IRAN WANTS TO SEND MAN INTO SPACE
Armenpress
Apr 11 2006
MOSCOW, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS: Iran wishes to send a man into space. The
country plans to ask Russia for help and Russia is not opposed to
the idea, a Russian expert said on Tuesday.
“The idea of the first spaceflight by an Iranian is very attractive
to Iran in the light of the country’s ambitions to become a key state
not only in the region but in the whole Islamic world,” the director
of the Russian Centre for Modern Iranian Studies, Rajab Safarov,
was quoted by RIA-Novosti as saying while on a visit to Tehran.
Safarov said “the Russian side does not object” to helping Iran. He
added that the Iranian leadership would put the proposal to Russia
“in the very near future.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SAAKASHVILI ASSIGNS HIS DEFENSE MINISTER TO PROMOTE WINES
Armenpress
Apr 12 2006
TBILISI, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili
was quoted by his press office today as saying that he has assigned
defense minister Irakli Okruashvili to promote Georgian wine on new
foreign markets.
“I have instructed Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli to be in charge of
the promotion of Georgian wine on domestic and CIS markets; this will
be his prime goal until Russia lifts embargo on imports of Georgian
wine. I have also instructed defense minister Irakli Okruashvili to
take charge of issues related to the export of Georgian wine to new
foreign markets,” said Saakashvili after attending the Georgian-Chinese
business forum in Beijing.
He also said that Okruashvili’s experience in business management
was the reason behind his decision.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KOCHARIAN AND CHIEF OF CUSTOMS DISCUSS WAYS TO FIGHT SMUGGLING
Armenpress
Apr 12 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian received
today the chief of customs committee Armen Avetisian to discuss
a string of issues on the results of the first quarter, fighting
contraband and the pace of fulfillment of instructions issued by the
president earlier this year.
Kocharian’s press office quoted Avetisian as saying that the committee
collected in the first quarter 31.5 billion drams, which was 400
million more than projected. In regard to fighting smuggling of goods,
the president ordered mapping all transit routes that could be used by
smugglers, especially after Georgian authorities closed the biggest
wholesale market in the South Caucasus in Sadakhlo. Kocharian said
these roads must be taken under tight control to prevent smuggling.
The two men also discussed progress in fulfillment of Kocharian’s
instructions. Avetisian was quoted as saying that they all were
fulfilled in due time.

PRESIDNET KOCHARIAN MEETS US CONGRESSMEN, MCC CEO
Armenpress
Apr 12 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: President Robert Kocharian received
today US Congressmen Jim Kolbe and Congressman Scott Garrett and
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) CEO John J. Danilovich, who
are visiting Armenia April 10-12 as part of regional travel.
Kocharian’s press office said the president expressed his satisfaction
with dynamically developing US-Armenian relations which he said
expanded year after year. Kocharian thanked the government of the USA
for the release of hefty extra US aid to Armenia within the frameworks
of the Millennium Challenges Corporation (MCC), saying that Armenia
remains committed to strengthening of democracy and liberal market
relations, for which the MCC aid is intended for.
Kocharian underscored the importance of the aid because it targets
mainly rural population and is aimed mainly at improving rural roads
and reconstruction of irrigation systems. Civil society development
and the importance of free and fair elections in Armenia in 2007 and
2008 are important for Armenia’s continued eligibility for funding
by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The parties also spoke about the process of resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

OUR NAME ON THE ENGLISH STAGE
A1+
[06:26 pm] 12 April, 2006
On April 7 in London during the official ceremony of the BBC world
award “Armenian Navy Band” of Arto Tunchboyajyan was recognized as the
most popular performer in the World Music tendencies as a result of the
voting throughout the world. 20 thousand people had voted for the Band.
The award was given to the head of the Band who is a percussionist,
composer and singer. “This victory is not only ours; it belongs to
the whole Armenian nation. We want to thank all those who have been
with us for all those eight years,” the manager of the Band John
Grigoryan said during the press conference in Yerevan.
At present Arto Tunchboyajyan is in New York. He will arrive in Armenia
after April 20. The members of the Band mentioned that on June 4 and
5 they will have concert in Italy. In October they with play in France.
Tunchboyajyan has been making records with Bob Berg, Bill Evans,
Simon Nabatov, “Oregon”, “System of a Down”, and other famous jazz
and rock performers.
By the way, after April 20 an avant-garde folk festival will take
place in which famous foreign musicians will participate.

