ZHIRINOVSKY: KARABAKH TO FOLLOW THE PATH OF MONTENEGRO
Yerkir
25.05.2006 16:50
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Unrecognized republics, which were formed in
the territory of the former Soviet Union, will follow the path of
Montenegro, Russian State Duma Vice-Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky said.
“Abkhazia, Transnistria and Karabakh will follow the path of
Montenegro.
Referendum on declaring independence in Montenegro is a precedent
in the international law,” he told journalists in Moscow before the
third congress of the Union of Armenians of Russia.
“Time will come and resolutions on referendums will be adopted
in the South Caucasus, e.g. Karabakh will acquire independence,”
Zhirinovsky added.
“Karabakh is fully entitled to become an independent state and for
Baku not to feel hurt, it may not join Armenia, having allied relations
with it,” Russian State Duma Vice-Speaker said.
He also reminded that Abkhazia joined Russia earlier than
Georgia and it was included in the Russian Empire as the Abkhaz
Kingdom. “Transnistria has nothing to do with Moldova. Tiraspol
and other cities of Transnistria are those created by Russians and
Transnistria can join Russia with time,” Zhirinovsky remarked.
May 21 a referendum on independence was held in Montenegro. The
Montenegro independence block collected 55.5% of constituency votes,
while the supporters of preservation of the common state got 44.5%
of votes, Russian media report.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEREVAN BRANDY FACTORY INCREASED SALES VOLUME BY 10% IN 2005
Yerevan, May 23. ArmInfo. In 2005 the Yerevan Brandy Factory increased
the volume of sales by 10% – up to 4,4 million liters against 4 million
in 2004, told the ArmInfo correspondent Herve Caroff, director general
of the factory.
According to Mr. Caroff, the company is satisfied with such volume as
much time in 2005 was spent on installation of new equipment at the
factory. That is why new sorts of cognac were issued to the market
only in March 2005. He said that this quantity is optimal taking into
consideration the store of spirits which will remain unchanged for the
next few years. The director general said that Pernod Ricard company,
owner of the factory, will make investments in Russia and Ukraine so
as the consumer distinguishes the production of the Yerevan Brandy
Factory from that of others. The company is not palnning yet to
open new branches, but intends to increase the sales in Kazakhstan,
where recently Pernod Ricard representation was opened. In this
country most demanded are super premium quality cognacs – ‘Nairi’
and Festive”. Contacts with Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan are also
being enhanced.
Mr. Caroff informed that 90% of production is sold in Russia, Ukraine,
Belarus and Kazkhstan (75% in Russia only). The factory supplies
cognac also to the markets of Japan, Germany, Czech Republic,
Israel and Greece. This year export to the USA and Moldova will
be started. Opportunities of export to Britain and China are being
studied. Next year Pernod Ricard is also recommencing the production
of ‘Dvin’ cognac (10 years ripening, 50% alcohol). This specific kind
of cognac will be produced only at Yerevan Brandy Factory.
Commenting on the temporary suspension of export to Russia because of
change of documentary stamps standard, the factory’s director general
said that the company did not suffer much loss. An arrangement with
the Russian partner was made and shortage of Ararat cognac did not
occur in Russia.
Herve Caroff expressed satisfaction with the grapes harvest of 2005.
24 thousand tons of fresh grapes was stored and a little quantity
of wine materials, which were distilled at the plants in Armavir
and Aygevan. 28 thousand tons of grapes and 3 thousand tons of wine
materials are planned for 2006. The Yerevan Brandy Factory purchases
grapes from 4500 Armenian farmers as well as wine materials from
Armenian wine factories. Each year Pernod Ricard invests $7-8 million
in the Yerevan Brandy Factory, of which $4-5 million is spent on the
extension and modernization of the enterprise. This year investments
will be made in Aygevan and Armavir distilling plants.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ALL WERE GRANTED A PATENT
A1+
[11:54 am] 25 May, 2006
The teams “Ararat,” “Shirak” and “Kilikia” were granted patents by
the Patent Board of the Armenian Football Federation (AFF) at the
end of April on condition that they introduce additional documents.
The clubs presented all the necessary documents within the deadline
fixed by the Patent Committee and according to the specialists of
the Patent Board of the Armenian Football Federation (AFF) these
documents meet the criteria of the AFF patent system guidebook.
This fact is especially vital for the Yerevan “Kilikia” which couldn’t
participate in the Intertoto Cup meetings on June without a patent.
Let us remind you that patent procedure has been held on the request
of UEFA in all its member countries in the recent years and the
demands are becoming more and more strict. This procedure has been
held for the third time, and each time a number of clubs counter
certain problems connected with financial and organizational issues.

PASSIONS HAVE COOLED DOWN
A1+
[08:33 pm] 24 May, 2006
Today 20 deputies in the Parliament discussed most important drafts,
in particular the one about introducing changes into the Law on
Energy. The oppositional deputies were mainly interested in the draft,
with the exception of the Orinats Yerkir Party and the National Unity.
Deputy Minister of Energy Areg Galstyan introduced the draft about
introducing changes into the Law on Energy. He mentioned that the
energy produced by small hydro electric power stations is subject
to purchase according to the market rules. According to him, clear
stipulation of several provisions of the draft until 2016 creates
unequal conditions for those stations which are constructed later,
hindering the development of small power stations.
In order to overcome this obstacle it was offered to establish 15
years as guaranteed date of purchase of energy produced by small
power stations, since the day of getting license.
Answering the questions of the deputies, Areg Galstyan mentioned
that the German company “KFM” has not yet allotted loans for the
construction of new stations.
He added that the Central Bank council holds discussions in this
connection.
Deputy of the Justice faction Grigor Haroutyunyan thinks that the state
ought to buy the energy produced by small power stations. According
to him, getting high interest banks make the situation for consumers
really hard, and the state must enhance control in this field.
Arshak Sadoyan announced that 45 years later the level of power
development of the country will be the same as in 1988. “Are you
pleased with that development?”, Naturally, Areg Galstyan tried to
avoid answering political questions.
According to deputy Hakob Hakobyan from Sevan, the draft makes the
conditions equal for the producers.
According to him, in case of quick exploitation of the Yerevan heat
power plant and the 5th bloc of the Hrazdan heat power plant Armenia
will be the first country in the region with the volumes of energy
production.
According to deputy of the “Justice” faction Tatoul Manaseryan, the
alternative and regenerative power resources cannot be imported,
so they are means of providing energy security. According to the
deputy, the energy of the sun and the wind must be used for raising
the ability to compete with the neighbors in this field.

NKR CONSTITUTION TO BE CONSTITUTION OF INDEPENDENT AND DEMOCRATIC STATE
Yerkir
25.05.2006 12:44
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – The NKR Constitution Committee is discussing
the two initial chapters of the Constitution, these being the
bases of constitutional order and fundamental rights, freedoms and
responsibilities of an individual and citizen.
It means that the day of adoption of the Organic Law will come soon,
NKR Prosecutor General, head of the working group for the development
of NKR Constitution Armen Zalinyan said.
“NKR has lived without Constitution for 15 years. No single newly
formed state can adopt the Constitution within a short term. Experience
of state building is necessary for it.
NKR had to wage imposed war and then overcome the postwar hardships
in legal, socio-economic and cultural sectors. In the course of 15
years we have gained certain experience of state building, what is
a sufficient basis for the adoption of the Constitution,” Zalinyan
remarked.
“The NKR Constitution will be adopted at a national referendum. I
am convinced that our people will take active part in it, since the
adoption of the Constitution will be one more step towards formation
and consolidation of our republic,” he emphasized, Azat Artsakh
newspaper reports.

UKRAINE DOES NOT SUPPLY ARMS TO AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.05.2006 20:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukraine is a friendly country towards Armenia, Chief
of the General Staff of Ukraine, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief,
colonel general Sergey Kirichenko stated at a news conference in
Yerevan. In his words, Ukraine works to have normal relations with all
countries of the region, specifically Georgia and Azerbaijan. Sergey
Kirichenko underscored that reports on arms supplies to Azerbaijan
are not true. “Ukraine does not interfere with conflicts between
countries and does not supply arms to any of the parties. This refers
to light armament, as well as tanks and planes,” the General Staff
Chief emphasized.

ROMANIA TO HOST BLACK SEA SUMMIT TO COMBAT PROBLEMS IN THE REGION
AP Worldstream
May 25, 2006
Romania is to host a Black Sea summit next month aimed at tackling
drug- and people-smuggling in the region and finding ways to clean up
pollution in the sea, as well as discussing alternative energy routes,
the foreign minister said.
Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said that the June 5 summit was “a rare occasion
for Black Sea leaders to meet and discuss the most acute problems
of the region which experts will then be translated into projects,”
he told foreign journalists in Bucharest late Wednesday.
He said he hoped that leaders would find “political consensus” to
dealing with the region’s problems.
After Romania and Bulgaria join the European Union _ which they hope
to do in 2007 _ the Black Sea will form the EU’s eastern border and
will take on extra significance for the bloc, Ungureanu said.
“How can the region prosper? How can trust in the region grow?” said
Ungureanu, adding he hoped that Russia would send a high-level official
to the Bucharest summit. Russia has not yet announced who will attend
the meeting.
One of the more sensitive issues to be discussed at the summit will
be the “alternative energy routes which connect the Caspian Sea,
Iran, Iraq through Russia or through the Black Sea to Europe,”
said Ungureanu.
A brief disruption in Russian gas supplies to Western Europe early this
year amid a price dispute with Ukraine tarnished Russia’s reputation
as a reliable supplier and encouraged the EU to intensify a search
for alternative supply routes.
Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Moldovan President Vladimir
Voronin, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Armenian
President Robert Kocharian are among the heads of state who have
already confirmed they will attend the one-day summit in Bucharest
which will be followed by a day of workshops for regional experts.
Ungureanu said the main topics on the summit’s agenda would be
environment protection, regional cooperation, joint energy projects,
combatting cross-border crime and improving infrastructure. NATO,
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the
Council of Europe will also attend the summit.
Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia directly border
the Black Sea, which is one of the world’s most polluted seas.
Its only outlet to outside seas is via the Bosphorus Straits.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIATORS URGE ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TO STRIKE DEAL ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH
AP Worldstream
May 24, 2006
International mediators Wednesday urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to
reach a compromise over the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.
Envoys from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s
so-called Minsk Group of mediators, which include France, Russia and
the United States, held talks Wednesday with Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.
A statement said that the mediators, due to hold talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharian on Thursday, had staged the diplomatic
mission “because of the need to promote a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.”
The statement added that “now is the time for the sides to reach
agreement on the basic principles of a settlement.”
Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan, but populated mostly by ethnic
Armenians, who have run it since an uneasy 1994 cease-fire ended
six years of full-scale war in which 30,000 people were killed and
1 million made refugees.
Sporadic border clashes continue to claim victims, while peace talks
have stalled.
Aliev and Kocharian in February failed to reach agreement after
two days of talks in France on how to end the conflict. Since then,
violence has risen sharply, and the two countries’ presidents have
traded increasingly bellicose statements.
The lack of final resolution over the enclave’s status has long tied
up investment in the strategic, oil-rich Caucasus region.

RUSSIA CONTINUES WITHDRAWAL OF HARDWARE FROM MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
25 May 06
A train carrying hardware left the Russian military base in Batumi
last night. A total of 50 communications and rear service vehicles
as well as engineering equipment are to be redeployed to the Russian
Defence Ministry base in Gyumri, Armenia.
Another six such trains will leave Batumi in the next few months,
the headquarters of the Joint Group of Forces in the North Caucasus
has said.
I recall that the withdrawal of military hardware from this base
began in the summer of 2005. Two assault landing ships brought to
Russia 12 tanks, 12 air defence systems and combat patrol vehicles.
Under Russian-Georgian agreements, the base in Batumi is to be closed
in 2008.

$1,097,115,610,000: 19,954,934: THE SIZE OF THE WORLD’S ACTIVE MILITARY FORCES
The Guardian – United Kingdom
May 25, 2006
And The Terror Groups They Are Fighting: World’s Active Soldiers:
World’s Defence Budget: 46% The Increase In US Combat Power By 2008
North America
60 Canada 62,100 108,850 10.9
2 US 1,546,372 2,502,574 561
Caribbean and Latin America
162 Antigua and Barbuda 170 245 0
53 Argentina 71,400 102,640 1.9
158 Bahamas 860 860 0
160 Barbados 610 1,040 0
156 Belize 1,050 1,750 0
78 Bolivia 33,000 70,100 0.1
17 Brazil 287,159 2,012,759 16.1
48 Chile 78,098 166,098 1.9
23 Colombia 207,000 396,700 4
165 Costa Rica 0 8,400 0.1
69 Cuba 49,000 114,500 1.4
90 Dominican Rep 24,500 39,500 0.2
71 Ecuador 46,500 164,770 0.7
102 El Salvador 15,500 25,400 0.1
81 Guatemala 29,200 85,900 0.1
155 Guyana 1,100 3,270 0
166 Haiti 0 0 0 *UN multinational stabilisation mission currently
in place
112 Honduras 12,000 80,000 0.1
146 Jamaica 2,830 3,783 0.1
27 Mexico 192,770 517,770 3.4
105 Nicaragua 14,000 14,000 0
167 Panama 0 11,800 0.2
120 Paraguay 10,300 189,600 0.1
46 Peru 80,000 352,000 1.1
151 Surinam 1,840 1,840 0
147 Trinidad and Tobago 2,700 2,700 0
92 Uruguay 24,000 24,920 0.2
45 Venezuela 82,300 90,300 2.1
76 Belgium 36,950 55,600 3.2
65 Bulgaria 51,000 388,000 0.7
94 Czech Rep 22,272 27,872 2.3
96 Denmark 21,180 150,880 3.2
140 Estonia 4,934 28,934 0.2
20 France 254,895 420,820 41.6
18 Germany 284,500 639,150 28.8
32 Greece 163,850 492,850 4.5
79 Hungary 32,300 88,300 1.3
163 Iceland 0 130 0.4
28 Italy 191,152 501,952 14.6
139 Latvia 5,238 16,442 0.3
107 Lithuania 13,510 34,810 0.3
157 Luxembourg 900 1,512 0.3
63 Netherlands 53,130 85,330 9.4
89 Norway 25,800 236,200 4.6
34 Poland 141,500 396,900 5.6
73 Portugal 44,900 303,530 2.3
44 Romania 97,200 281,100 2.1
98 Slovakia 20,195 20,195 0.9
136 Slovenia 6,550 36,050 0.5
33 Spain 147,255 539,6150 8.5
9 Turkey 514,850 1,045,750 8.9
22 United Kingdom 216,890 458,410 50.2
95 Albania 21,500 22,000 0.1
70 Armenia 48,160 49,160 0.2
75 Austria 39,900 39,900 2.2
55 Azerbaijan 66,740 381,740 0.6
50 Belarus 72,940 472,440 0.3
113 Bosnia-Herzegovina 11,865 11,865 0.2
97 Croatia 20,800 139,000 0.6
121 Cyprus 10,000 70,750 0.3
84 Finland 28,300 287,300 2.7
114 Georgia 11,320 23,020 0.1
119 Ireland 10,460 25,335 1
117 Macedonia 10,890 39,490 0.1
149 Malta 2,237 2,237 0
135 Moldova 6,750 76,029 0
58 Serbia and Montenegro 65,300 360,400 0.7
85 Sweden 27,600 325,200 5.2
143 Switzerland 4,300 319,300 3.8
29 Ukraine 187,600 1,272,500 2.9
5 Russia 1,027,000 21,442,000 23.7
35 Algeria 137,500 468,700 2.9
115 Bahrain 11,200 21,360 0.5
10 Egypt 468,500 1,277,500 2.5
8 Iran 545,000 935,000 6.2
21 Iraq 227,000 227,000 0
31 Israel 168,300 584,350 7.2
43 Jordan 100,500 145,500 1
101 Kuwait 15,500 45,800 4.3
52 Lebanon 72,100 85,100 0.5
49 Libya 76,000 116,000 0.6
100 Mauritania 15,870 20,870 0
25 Morocco 200,800 400,800 2.1
74 Oman 41,700 46,100 3
164 Palestinian Autonomous Areas 0 56,000 0
111 Qatar 12,400 12,400 2.2
26 Saudi Arabia 199,500 215,000 25.4
13 Syria 307,600 769,600 1.5
77 Tunisia 35,300 47,300 0.4
67 UAE 50,500 50,500 2.7
56 Yemen 66,700 137,900 0.9
40 Angola 108,400 118,400 1.2
142 Benin 4,550 7,050 0.1
127 Botswana 9,000 10,500 0.4
118 Burkino Faso 10,800 11,050 0.1
68 Burundi 50,500 81,500 0
93 Cameroon 23,100 23,100 0.2
154 Cape Verde 1,200 1,200 0
148 Central African Republic 2,550 2,550 0
80 Chad 30,350 34,850 0.1
122 Congo 10,000 12,000 0.1
59 Dem Rep of Congo 64,800 64,800 0.2
123 Djibouti 9,850 12,350 0
152 Equatorial Guinea 1,320 1,320 0
24 Eritrea 201,750 321,750 0.1
30 Ethiopia 182,500 182,500 0.3
141 Gabon 4,700 6,700 0
159 Gambia 800 800 0
134 Ghana 7,000 7,000 0
124 Guinea 9,700 19,300 0.1
125 Guinea Bissau 9,250 9,250 0
99 Ivory Coast 17,050 28,550 0.2
91 Kenya 24,120 29,120 0.3
150 Lesotho 2,000 2,000 0
104 Liberia 15,000 15,000 0
108 Madagascar 13,500 21,600 0.3
137 Malawi 5,300 6,800 0
132 Mali 7,350 15,150 0.1
168 Mauritius 0 2,000 0
116 Mozambique 11,200 11,200 0.1
126 Namibia 9,200 15,200 0.2
138 Niger 5,300 10,700 0
47 Nigeria 78,500 160,500 0.8
66 Rwanda 51,000 53,000 0.1
106 Senegal 13,620 18,620 0.1
161 Seychelles 200 450 0
109 Sierra Leone 13,000 13,000 0
169 Somalia 0 0 0 *Transitional national government has formed with
an estimated 5000 troops but only has control of northern Somalia
61 South Africa 55,750 115,750 3.8
42 Sudan 104,800 207,300 0.5
87 Tanzania 27,000 108,400 0.4
130 Togo 8,550 9,300 0
72 Uganda 45,000 46,800 0.2
103 Zambia 15,100 19,500 0
83 Zimbabwe 29,000 50,800 0.3
86 Afghanistan 27,000 27,000 0
36 Bangladesh 125,500 251,700 0.8
3 India 1,325,000 5,494,815 23.5
57 Kazakhstan 65,800 100,300 0.6
110 Kyrgyzstan 12,500 17,500 0.1
54 Nepal 69,000 131,000 0.2
7 Pakistan 619,000 921,000 3.7
38 Sri Lanka 111,000 235,500 0.7
131 Tajikistan 7,600 12,900 0.1
88 Turkmenistan 26,000 26,000 0.2
62 Uzbekistan 55,000 91,000 0.1
64 Australia 52,872 73,672 13.2
133 Brunei 7,000 11,450 0.4
12 Burma 375,500 482,750 6.2
37 Cambodia 124,300 191,300 0.1
1 China 2,255,000 7,024,000 34.9
153 East Timor 1,250 1,250 n/a
144 Fiji 3,500 9,500 0
15 Indonesia 302,000 982,000 2.6
19 Japan 260,250 316,895 40.7
4 North Korea 1,106,000 9,495,000 1.9
6 South Korea 687,700 8,692,200 23.5
82 Laos 29,100 129,100 0
39 Malaysia 110,000 430,900 3.1
129 Mongolia 8,600 152,800 0
128 New Zealand 8,660 19,460 1.4
145 Papua New Guinea 3,100 3,100 0
41 Philippines 106,000 317,500 0.9
51 Singapore 72,500 522,800 6.2
16 Taiwan 290,000 1,995,650 7.9
14 Thailand 306,600 665,300 2
11 Vietnam 455,000 5,495,000 3.2