RA FOREIGN MINISTER MET HIS KAZAKH COUNTERPART IN ASTANA
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 12:11
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan is on a two-day official visit
to the Republic of Kazakhstan.
During the meeting with the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kasimzhormat
Tokaev the parties discussed a number of questions of mutual and
international importance. The Ministers expressed appreciation for
the level of political relations between the two countries. The
interlocutors expressed interest in deepening economic cooperation,
which is considerably promoted by the activity of the Armenian-Kazakh
Intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission, as well as the
legal field and the lack of political disagreements between the
two countries.
The Ministers stressed the importance of cooperation within the
CIS, CSTO and The Eurasian Economic Cooperation Organization and
international organizations.
Special attention was paid to issues of energy and transport. On this
occasion Minister Tokaev presented the position of Kazakhstan on a
number of regional issues, particularly Kazakhstan’s envolvement in
the Kaspian region.
Considering that Kazakhstan claims OSCE Presidency in 2009, RA Foreign
Minister presented the latest developments in the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.
At the end of the meeting, Minister Oskanyan invited his Kazakh
counterpart to pay an official visit to Armenia any time.
The same day Vardan Oskanyan had a meeting with President Nursultan
Nazarbaev and delivered a speech at the Diplomatic Academy of
Kazakhstan.

VEDANTA CONSIDERS COAL AND GOLD MOVES
By Rebecca Bream
Financial Times
Jun 02, 2006
Vedanta, the London-listed Indian metals group, is to move into new
markets, including coal and gold,following the successful expansion
of its zinc, copper and aluminium divisions.
Pre-tax profit at the group jumped from $386.3m to $934.7m (£500m)
for the year ending March 31, thanks to a rise in production and
soaring metals prices. Revenues rose from $1.88bn to $3.7bn.
Most of Vedanta’s mines and smelters are in India but it also produced
copper in Zambia and Australia.
Anil Agarwal, founder, majority shareholder and chairman of Vedanta,
said yesterday that the group was on track to meet its annual target
of producing 1m tonnes each of zinc, copper and aluminium by 2010.
Of the group’s $5bn investment programme, $3bn had already been
spent and the expansion projects were being completed on time and
under budget.
He said the next step would be into coal and possibly power stations
to capitalise on India’s need for electricity.
Vedanta had applied for coal field development projects being sold
by the governments in Orissa and Chhatisgargh, and hoped to obtain
coal reserves of between 200m and 400m tonnes.
“We are also going to try to get into the power business as it is
less cyclical than mining,” said Mr Agarwal. Vedanta owns coal-fired
power plants in India, which it uses to supply electricity to its
smelters. It is considering building more.
Mr Agarwal said Sterlite Gold, his Toronto-listed gold company with
gold mines in Armenia, could be sold to Vedanta to form the basis of
a gold division.
Vedanta shares fell 69p to £13.78 yesterday, in line with the rest
of the mining sector.
A final dividend of 14.3 cents (11.55 cents) gives a full-year dividend
of 20 cents (17.35 cents), payable from earnings per share of 130.2
cents (62.5 cents).
FT Comment
*Following a strong performance by Vedanta’s shares in 2006, the
company is valued at about £3.8bn and is very likely to enter the FTSE
100 index next week. The stock was hit by the correction in the metals
market in May and could be a buying opportunity for anyone wanting
exposure to the company, which in turn gives exposure to India’s
rising demand for commodities. Vedanta is keen to keep expanding and
possible moves into coal, power and gold should cement its status as
a significant mid-tier mining group.
–Boundary_(ID_+DDZdMVa2szlh/KihBkC6Q)–

ANKARA AGAIN SEEKS TO MISLEAD EUROPE ABOUT ITS ANTAGONISTIC POLICY TOWARD ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 12:18
Reports, based on sources in the Turkish government, are being
circulated by the Turkish media allege that “secret talks” are taking
place between Armenia and Turkey aimed at normalizing relations
between these two countries.
Sources close to the Turkish government quoted the government’s
spokesperson, Namik Tan, as saying that Turkey intends to continue
to make efforts to normalize relations with Armenia.
The European Armenian Federation recalls that, each year, on the
eve of the European Union’s annual assessment of Turkey’s candidacy,
Ankara revives its efforts to misinform and disorient European public
opinion about its true intentions and policies toward Armenia.
“We have no doubt that meetings between emissaries of both countries
may occur but there is a clear evidence that, as in the past, actual
progress will not be possible until Turkey undertakes a fundamental
realignment of its policies toward Armenia,” said Hilda Tchoboian,
Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.
The Federation notes that Turkey continues to strangle Armenia
through blockade and a broader strategy aimed at isolating Armenia
internationally, and that it persists in escalating its political
campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide.
“Along the same lines as the notorious Erdogan proposal to establish
a ‘historians committee,’ this new effort does little to conceal
Turkey’s belligerent attitude toward Armenia or its desire to treat
Armenia as a hostage country,” continued Tchoboian.
The European Armenian Federation urges the European authorities to
condemn Turkey’s efforts to mislead and confuse the European family
of nations regarding its true posture toward Armenia.
“If Turkey truly wants to become a European nation, it needs to take
the steps that the world expects of it – including acknowledging
its state responsibility for the Armenian Genocide and lifting its
blockade of Armenia,” concluded Tchoboian.

RA PRESIDENT VISITS VAYOTS DZOR MARZ
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 12:40
RA President has started on a visit to Vayots Dzor marz. The President
is scheduled to visit “Getnatun” winery in Yeghegnadzor, the grape
yards in Vernashen village and Gndevaz village, where a new water
pipeline is to be opened.
The President is accompanied by RA Minister of Agriculture Davit
Lockyan, Vayots Dzor Marzpet Samvel Sargsyan, Mayor of Yeghegnadzor
Sirekan Babayan, Director of “Getnatun” factory Aghasi Baghdasaryan,
Mayor of Vayk Taro Avetyan and Mayor of Jermuk Ruben Markosyan.

DAY OF CHILDREN’S PROTECTION ALSO MARKED AT ARMENIAN CHILDREN’S HOMES
Noyan Tapan
Jun 1 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of RA Ministry of
Labor and Social Issues, on June 1, International Day of Children’s
Protection, charity festive events were held at all Armenian children’s
homes. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed from the Ministry’s
Public Relations Department, at present 8 state children’s homes
function in the Ministry’s system where in total over 950 children
live.

CHILDREN ARE PROTECTED IN ARMENIA, SPECIALISTS CONSIDER
Noyan Tapan
Jun 1 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN. An event under the title “No to Violence
Towards Children” dedicated to the International day of Children’s
Protection was held on June 1 at Khnko Aper library on the initiative
of the Council of Europe Information Office in Armenia and The Future
is Yours charity organization. The pupils of Yerevan special boarding
school N 3 performed the staging of Hovhannes Tumanian’s “The End of
the Evil” tale, an exhibition of 10-15-year-old children’s works on
the subject “Violence Towards Children with Children’s Eyes” opened
during the event. As Narine Sargsian, Chairwoman of The Future is Yours
NGO, said, violence towards children exists everywhere independent on
social, national or ethnic belonging. She mentioned that children are
protected in Armenia. However, according to her, some work should be
done in order to inform children about their rights for them to be able
to express their opinion when decisions regarding them are made. Susan
Marukhanian, Director of the Council of Europe Information Office
in Armenia, mentioned that the event is held within the framework
of the three-year program “Let’s Build Europe for Children and With
Children.” According to her, the goal of the Council of Europe program
is to help the member-states to overcome the difficulties they are
faced with on the way of fulfilment of the commitments in this sphere.
According to S.Marukhanian, it is expected that children’s
participation during the program’s implementation will help to work
out new models of children’s participation at the local, national
and European levels and models of consultations with them.

NA TO ELECT HEADS OF TWO STANDING COMMITTEES
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 10:27
Elections of Heads of NA Standing Committees on Defense, National
Security and Domestic Affairs and Social, Health and Ecology Issues
will be held during today’s special sitting. It is expected that for
the first position the Armenian Revolutionary Federation will suggest
Aramayis Grigoryan’s candidacy.
For the second one the United Labor Party will suggest the candidacy
of Mnatakan Petrosyan, Vice-President of the Party.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARDAN OSKANYAN’S VISIT TO KAZAKHSTAN COMING TO AN END
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 10:39
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan’s visit to Kazakhstan is coming to
an end. Today the Minister will meet representatives of the Armenian
community in Almati.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALL-UKRAINIAN FESTIVAL OF ARMENIAN ART TO OPEN IN KIEV
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 11:00
“My Armenia” all-Ukrainian festival-contest of Armenian art will open
today in Kiev.
Ukrainian media report that he project has been initiated by President
of the Union of Armenians of Ukraine, Director General of the festival
Ashot Avanesyan.
The festival will be headed by famous singer Tamar Avetisyan, it will
be presided over by film director Roman Balayan. The jury comprises
opera singer Susanna Chakhoyan and artist Boris Yeghiazaryan. 275
participants all over Ukraine will take part in the contest.

“CONSTRUCTION-2006” INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS TO START IN TSAKHKADZOR
ArmRadio.am
02.06.2006 11:12
The second “Construction-2006” international congress will start
today in Tsakhkadzor. The event will be attended by representatives
of more than 100 Armenian enterprises, as well as 20 large companies,
construction unions and associations of Russia, Iran and Ukraine.