ARAZ AZIMOV: “US MAKES STRONG EFFORTS TO SOLVE NG PROBLEM”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 6 2006
“OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are making serious efforts following
the meeting in Rambouillet to settle the Nagorno Garabagh problem,”
Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov told journalists
(APA). The deputy minister said that especially the United States
are making strong efforts to solve the Nagorno Garabagh problem.
“Azerbaijan’s foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov will focus on the
Garabagh issue in his talks in the US,” Mr.Azimov said.
Reporting that French co-chair of Minsk Group, Bernard Fassier will
visit the region next week, Azimov noted that in his meetings in
Azerbaijan and Armenia, the co-chair will discuss further steps to
settle the Nagorno Garabagh problem after the Rambouillet meeting.

‘SYSTEM OF A DOWN’ TO RAISE AWARENESS OF GENOCIDE
By Indo Asian News Service
DailyIndia.com, NY
April 6 2006
London, April 6 (IANS) Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan of rock band
‘System Of a Down’ are to talk with congressional leaders, to have
them end their complicity in Turkey’s ongoing denial of the Armenian
genocide.
Tankian and Dolmayan are set to go to Washington DC and take part in
a demonstration outside the Turkish embassy, reported contactmusic.com.
The day after the protest they will attend a congressional screening
of ‘Screamers’ – a documentary by Carla Garapedian, which shows the
band’s campaign to raise awareness about the genocide.
Three members of the band are said to be of Armenian origin.

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS ONE OF PRIORITIES OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 6 2006
Yerevan, April 6. /ARKA/. Armenian-Iranian relations are one of the
priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy, RA Deputy Foreign Minister
Gegham Gharibjanyan told reporters.
“At present, we have good-neighborly relations with only two of
our four neighbors in the region, Iran and Georgia,” he said in his
welcoming address at the opening of the scientific conference “Iran:
look from Armenia”.
In this context, Gharibjanyan emphasized the importance of further
development of bilateral relations.
He also expressed hope that the bilateral trade, economic and cultural
relations will soon reach the level of political relations.
The conference participants discussed issues and prospects of
cultural, political and economic cooperation between Armenia and
Iran. The conference was organized by the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic)
University and the Iranian Embassy in Armenia.

ARMENIA TO SELL 5TH POWER UNIT OF HRAZDAN TTP TO ARMROSGASPROM
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 6 2006
Yerevan, April 6. /ARKA/. The RA Government will sell the 5th power
unit of the Hrazdan TPP and the first section of the Iran-Armenia
gas main to ArmRosgasprom. A relevant agreement has been signed
between the RA Government and the Russian “Gasprom” holding company
for 25 years. The agreement stipulates the principles of strategic
cooperation in implementing gas projects in Armenia.
The agreement sets the price for Russian natural gas in Armenia,
$110 for 1,000 cubic meters until January 1, 2009.
The agreement stipulates the purchase of the 5th power unit of
the Hrazdan TPP and a 40-km-long section of the Iran-Armenia gas
main from the RA Government by the Armenian-Russian “ArmRosgasprom”
company. Under the agreement, the RA Government is to grant the right
to the construction of the 2nd section of the Iran-Armenia gas main
(197 kilometers) to the “ArmRosgasprom” CJSC.
Preliminary purchase-and-sale agreements are to be signed before
April 14, 2006. Before January 1, 2007, the facilities in question
are to be completely transferred to ArmRosgasprom.
To ensure efficient energy generation by means of gas, the sides will
combine their efforts in renovating the technologically integrated
property complex Hrazdan 5 with one control center, as well as in
contructing a gas-turbine unit with a capacity of up to 140 megawatts.
Further operation of the energy facilities will allow the fuel costs
to be reduced. The agreement also stipulates the export of electric
energy generated by Hrazdan 5.
The “Gasprom” OJSC’s share in the authorized capital of the
“Armrosgasprom” CJSC will constitute qualified majority.
The Armenian-Russian “ArmRosgasprom” holds a monopoly of the supply
and distribution of Russian gas in Armenia. The RA Government and the
“Gasprom” OJSC hold 45% of the company’s shares each, the rest 10%
being held by the “Itera” oil and gas company.
The construction of the 120-km-long Iran-Armenia gas main is estimated
at US $120mln. The construction of the first section, Meghri-Kajaran,
got under way on November 30, 2004. The second section runs from
Kajaran to Ararat through Sisian and Jermuk. The gas main is expected
to be put into operation in 2007.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS: EU DOES NOT INTEND TO CHANGE FORMAT OF OSCE MG
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 6 2006
YEREVAN, April 6. /ARKA/. The EU does not intend to change the
format of the OSCE Minsk Group (MG) engaged in settlement of Karabakh
conflict, as the newly-appointed EU Special Representative in South
Caucasus Peter Semneby told journalists during the press conference
in Yerevan.
In his words, the OSCE MG format and its activities on settlement of
Karabakh conflict quite satisfy the EU.
“EU is ready to assist Armenia and Azerbaijan in establishment of
relations after coming to a peaceful agreement”, Semneby emphasized.
In his turn the RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian
emphasized that recent stirring up of USA in the negotiation process
makes an impression that official Washington intends to act beyond
the format of the OSCE MG.
However Oskanian emphasized that “it is absolutely not like that”.
“All peace-talks around Karabakh conflict, with American side as well,
are within format of the Minsk Group”, Oskanian stated.