TRANSFORMATION IN THE ALMANAC
A1+
[08:12 pm] 12 April, 2006
Yerevan-Today the Armenian Center for National and International
Studies (ACNIS) publicly presented its annual trilingual almanac,
this year entitled “Armenia in a Transforming World.” The event
brought together the yearbook’s participating authors, editorial
staff, publisher, foreign embassy personnel, political scientists,
and media representatives for the expression of mutual gratitude and
the sharing of views and evaluations.
Held in the official reception hall at ACNIS headquarters, the program
was opened by Stiopa Safarian, the Center’s director of research and
academic editor of the new release. “The research presented in the
yearbook encompasses Armenia’s transnational and domestic challenges,
which in the transforming world render imperative Armenia’s own
transformation. The answers provided by the authors to a variety of
problematic issues such as international and regional security as well
as Armenia’s global surroundings and its complex relationships dictate
new approaches for our Center and Armenia’s analytical circles alike,”
he said.
By the way, RA Ombudsman Armen Haroutyunyan and representatives of
international organizations and NGOs were present at the ceremony.

DEMOCRACY WAS ABOLISHED TWO YEARS AGO
A1+
[08:49 pm] 12 April, 2006
At night of April 13, 2004 the authorities used all the forces of
the police, water-spraying cars, batons and explosives to fight
against they own people. They even blocked several parts of the
streets. And all this because the people used their Constitutional
right to organize peaceful demonstrations to demand a confidence
referendum against the President.
The unprecedented violations resulted in tens of injured. Two years ago
the rights of the journalists were violated harshly: representatives
of several Mass Media – journalist of the newspaper “Armenian Times”
Hayk Gevorgyan and cameraman of the TV Company ORT Levon Grigoryan
were beaten severely, and their cameras were broken.
In the picture the policeman is trying to forbid the representative of
“A1+” to take photos of what is going on in the Baghramyan avenue. It
is noteworthy that there were no representatives of the Armenian
“free and fair” TV Companies. Being closed down by the authorities
“A1+” still tried to do its professional duty representing unbiased
information about the incidents to people. The “A1+” website worked
online, and the “A1+” staff provided NTV, ORT, Rossia, Reuters and
other foreign TV Companies with impartial information and photos.
After April 13, 2004 many international organizations made condemning
statements. But that changed nothing in Armenia. The fact is that the
common citizens felt on their skin that one fair word in Armenia is
equal to one hit with a baton.

TALES BY GALOUST SAHAKYAN
Panorama.am
18:13 12/04/06
As the head of ARF grouping Levon Lazarian says the draft law
about “Asserting the report on realization of 2001-2003 program of
privatization of state property” was turned to discussion of the
whole process of privatization during this four-day session.
Moreover the deputy is sure that if 2007 were not a pre-election year
the Parliament would avoid such an “emotional and pathetic” discussion.
L. Lazarian also reminded to his colleagues that in 2001-2003 the
board of privatization of state property was headed by other person
than Karin Kirakosyan who represented the project in the NA and is
now the head of the mentioned department.
Yet Republican Galoust Sahakyan didn’t like that idea of his
colleague. Thus the deputy spelled Levon Lazarian for the simple
reason that the latter doesn’t condemn K. Kirakosyan for “her beautiful
eyes”. Whereas such an approach is unacceptable for G.
Sahakyan, moreover “no privatization has been made illegally in our
country,” the head of Armenian Republican Party grouping assures and in
the same time appeals not to believe the tales: “Not all Cinderellas
become Beauties in the end of the tale. Don’t believe those tales,”
he says.

TIMES CHANGE BUT NOT PEOPLE
Panorama.am
14:59 12/04/06
Today the annual general meeting was held in the NAS.
As the above mentioned meeting had been labeled as “meeting of account”
the main event was the annual summary report of academician-secretary
Edward Ghazaryan which certainly met with the unanimous approval of
the academicians.
Later the academicians touched upon the problems that brought the
Armenian science to this bad state. Most of the announcements of
the academicians were mostly of the same character: “academicians’
salary is low”, “how is an aspirant to live on 5000 drams allowance”,
“why does a doctor of science receive lower salary than that of a
teacher” etc.
Yet in the meantime academician Nazareth Hovsepyan mentioned that
the psychology needs to be changed. “If the country’s President and
Prime Minister give the whole state budget to the Academy only, they
will be glorified for two months and then say there is no money,”
the academician said and warned that if one continues this logic
“science will live even worse days than today.”
After witnessing the works of the general meeting the conclusion is
one: first of all the atmosphere in the Academy has to be changed.
We find it necessary to state that nevertheless the academicians go
on working according to Soviet standards. The NAs General Meeting
was more like a collective meeting, whereas during the meeting the
Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsyan emphasized that the
Government is not going to interfere, and the Academy has to solve
the issues itself.

FACTS OF “OUTRAGEOUS” PRIVATIZATION TO BE EXTENDED TO PUBLIC PROSECUTOR
Lragir.am
13 april 06
The Report on the Program of Privatization of State Property 2001-2003
took two and a half working days from the National Assembly. Yet it
is not clear if the report will be adopted or not.
On the last day of debates on April 12 the leaders of parliament
factions addressed the parliament. Five factions addressed the
parliament. The United Labor Party, Orinats Yerkir and Ardarutiun were
against the adoption of the report for the same reason, which was,
however, formulated differently. The ULP and Orinats Yerkir announced
that privatization was not transparent, and the proceeds were several
times lower. Victor Dallakyan from Ardarutiun was much tougher, “an
outrageous privatization took place,” and people who are responsible
for what happened must accept liability. If the program is not adopted,
“the government deserves a red card.”
Hence Victor Dallakyan offers four options to the political forces:
approve the program and accept liability, reject the program and
withdraw from the coalition, reject the program and stay in the
coalition, reject the program and give a vote of no confidence to
the government. The words of the ARF member Levon Mkrtichyan gave
no idea about the stance of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation;
the speaker offered to hold debates on the problem. There is nothing
left to do but to wait for the vote of the ARF. Only the Republican
Party approves the report. By the way, the Republicans were eager
to persuade that the outcome of privatization in 2004 is discussed,
probably to place the responsibility on the coalition, born in 2003.
Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan kept his promise he had made on the eve,
and brought specific examples. 33 Moscovyan Street – one square meter
was sold at 40 dollars, the market price is 1000-1200 dollars.
Baghramyan Street – one square meter was sold at 30 dollars, the
market price is 900-100 dollars. In Arabkir and Zeytun districts
state property was sold at 10-20 dollars per square meter, the market
price is 300-500 dollars. 4600 square meters of Arabkir Water Sports
School was sold at 4 dollars per square meter, “100 times less than
the market price.” Of course, this does not concern all the cases of
privatization. However, Arthur Baghdasaryan says those people must be
stopped. “The monitoring of about 200 companies revealed that only 27
companies committed to investments, the rest were alienated without
fixing any commitments to invest,” stated the speaker of the National
Assembly. And the monitoring of 100 companies that had committed to
invest revealed that 37 million was invested instead of 140 million
dollars. The result is that investments are less by 100 million,
and “several thousands of jobs were not created and no one accepted
liability.” The majority of sold companies were privatized by direct
sale to the buyer, known beforehand. In the past ten years 535 nursery
schools and 250 libraries were sold. “Sooner or later all the officials
will have to account for their actions,” said Arthur Baghdasaryan.
Therefore, Arthur Baghdasaryan emphasizes the importance of enhancing
government control, and as the first step he will send the report of
the Audit Chamber of the National Assembly to the Office of Public
Prosecutor. “They have appropriated millions and have to account
for it. We must build a country of law by actions, not words. An
unpunished offense will reoccur.” Arthur Baghdasaryan instructs the
executive, namely the Department for Management of State Property,
to be more consistent, pursue the enforcement of the law.
The law bars privatization of nursery schools, educational and health
care institutions.
“I wish all the best to my country, and no one can criticize me for
that,” said Arthur Baghdasaryan, calling for not republicanizing the
issue. It is not against the Republican or any other party. “It is
concern about the problem.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress