HEAD OF YEREVAN POLICE EXPLAINS SITUATION AROUND INCIDENT AT “YERKRAPAH” UNION
Yerevan, April 10. ArmInfo. Nerses Nazarian, head of the Yerevan
Police, explained the situation around the incident with “Yerkrapah”
Union of Volunteers.
He said that the information about the clash that happened between
the policemen and the members of “Yerkrapah” union is false. At the
same time he added that the policemen of Kanaker-Zeytoun community
tried to enter the edifice of the union, when chasing a criminal.
Being unaware of the situation, the members of the union got irritated
with the behavior of the policemen and hindered their work.
“There was no clash, they just argued a bit,” he said. He added that
he personally met with General-Lieutenant Manvel Grigorian, head of
the union, and discussed the situation.
While the members of “Yerkrapah” union and the policemen were argued,
the chased criminal managed to escape.

RA NA SPEAKER RECEIVES OFFICIAL INVITATION TO VISIT POLAND
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ambassador of
Poland to Armenia Tomasz Knothe conveyed an official invitation
to visit Poland to RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian during the
April 11 meeting with him. As Noyan Tapan was informed from NA
Public Relations Department, the interlocutors attached importance
to development of Armenian-Polish interparliamentary relations,
cooperation and assistance to Armenia within the framework of the
EU New Neighborhood program, establishment of contacts between the
regions of the two countries. Issues regarding the official visit of
Polish Senate Chairman to Armenia were also discussed.

RA PRESIDENT PAYS A VISIT TO MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ECHMIADZIN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On April 11, RA
President Robert Kocharian paid a visit to the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin. The President accompanied by Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II got acquainted with the process of construction of the
museum, archives, other new adjacent annexes making part of the
complex of the Patriarch’s Residence. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by RA President’s Press Service, Robert Kocharian watched the copies
of Martiros Sarian’s, Arshil Gorki’s, Hovhannes Ayvazovski’s, Minas’
canvases at the new repaired exhibition hall.

ARMENIAN DM CONSIDERS EXPEDIENT TRANSFER OF ARMENIAN PROPERTY TO RUSSIA AS COMPENSATION FOR GAS TARIFF RISE
Yerevan, April 11. ArmInfo. Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan
considers expedient the transfer of Armenian property to Russia as
compensation for the gas tariff rise.
He wonders that all and sundry are holding forth about this subject
but have no slightest idea what the 5th unit of the Hrazdan TPP
actually is.
Today the unit is like a three-floor house with only ground floor
built. But some know-alls say that “only” $150 mln is needed to repair
it. So, it turns out that the unit has already worked and just needs
repairs and that $150 mln is a very small sum for those know-alls. The
real situation is quite different. The repairs require at least $180
mln – money that could be repaid in 10 years at earliest. In such a
case Armenia would have a profitable unit by 2017 at best. But only
Nostradamus knows what kind of profit that would be and what kind of
gas prices there would be at that time, says Sargsyan.
So, Sargsyan asks: what is more profitable for the state – to sell
inoperative unit for $250 mln or to wait for it to begin to give
some tiny profit in 2017. The key principle here is what the state,
industry and people need.
Sargsyan does not agree with the opinion that all energy companies of
Armenia are in the hands of Russia. He says that one should not mix
politics with economy. One should see what is good for the Armenian
economy. Simply some local hysterical politicians think that we
should decline any offer by Russia, but accept an offer by, say,
Belgium. The word “Russia” for them is like a red rag for a bull.
This is a wrong approach. One should not create problems for oneself
and then heroically overcome them.
The 5th unit deal has a long history. 5-6 years ago RAO UES and
Rosgazprom offered to buy it but stipulated that Armenia should buy
the whole electricity to be produced there. It was not profitable for
Armenia and the country declined the offer. But now that the terms
have got better Armenia has agreed.