ARMENIA’S MONETARY BASE REDUCES BY 6,74% AND MAKES AMD 187,1 BLN IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2006
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 6 2006
YEREVAN, April 6. /ARKA/. Armenia’s monetary base reduced by 6,74%
or AMD 13,5 bln and made AMD 187,1 bln in January-February 2006.
According to the information of the RA National Statistic Service
(NSS) based on the preliminary data of the CBA, in February the
monetary base reduced by AMD 330 mln or 0,18%.
According to the NSS, by the end of 2006, cash money out of CBA
amounted to AMD143,1 bln, against AMD 155,3 bln at the beginning of
the year.
Required reserves amounted to AMD 22,7 bln, against AMD 22,3 bln at
the beginning of the year.
At the beginning of February net eternal assets (privatization
receipts exclusive) reduced by 0,89% or 1,9 AMD bln. and made AMD
212,7 bln. Net internal assets amounted to minus AMD 25,7 bln,
against minus AMD 14,1 bln at the beginning of the year.
In accordance with the program of the RA monetary-credit policy,
in 2006, the CBA forecasts 17,3% growth of the monetary base up to
AMD 219,6 bln by the end of the year. ($1 – AMD 450,78).

ARMENIAN GOV’T TO SELL IRANIAN-ARMENIAN GAS PIPELINE
RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
April 6 2006
RBC, 06.04.2006, Moscow 14:35:30.Gazprom and the Armenian government
have signed an agreement under which Armrosgazprom is to buy the
40-kilometer section of the Iranian-Armenian gas pipeline under
construction and the fifth energy generating unit of the Razdan Thermal
Power Plant (Razdan-5) from the republic’s government, Gazprom’s press
service reported. A preliminary purchase agreement is to be signed by
April 14 while the transfer of ownership should be completed by January
1, 2007. The Armenian government will also entitle Armrosgazprom to
act as the Customer for construction of the second section of the
Iranian-Armenian gas pipeline, which is 197 kilometers long.
To secure efficient gas conversion into electric power, the parties
will join efforts to recover and hook up the Razdan-5 assets under a
unified control center, and to launch construction of a gas turbine
unit with a capacity of 140 megawatts.
Further operation of these facilities will allow decreasing fuel
costs related to energy production. The agreement makes provisions
for export of the energy generated at Razdan-5. As soon as the deal is
completed, Gazprom will obtain qualified majority in Armrosgazprom’s
authorized capital.

MAKEDONOV: NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS IS IN DEPLORABLE CONDITION
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 6 2006
“The present format of the top-level Karabakh talks has been
discredited”, stated Chief of Department of the Institute for
Political and Military Analysis Sergey Makedonov in an interview with
RIA Novosti.
According to Sergey Makedonov, the Karabakh conflict settlement process
is in deplorable condition. “Lack of progress at the Armenian-Azeri
summit in Rambouillet has demonstrated that the format of the
top-level talks has been discredited”, he noted. The politologist
believes, “Presidents, being public persons, cannot voice non-popular
decisions”. In Sergey Makedonov’s opinion, summits should be given
up, and talks ought to become just diplomatic routine. “Diplomats,
experts should deal with the settlement and elaborate decisions. The
Presidents should appear in the end, when some specific solutions
are ready”, he stated.
In the politologist’s words, the settlement option profitable for
both parties can hardly be found in the near future. “Some compromises
should be searched, concessions ought to be made. Who will be the first
to make it and surrender some positions is the issue of state wisdom
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as unrecognized Karabakh”, he noted.

ARMENIA EXPECTS 2006 FOREIGN INVESTMENT AT SAME LEVEL AS IN 2005
Interfax, Russia
April 6 2006
MOSCOW. April 6 (Interfax) -Armenia expects that foreign investment
in its economy in 2006 will remain at $504.5 million, the level of
the previous year, Deputy Trade and Economic Development Minister
Tigran Davtian said at a press conference on Thursday.
A total of $1.996 billion in foreign investment has been invested in
the Armenian economy in the fourteen years since its independence,
including $1.46 billion of direct foreign investment, he said.
The peak year was 2005, when total foreign investment exceeded $500
million for the first time, Davtian said.
Investment in the real sector of the economy rose 31% to $400.4
million, he said.
The telecommunication sector saw $132.1 million in investment and
$97.5 million was invested in the mining sector largely because of the
privatization of the Zangezur Copper-Molybdenum Plant. There was $53.3
million invested in metallurgy, mainly in the Armenal packaging plant.
The European Union accounts for half of all foreign investment in the
Armenian economy, Russia for about 20%, then from the United States
and other countries, Davtian said.

NO INCIDENTS TOOK PLACE DURING THE MONITORING AT THE FRONT LINES
Author: E. Javadova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 6 2006
Monitoring that was held at the front line between Azerbaijani and
Armenian armed forces according to the current OSCE mandate has passed
without any incidents, the Defense Ministry press-service told Trend.
The monitoring took place near the Mazamli village of Kazakh district.
>From Azerbaijani side monitoring was supervised by the personal
representative of the OSCE chairman, ambassador, Andjey Kasprshik
with his assistants, Imre Palatinus and Yuri Aberle.
Monitoring from the opposite side was supervised by the OSCE chairman`s
field assistants, Alexander Samarski, Harry Eronen and Peter Key.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress