ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE COMMEMORATED IN MOSCOW APR 24

Yerevan, April 12. ArmInfo. An action to commemorate the victims of
the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey will be held in Moscow Apr 24.

The Yerkramas daily reports that the objective of the action,
organized by the Russian-Armenian Cooperation NGO, is to draw
the public attention to this monstrous crime against humanity, to
consolidate the Armenian community of Armenia, especially youths. The
Arax group from Belgium will give a charity concert. The information
sponsors of the concert are a number of leading Russian media.

Invited to the concert are many prominent public and political figures
of Russia and Armenia.

QUAKE IN GREECE

Yerevan, April 12. ArmInfo. A 3.5-point earthquake took place in
Greece, 60 km south-east of Patras Apr 11 10:29 PM local time,
reports the National Seismic Protection Service of Armenia.

In the epicenter the magnitude was 8 points (on 12-point scale). No
reports of casualties.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, US DELEGATION DISCUSS AID PROGRAMME, KARABAKH

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
12 Apr 06

A US delegation led by Congressman Jim Kolbe is in Yerevan. The
delegation also includes Congressman Scott Garrett and Millennium
Challenge Corporation Chief Executive Officer John Danilovich.

At a meeting with the delegation, President Robert Kocharyan said that
Armenian-US relations were dynamically developing and the Armenian
side was expecting clear and open partnership relations with the
corporation. The president said that the programme was important as
it covered all regions of Armenia, could lead to great qualitative
changes and would contribute to the reduction of the gap between
rural regions and Yerevan.

The sides also spoke about the importance of fair management, good
economic indicators and fight against corruption. They stressed the
importance of improving the Electoral Code and also touched on the
Karabakh conflict.

[Video shows Kocharyan meeting the delegation members at the
presidential residence]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO CONCERNED OVER FLARING REGIONAL CONFLICTS, ITS OFFICIAL SAYS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 12 2006

NATO is concerned over the conflicts flaring in the South Caucasus
region, the special representative of the alliance’s Secretary General
to South Caucasus and Central Asia, Robert Simmons, has said.

“These disputes are impeding cooperation among countries.”

With regard to NATO’s position on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, Simmons said it coincides with that of
the OSCE, which is brokering settlement to the conflict. He said that
a given country may station its armed forces in another’s territory
only upon the latter’s consent. As an example, he referred to the fact
Russian troops are stationed in Armenia upon agreement with official
Yerevan, saying NATO is not interfering with this.

As for the stationing of NATO peacekeepers in the region, Simmons said
this is possible after lengthy discussions. On the other hand, this
would require a consent from both parties to the conflict, he said.

Simmons did not rule out that the alliance will be involved in some
large-scale regional energy projects, including measures to safeguard
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan main export pipeline.

“Guarding the pipeline has not been vested in NATO’s military forces
thus far. Therefore, the alliance will for the time being confine to
conducting training and rendering technical assistance to relevant
institutions of the countries hosting the pipe [Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Turkey],” Simmons added.

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF MOROCCO TO ARMENIA HANDS COPY OF HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA FOREIGN MINISTER

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 12, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian was handed the copy of his credentials by newly appointed
Ambassador of the Kingdom of Morocco to Armenia Abdeljalil Saubry
(residence Kiev).

Congratulating the guest on the occasion of his appointment, V.Oskanian
wished him success in his responsible mission. Highly estimating the
traditional close contacts with the Arab world and Armenia during
the warm and friendly conversation held after the ceremony, the
sides expressed readiness to take concrete steps for development
of cooperation between Armenia and Morocco. In this respect they
mentioned the priority to replenish the legal-contractual field
and to organize official mutual visits. Then issues connected with
cooperation within the framework of international organizations
were discussed, as well as opinions about settlement of conflicts
were exchanged. The Ambassador on behalf of the Foreign Minister of
Morocco invited V.Oskanian to Rabat. Below is the brief biography
of the newly appointed Ambassador provided to Noyan Tapan by RA
Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department: Abdeljalil Saubry
was born in 1954 in Marakesh. He graduated from the law faculty of
Montpellier University (France). In 1985 he started to work at the
Foreign Ministry of Morocco. In 1994-2001 he worked at the Embassy
of Morocco in Belgium, since 2005 September he has been working as
Ambassador of Morocco to Ukraine. He is married, has three children.

BUSINESS REFERENCE BOOK PUBLISHED IN TAVUSH

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

NOYEMBERIAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Data (sphere of activity, address,
phone number, etc.) concerning all the offices and enterprises and
private enterprising people acting in the marz of Tavush are included
in the business reference book which was published by the “Assistance
to Noyemberian” public organization with the grant resources of the
“Eurasia” fund. The business reference book was published with 800
copies print run.

ARMENIA PARTICIPATES IN SITTING OF CIS RAILWAY ADMINISTRATIONS’ HEADS TO TAKE PLACE IN TALLINN

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. The regular sitting of the CIS railway
administrations’ heads is held on April 12-14, in the capital of
Estonia, Tallinn.

The delegation of Armenia also participates in the sitting. The
delegation is headed by Ararat Khrimian, the “Armenian Railways”
CJSC Director. The Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about this
by the Press Service of the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication.

ARMENIA PARTICIPATES IN TOURISM FAIR IN BUCHAREST

Noyan Tapan
Apr 12 2006

BUCHAREST, APRIL 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A tourism fair was organized for
the first time in Bucharest on April 6-9 within the framework of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization (BSEC), and a meeting
of the working group on cooperation in the BSEC tourims sector took
place on April 7-8. The fair was held in the Romexpo complex hall,
where a National Torism Fair with the participation of nearly 400
companies took place in the same period. According to the RA MFA Press
and Information Department, Armenia was presented at the fair by the
Armenian embassy in Romania based on tourism posters, brochures, video
films and books provided by several Armenian tourism organizations.

GROUP FOR INTERPARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP WITH AZERBAIJAN TO BE ESTABLISHED IN UAE’S PARLIAMENT

Caucaz, Georgia
April 12 2006

Baku, 12 April 2006 (Trend.az – website) – A group for
interparliamentary friendship with Azerbaijan is established in
National Federal Association (NFA) of United Arab Emirates. This issue
has been discussed at thee meeting between Eldar Salimov, Azerbaijan’s
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to UAE and Muhammad
Salem Al-Mezrui, Secretary General (head of executive department), NFA.

Mr Salimov told Trend that in the course of the conversation Secretary
General was informed of running the group for interparliamentary
friendship with UAE in Azerbaijan; moreover, the hope was expressed
for establishment of the similar association in UAE.

Mr Al-Mezrui has outlined the high level of bilateral relations both
in political and cultural spheres, which gives the ground for close
interparliamentary cooperation as well. Too, Secretary General greeted
the creation of friendship group in Milli Medjlis and promised to
create the similar interparliamentary group in NFA at the forthcoming
summer session. The hope was expressed at the meeting for bilateral
visits at the level of parliament speakers.

Mr Al-Mezrui again highlighted the UAE’s support to the right position
of Azerbaijan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh resolutions and expressed
intentions for the further support and help to brotherly Azerbaijan
and its refugees and forced migrants.

ARMENIA SELLS 5TH UNIT FOR ENERGY SECURITY

United Press International
April 12 2006

YEREVAN, Armenia, April 12 (UPI) — Armenia has sold a fifth unit from
the Razdan-5 thermal power plant in a bid to increase energy security,
Public Television of Armenia reported.

Speaking on Armenian television, following reports that new gas prices
would be in force as of Monday, Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan
denied that the sale of the energy-generating unit to Russia’s Gazprom
was connected to the gas price.

“This is a successful deal.,” he said. “We sold the unit for $250
million on the condition that $140 million will be invested into its
reconstruction and upgrading in two years’ time. This will strengthen
our energy security.

“From this point of view, I consider this is a right decision and
the Armenian government has got an opportunity to use this money to
finance domestic gas consumers.”

As of Monday, Armenian consumers pay 14 cents for 1 cubic meter of
gas, up from 13 cents. Commercial customers now pay $94.50 for 10,000
cubic meters. The price is still less than what European consumers pay.

The prime minister has said the government aims to keep gas and
electricity tariffs unchanged for the next three years.

Gazprom took control of Armenia’s pipelines and the power station in
exchange for lower gas prices to Yerevan until 2009.

The price of gas was nearly doubled from $56 per 1,000 cu.m to $110
dollars per 1,000 cu.m.

In return, it took control of part of a 25-mile-long pipeline that
brings gas from Iran to Armenia and the Razdan-5 gas-fired plant.