RIVERS WILL ALSO BE DREDGED
A1+
[05:13 pm] 04 May, 2006
The Government allocated 80million AMD to the RA Ministry of
Agriculture in order to purify the river-bed of the Aghstev in Dilijan
and to solidify its banks. The Government also allocated 25 million AMD
from reserve fund to the regional council of Vayots Dzor to implement
anti-overflowing programs in the most dangerous fragments of the
rivers Arpa, Eghegis and Elpin passing through the villages Arpi,
Getap, Elpi and Shati.

SECTION 907 TO BE APPLIED TO AZERBAIJAN UP TO SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH ISSUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 18:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act will be
applied to Azerbaijan up to settlement of the conflict in Nagorno
Karabakh,” stated Public Affairs officer of the US Embassy in
Azerbaijan Jonathan Henick. In his words, in spite the US Government
was against application of Section 907 to Azerbaijan, Congress kept
it in effect. “we are very content with the fact that Section 907
regarding Azerbaijan and continuation of our business cooperation
with that country is frozen for 5 years,” the US diplomat noted,
reports APA.
We note that Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was adopted by
the US Congress in 1991 after Azerbaijan and Turkey blocked the border
with Armenia and Azerbaijan’s aggression against Nagorno Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AAA EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF VICTIMS OF ARMAVIA PLANE CRASH
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 03 2006
WASHINGTON, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hirair Hovnanian,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Assembly of
America (AAA), on behalf of the AAA’s leadership, members and staff,
extends his heartfelt condolences to all the families and friends of
the victims of the Armavia plane crash in Sochi. “This tragedy, in
which our fellow compatriots perished, is a great loss for the entire
Armenian nation. You are in our thoughts and prayers,” Hirair Hovnanian
writes in his letter of condolences, submitted to “Noyan Tapan”
by Arpi Vartanian, AAA’s Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Country Director.

MOSCOW INCIDENT IS NOT CONNECTED WITH MY BEING ARMENIAN, MIKAEL DOVLATIAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. “The incident that happened to me in
Moscow is not connected with my being Armenian. Such cases happen
to Georgians, Azerbaijanis and people of other nationalities, too,”
film director Mikael Dovlatian declared at the May 2 press conference
in connection with the attack upon him by a group of young people
some days ago in Moscow underground. According to him, this group
of young people was like a “pack of wolves” and their goal was to
do harm to people of other nationalities. According to M.Dovlatian,
if such incidents become frequent, it is not excluded that a civil
war will start in Russia. “This is a bright example of xenophobia and
the Russian government should undertake serious measures as otherwise
this anti-hysteria will cause many problems for Russia and other CIS
countries,” M.Dovlatian emphasized. He also mentioned that he has
no hope that this case will be disclosed. According to M.Dovlatian,
he has nothing against Russia and will continue to cooperate with
Russian cinematographers. But Ruben Gevorgiants, Chairman of the Union
of Armenian Cinematographers, said that the Russian cinematographers
have refused to take part in the “Yes Em” (“It’s Me”) international
youth festival starting on May 3 in Yerevan.

RUSSIA ON THE BRINK OF SEPARATION
Aram Abarahamian
Aravot.am
03 May 06
Those persons in Russia who are for “Russia for Russians” slogan and
encourage slaughters of foreigners perhaps are sincerely sure that they
assist in territorial integrity and power of their country. But it is
too easy to prove that they stimulize just the opposite process. When
an Armenian, Tajik or Azerbaijani is asked; “what do you do here,
go back to your country?” the … for Russia are simply economic; it
means that their production or construction where foreigners work,
will stop, as Russian nation can’t. But when the same is asked to
Tatars or Bashkirian or Yakuts who live in Moscow or in Tambov, it
is a serious threat to territorial integrity of the country because
if Russians want to live in Tambov themselves it will be very natural
that Tatars will want to in Kazan only themselves and it will be the
end of Russian state.
Russia has existed for centuries as an Empire. And national minority
should have a certain status in the Empire, perhaps not equal
to the “main” nation. When the major nation of the Empire begins
thinking that other nations disturb them, it is a /// of Empire
destruction. It happened to the Russian Empire at the end of 19th
century. In particularly Russian nationalists together with tsar
“okhranka” created and spread “The records of Zion wise men” for
slandering proposes. The Bolsheviks “internationalism” in the soviet
empire was imitated but it was an official ideology, which helped to
keep the empire for a while.
It is difficult to say with which it is possible to change
“internationalism”. But it is obvious that the primitive nationalism
is supported by the authorities leads the country to separation. By
the way it is possible that the enemies of Russia understand it that
sponsor fascist moods.
Here our authority cherishes hopes with this country, which is on
the brink of separation. That’s true, all these are too difficult
for them but making money and “keeping posts” is clear and obvious.

“WE WON’T CREATE PROBLEM FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNTRY AND COALITION COLLEAGUES”
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot.am
03 May 06
– the NA chairman Arthur Baghdasarian declared in the interview
given to our newspaper, not excluding the “Orinats Erkir” prospect
of leaving the coalition.
– Mr. Baghdasarian, there is an impression that you are ready to
leave the coalition, is it so, and when will you declare about it?
– “Orinats Erkir” party became a part of coalition in 2003 and signed
a memorandum in 2006 as not end in itself about which I have had an
occasion and opportunity to say in “Aravot”, too. Neither the National
Assembly of third holding nor the coalition is eternal. I’m sure nobody
will argue this. It’s obvious that there are serious discrepancies for
leaving the coalition. Yes, I declared, we won’t create difficulties
for the President of the country or for our coalition colleagues and
if there will be incompatibility of our ideas and ways of action,
“Ordinates Erik” will leave the coalition.
– In your opinion, how this incompatibility can be displayed, why
did the interview to the German newspaper cause so many dissents?
– You know, when “OE” was accused of populism in 2003, it was
understandable a little, it was electoral year, and pre-election
passions weren’t calmed down yet. When the same was being done in
2004, it was surprising, and it became meaningless in 2005 because
there was enough time to understand that neither my official visits
to foreign countries, nor, working visits to the regions of Armenia,
nor formation of councils at the NA chairman, and nor active speeches
of the “OE” members were populism, there were usual, parliamentary
works as we understand the legislative and political activities of
the elected representative of the people. And on the other hand I
haven’t said to any newspaper anything new which deny my public
speeches. I don’t exclude they could also be dissents as there
was a free interview lasting an hour. I can say the meaning of my
interview in a sentence; “To Europe, keeping relative relations with
Russia.” This was the meaning. Finally, when it is said that the
future of Armenia isn’t “Russia-Byelorussia” ally, is obvious for
everyone. And why has the commission of Eurointegration been formed
in the NA since 2003, for becoming the “Russia-Byelorussia” member
or deepening the collaboration with the European institutions and
forming grounds for the EU membership. First of all Russia itself
doesn’t consider NATO as its enemy, which I have said in Saint
Petersburg, that it isn’t allowed to contrast Russia with the EU,
that Armenia won’t wake up as the NATO member. Eventually NATO has
both military and political components and there are countries,
which become members of political component. That means there are
a lot of versions of deepening collaboration. By the way the same
Russia wants to deepen the relations with NATO, forming NATO-Russia
council by declaration of Roma. The same Vladimir Putin answering to
the question of German journalist has said that the official Moscow
can discuss the problem of joining with NATO, though Russia is able
to defend itself. Finally such things are solve!
d neither by interviews nor in a month or in a year and I haven’t
spoken about NATO membership. I have spoken about the project of
personal partnership between Armenia and NATO and the prospect of
deepening Euro Atlantic collaboration. As regards the Armenian-Russian
relations I highly appreciate it and I have said about it in the
same interview. I have also said about it in Washington, Brussels and
Moscow. And I, as a politician, see my country in the Western value
system; it doesn’t mean at all that I’m against Armenian-Russian
relative relations.
– According to our information, the State Duma deputy Constantine
Zatulin in the sitting of Armenian-Russian inter-Parliamentary
commission has accused you of making speech in the Kiev Maydan. Is
it so?
– I’m not going to comment Zatulin’s words, I’ll say the following,
I’m the chairman of the parliament of an independent country and I
have made a speech by Victor Yushchenko’s invitation and I’ve greeted
the Ukrainian people on the occasion of their state holiday. I’m for
relative and not vassal relations with Russia as that same Zatulin
considers.
– Don’t you think that everything started from your speech about
privatization, serious corruption accusations were made?
– My speech was addressed to the phenomenon and not to the
persons. The fact that schools, nursery schools, colleges can’t be
privatized in Armenia is a ///. We have declared from the first
day coming to power that we’ll work and fight for democratic and
social-economic reforms. And we have been honest in our way; we have
acted transparently and publicly. We have kept our principality inside
coalition, too respecting the principles of our colleagues. Armenia
must be the country of the future. Some people compare difficulties
with sunset while they are temporary prohibitions of a great
travel. Some part of people fight believing in the future. While others
afraid of the future having an apprehension that the failures of the
past can be repeated. But we shouldn’t afraid of our future; we should
fight for our future and those progressive values, which we have, for
that belief which we cherish, for those ideas to which we are devoted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED FRENCH CO-CHAIR OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP
ArmRadio.am
04.05.2006 18:00
RA President Robert Kocharyan received today the French Co-Chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier.
President’s Press Office informs that the mediator presented the
results consultations of the Co-Chairs held May 2-3 in Russia.

SHUSHI AND EFFORTS OF ALL ARMENIANS
Lragir.am
04 May 06
On April 30 the mayor of Shushi was elected. The former mayor Felix
Hakobyan was reelected. The NKR Central Election Committee reported
that 1148 out of the 2181 voters turned up, and the former mayor
received 887 votes.
On May 9 the 14th anniversary of liberation of Shushi will be
celebrated. The town is not reconstructed yet. Moreover, by official
data the number of the population is dropping. The authorities say
the city is too badly ruined, and the efforts of the Armenians all
over the world are needed. Two ways of involving the efforts of the
Armenians all over the world were suggested: to hold a telethon of
donations for Shushi or to proclaim Shushi a free economic area,
anticipating investments of Armenians all over the world.
After the North-South Highway the next telethon was expected to be
held for Shushi. However, last year the telethon was held for the
region of Martakert, and this year the donations will be for the
region of Hadrut, says Armo Tsatryan, the NKR minister of territorial
management and development of infrastructures.
For the free economic area, the minister says a government commission
has been set up to work out a plan of turning Shushi a center
of education and culture. The ministries were instructed to work
out separate programs, involving the program of the free economic
area. Armo Tsatryan said the commission will discuss the programs
after the May holidays.

NATO MEMBERSHIP IS A NATURAL ASPIRATION
Lragir.am
04 May 06
NATO membership requires compliance with a set of humanitarian,
political and economic standards, but an application is enough to
become member of the Collective Security Treaty. The Ukrainian
Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bojko compared the Western and
post-soviet security organizations May 4 in Yerevan.
He said that NATO is not merely a military organization, it is also
an economic and political organization, which enables countries to
develop. According to the ambassador, NATO has aspirations in the
post-soviet area, which favor the interests of Ukraine and Armenia. The
purpose is stability. “The aspiration of Ukraine to enter NATO is a
natural aspiration, a normal desire of a normal country, which wants
to improve its life,” says the Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia.
The United States is highly interested in entering NATO. Several days
ago information appeared in British newspapers that the Unites States
is likely to lobby the members of NATO to expedite the membership of
Ukraine. Hence, Ukraine may have become member of NATO by 2008.
Ambassador Bojko does not deny such developments. “Never say never,”
says the ambassador.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNCERTAINTY ABOUT PLANE CRASH IS NOT DIMINISHING
Lragir.am
04 May 06
According to our sources, about a day and a half passed from the
crash of A320, and much more questions have occurred than answers
have been given. Particularly, it became known that two people did
not fly because after checking in and submitting the luggage it
turned out that they did not have visas in their passports. However,
the plane took off on time, which means that the luggage of those two
passengers was not returned. Next, investigation is carried out along
with the work of rescuers, and the fuel collected from the surface of
water. Hardly 15 liters of fuel was reported to have been collected,
whereas the Armenian officials assure that the plane had about 10
tons of fuel. It is known that fuel is very expensive in Yerevan,
and in a number of cases an airlines fuel up for one destination only.
At least 5 countries are related with the crash and the related
developments: Armenia, Georgia, Russia, France and the United
States. Presently, each of them is trying to prove that they are not to
blame for the accident. Therefore, Georgia is willing to provide the
recording of the conversation of the Armenian pilots and the Georgian
dispatchers when the plane was flying via Georgia. Our source assures
that when the Georgian party attempted to deliver the recording to
the ambassador of Armenia, the ambassador “disappeared.” Thanks
to the consistency of the Georgian party, the representatives of
the office of the Attorney General of Armenia arrived in Georgia to
take the recording. There is yet another suspicion; according to the
requirements of the airport of Sochi, when a plane makes a second
attempt to land, it has to depart from the coast maximum 4 km. The
Armenian plane plunged into the sea 4-5 km from the coast.