COMMISSION ON WORKING OUT DRAFT NATIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY CONVENES ITS THIRD SITTING
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The third sitting of the
interdepartmental commission coordinating the works of elaboration
of the draft national securi ty strategy was held on April 11. The
sitting was presided over by Serge Sargsian, Secretary of the National
Security Council under RA President, RA Defence Minister. Among about
250 proposals received by the interdepartmental commission, those
included in the agenda of the third sitting, regarding the departments
“Challenges of the Armenian National Security,” “Strategy of Providing
National Security” were discussed. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, Spokesperson for RA Defence Minister,
the revisions implemented as a result of exchange of opinions, on the
whole, were approved and the commission’s secretariate was charged
to edit them.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VIVACELL TO PRESENT 1185 ALLO-CARDS AND 138 CELL PHONES TO RECENTLY CONFINED WOMEN
Yerevan, April 11. ArmInfo. The cellular operator of communication
in Armenia, the VivaCell Company, carried out a congratulation action
for the recently confined women in 10 maternity hospitals of Yerevan
As ArmInfo was informed today in the Company’s press-office, from
March 8 to April 7, 2006, the VivaCell presented 1185 Allo-cards
and 138 cell phones to the recently confined women in the framework
of the International Women’s Day and the Armenian national holiday
Maternity and Beauty Day. Fifty-one cell phones with cards were
granted on March 8 and 87 cell phones – on April 7.
To be noted, the VivaCell Company has started rendering of cellular
communication services in Armenia from July 1, 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VERDICT ON CASE OF GURGEN MARGARIAN’S MURDER WILL CORRESPOND TO REQUIREMENTS OF LAW, HUHGARIAN AMBASSADOR ASSURES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Issues regarding
strengthening of the legal-contractual field between Armenia and
Hungary were discussed at RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian’s April
11 meeting with newly appointed Hungarian Ambassador to Armenia Arpad
Sekey. They attached importance to development of interparliamentary
ties and study of the Hungarian legal experience, extension of
Armenian-Hungarian contacts within the framework of the EU New
Neighborhood policy, in consideration of the historical and current
communities between the two peoples. Congratulating the Ambassador
on the occasion of his appointment, NA Speaker gave assurance that
his activity will contribute to development of Armenian-Hungarian
contacts and expressed readiness to assist deepening of cooperation. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from NA Public Relations Department, Artur
Baghdasarian also touched upon the trial proceeding in Budapest on
the case of murder of Armenian Officer Gurgen Margarian and Ambassador
Sekey, highly estimating the Hungarian justice system, mentioned that
the verdict will correspond to the requirements of the law.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN: “TODAY’S AUTHORITIES APPEARED TO BE NOT ENOUGH DECISIVE, AND ANM AVOIDED PUNISHMENT”
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. “The ANM was an anti-national movement
which brought the country to the verge of collaps,” Vahan Hovhannisian,
the Deputy Speaker of the RA National Assembly, a member of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau stated, responding questions of the “Hot Line”
of the “Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper. According to him,
“people, having been at the helm of power during the first years of
independence of Armenia, created an ugly, Asian model of government
and put the society on the needle of corruption, we are not able
to get rid of which up today.” V.Hovhannisian also stated that the
people did not notice the estimation of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun as “it,
unfortunately, did not see the following, the most important step –
punishment of the criminal. Today’s authorities appeared to be not
enough decisive, and the ANM avoided punishment.”

IN VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN’S OPINION, OSCE MINSK GROUP’S OPTIMISM BASED RATHER ON THEIR WISH
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Somewhat far-fetched optimism of the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen was based not so much on realities as
on their wish.
Vahan Hovhannisian, the RA NA Deputy Speaker, a member of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Bureau expressed such an opinion, responding questions
of the “Hot Line” of the “Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper,
about the forecasts concerning the serious break in settlement of
the Karabakh problem in 2006. “Maybe, straining of their states’
relations with Iran had a role in it, maybe – issues of Turkey’s
entering the European Union,” V.Hovhannisian mentioned. At the same
time, he expressed an opinion, that Armenia must not limit itself
in terms. “Armenia and NKR must come out ecxeptionally of their own
national interests and solve this issue at that time and in the way,
when and how it will be profitable,” the RA NA Deputy Speaker stated.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN NOT AT ALL AGAINST TERRITORIAL ENTITY OF GEORGIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The ARF
Dashnaktsutyun party is not at all against the territorial entity
of Georgia, and the strained situation in Javakhk is not absolutely
connected with activity of the Dashnsktsutyun. Vahan Hovhannisian,
the RA NA Deputy Speaker, a member of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau
stated about this, answering a question of the “Hot Line” of the
“Golos Armenii” (Voice of Armenia) newspaper. According to Vahan
Hovhannisian, if the Georgian state is ready to give wide autonomous
rights to any national minorities (Abkhazians, Osetians), Armenians of
Javakhk who are law-abiding citizens of that country, deserve the same
attitude as well. “I think that Georgia, entering different European
structures, of course, must show European approach to the issue of
national minorities,” V.Hovhannisian stated.