waterfront mansion Florida house was on the market for six months
canada.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Six months after she put it on the market, Cher has sold one of her
houses.
The singer and actress got $8.8 million (all figures U.S.) for her
waterfront mansion on Key Biscayne, about 10 miles south of Miami. The
house was listed last year for $9.75 million.
Buyers Sean and Ana Wolfington closed the deal Tuesday for the fully
furnished 6,819-square-foot house that boasts six bedrooms, eight
bathrooms and bamboo floors throughout. The couple has two children.
Cher bought the estate, overlooking Biscayne Bay, in 2003 for $5.65
million after selling her Miami Beach house to Calvin Klein executive
Barry Schwartz.
The entertainer spent more than $100,000 last year to replace trees and
plants on the property that were damaged by hurricanes.
Cher, who turns 60 this month, is scheduled to take over from Celine
Dion at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas when the Canadian singer’s contract
runs out.

A1+
THE AMBITIONS DESTROYED THE COALITION
[02:10 pm] 12 May, 2006
«Before the elections the authorities must come to an agreement about
three posts: the President, the Prime Minister and the NA
President. It was obvious last year that Arthur Baghdasaryan was not
meant for any of the three posts by this agreement», NA deputy
Shavarsh Kocharyan told «A1+».
According to him, the problem is not that Baghdasaryan must become
another Sahakashvili, neither that he can be an unwanted
rival. According to Kocharyan, Arthur Baghdasaryan was in a situation
when he had high ambitions but was not placed in the agreement of the
authorities. So he had either to perform a secondary role or to
quit. He chose the second option.
Asked the question if the fact that Arthur Baghdasaryan becomes
opposition will not ‘hit’ the opposition itself, Shavarsh Kocharyan
answered that the opposition has been ‘hit’ so many times that this
step can even contribute to its coming to its senses. According to
him, Robert Kocharyan will not dissolve the Parliament as he will not
benefit from it.

Panorama.am
13:00 12/05/06

EDUCATION MINISTER WANTS TO RESIGN
Sergo Yeritsyan, Minister of Education and Science and Orinats Yerkir
Party member thinks to resign the office. Education ministry sources
say that the most probably the minister will resign. Interestingly
enough, not Sergo Yeritsyan, but his deputy Norayr Ghukassyan talked
to the government session yesterday.
H. Margaryan, member of OYP made a statement late yesterday saying
that their party is leaving from the state coalition and that OYP
leader Arthur Baghdasaryan will resign from the chairmanship of the
National Assembly. /Panorama.am/

REPUBLICANS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN
Lragir.am
12 May 06
Hrant Khachatryan, the leader of the Constitutional Right Union, said
in a news conference on May 12 that the attempt of breaking up the
faction of the Orinats Yerkir through businessmen, who proved
instrumental to this, may similarly be applied to Dashnaktsutiun and
the Republicans if the latter also try to play an individual game or
become more democratic. `At least over the past two years I have heard
separate members and influential members of Dashnaktsutiun and the
Republican Party say that the conditions of the clan for the
government parties are becoming increasingly severe,’ says Hrant
Khachatryan. He says a situation has occurred when owners of big
businesses, who are members of some political party, tend to look for
an exit.
The majority of owners of big businesses, who entered the government
with some political force, is in fact departing from their political
parties, their interests and name, and seeks to draw closer to the
president administration. I heard similar complaints from the
Republican Party, namely Hovik Abrahamyan. When we blame the
Republicans for this or that activity of Hovik Abrahamyan, they always
deny him. They say Hovik Abrahamyan is no more a Republican, it has
been a long time he is not with us,’ says Hrant Khachatryan. He
mentions that the existing reality reveals the imperfection of the
system:the government does not view political parties as a basis for
forming a systemof governance.

DON’T PEOPLE NEED HONEST PEOPLE?
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
Lragir.am
12 May 06
The developments involving the Orinats Yerkir Party fit the logic of
pre-election developments, stated Member of Parliament Hrant
Khachatryan, the leader of the Constitutional Right Union, in a news
conference on May 12. According to him, the government is facing a
problem of keeping what it has, and, considering the pressure on
behalf of international organizations, holding elections concealing
electoral fraud.
Under these circumstances, Hrant Khachatryan thinks that the
government will try to render neutral the forces in the parliament,
which are a more or less independent, trying to shape a National
Assembly with more controllable members. Hrant Khachatryan views the
campaign against the Orinats Yerkir in this context. Hrant Khachatryan
says the Orinats Yerkir may not only secede from the coalition but
also find a more effective strategy. `We would not secede, we would
stay and fight,’ says Hrant Khachatryan. He says it is possible that
what happened is a game. According to Hrant Khachatryan, the game may
alsobe determined by the upcoming elections, calculated to win over
votes. But the member of parliament also says that there are a lot of
arguments that thisis not a game. One of these arguments is
long-lasting contact with the members of the coalition; Hrant
Khachatryan says the coalition colleagues of Orinats Yerkir have
always disliked this political party. Hrant Khachatryan also gives the
example of Artashes Tumanyan, which in the beginning appeared as a
game, but now obviously Tumanyan is having serious problems.
Besides, Hrant Khachatryan emphasizes that as a part of the
government, the Orinats Yerkir has always had its standpoint on
certain issues. At any rate, even if this is a game, people may accept
it, says Hrant Khachatryan, seeing that Arthur Baghdasaryan can make
changes in the country’s life. Hrant Khachatryan says there is no need
for confessions. `I cannot even feel the public demand for
confessions. The society does not need an honest person. It needs fast
changes,’ says Hrant Khachatryan. He also thinks that the future place
of the Orinats Yerkir in the political sphere and in the opposition is
determined by the opinion of the same people. `I am deeply convinced
that the opposition is not a hangout of losers or the repressed, a
temporary shelter, where they can stay, have a rest and try to take
power in one way or another. There are political parties which
expected and even prepared for the entrance of Arthur Baghdasaryan to
the opposition, and there are political parties to whom the secession
of Orinats Yerkir from the coalition means weakening of the coalition
and not strengthening of the opposition,’ says the leaderof the
Constitutional Right Union.
He believes that in the beginning people, and especially the ordinary
members of the Orinats Yerkir must evaluate, either accept or decline
the Orinats Yerkir Party. Hrant Khachatryan says personally he is not
happy about the weakening of the coalition or the prospect of
strengthening of the opposition.
Hrant Khachatryan is concerned by the impact of these developments on
the political sphere.

NOWHERE WAS ORINATS YERKIR WELCOMED
Lragir.am
12 May 06
Orinats Yerkir becomes opposition, stated Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan
in a press conference on May 12, after he announced about his
resignation and the secession of his political party from the
coalition.
`Certainly, we become opposition. We become an opposition. We become
with our notions, our approaches. People recognize us. People know
us. They know what took place. Today the majority of the society has
oppositionist moods. Each has their place, we are not going to take
someone else’s place, wehave our own path,’ said Arthur
Baghdasaryan. He does not think that they will be welcomed it the
opposition. Arthur Baghdasaryan even believes that they may receive
blows, as always.
`I should tell you that we have never been welcomed anywhere. Did the
government welcome us? We received blows since the first day we
entered the coalition. Now if you think that we will not receive blows
in the opposition, we will. For us, however, people’s opinion is
important,’ says the leader of the Orinats Yerkir. He mentions that
they will follow their own path. This path, according to Arthur
Baghdasaryan, involves the ideas, programs and values that the Orinats
Yerkir bears. However, the leader of the Orinats Yerkir believes that
they will have allies.
`There are always allies, there are always political forces, figures
who accept our system of values, our vision,’ says Arthur
Baghdasaryan. He emphasizes a straightforward behavior before people
for the party members and other citizens to believe in the honesty and
frankness of the Orinats Yerkir. Arthur Baghdasaryan mentioned that
their slogan during the campaign for parliament is still up to date:
`With people, for people.’
`We could keep silent, we could shut an eye on a scandalous
sell-off. We could say nothing. If you think that as a speaker of the
National AssemblyI could not take one or two buildings for myself, you
are mistaken. I did not want. We did not live that way. We thought
there are problems, we must tryto solve the problems for the country
and people,’ said Arthur Baghdasaryan.

HRAYR KARAPETIAN: NO NEED TO DISSOLVE PARLIAMENT
Yerevan, May 12. ArmInfo. “I do not think that the resignation of
Artur Baghdasarian and withdrawal of “Orinats Yerkir” party from
coalition create the necessity to dissolve the parliament,” Hrayr
Karapetian, Secretary of ARFD faction, said this, commenting on the
recent events.
He added that RA National Assembly is able to normally function at
present and carry out constitutional reforms. He stated that a certain
vacuum has been shaped in the management of RA Parliament that is to
be overcome as soon as possible. Karapetian said that the new speaker
may be elected in the next parliamentary sitting after five days from
the decision on Baghdasarian’s resignation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS ASK FEDERAL SECURITY SERVICE TO PROTECT THEM
SOCHI, May 12. ArmInfo. The air traffic controllers who witnessed the
May 3 crash of A-320 airbus, turned to RF Federal Security Service
with the request to protect them and their families.
According to “Life” magazine, they stated they are not guilty in the
crash, b ut they are afraid that the relatives of 113 victims in the
crash will take revenge of them. According to the information from the
trustworthy sources, the air traffic controllers who turned for help
to RF Federal Security Service take special measures for safety. The
officials of relevant bodies met with them to discuss the situation
and evaluate the risk.
It’s worth mentioning that earlier the statement of the employees of
the Adler airport was published. According to them, nobody threatens
to the air traffic controllers who worked at the tragic night.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGO YERITSIAN TO RESIGN FROM POST OF RA MINISTER OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE
ATTENTION, CORRECTED VERSION! YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. RA
Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsian, member of the
Orinats Yerkir (Country of Law) Party, will resign after May 22. Noyan
Tapan correspondent was informed about it from the Ministry. Chairman
of the Orinats Yerkir Party and NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian said in
the May 12 statement that after his official resignation all state
officials representing the party should resign from their posts during
the next NA 4-day session to start on May 22.

CONVERSE BANK PLANS TO MAKE PROFIT OF 2 BLN DRAMS THIS YEAR
YEREVAN, MAY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. This year Converse Bank plans to make a
profit of about 2 bln drams (about 4.5 mln USD). Director General of
the Converse Bank Artak Hanesian said during the May 12 press
conference that it is expected that the bank’s assets will increase by
15%, its overall capital – by 25.2%, and credit portfolio – by 7.8% by
late 2006. The mortgage credits are envisaged to increase almost
2.6fold. According to A. Hanesian, it is quite possible that the
annual interest rates of deposits with the bank (currently making
4-7%) will soon rise by one percentage point. He said that 2006 was
declared Year of Customer by the Converse Bank. In this connection the
bank will develop the institution of individual servicing, join the
Europay international payment and settlement system and start
servicing Visa cards by its cash dispensers. Besides, the bank will
open 5 new branches this year, including 3 ones in Yerevan. It was
noted that in 2006, the bank envisages to introduce quality-management
ISO 9001:2000 and financial monitoring systems in line with
international standards.