ZVARTNOTS TO RECEIVE NEW BATCH OF AIR FUEL IN COMING DAYS
YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Zvartnots airport will receive a new
batch of air fuel in the coming days. As NT correspondent was informed
by airport Director Juan Pablo Gechijian, it will be provided by the
airport’s only fuel supplier, Mika Limited company. To recap, due to
lack of fuel some flights are either not carried out in Zvartnots or
planes are refuelled at reserve airports.
Gechijian said that Zvartnots uses about 40 thousand tons of air fuel
annually. An agreement on importing 13 thousand tons of air fuel has
been signed with the supplier. According to him, it is not clear, which
part of this batch will be imported in the coming days. According
to him, the problem of fuel cannot be considered solved until the
airport storehouse is provided with 7-8 thousand tons of fuel. The
airport director said that currently the fuel of airport storehouses
is only enough for partial fuelling of planes.

SERGE SARGSIAN REFUTES RUMOURS ABOUT ARMENIAN SIDE’S INTENTION TO
PASS OVER ARMENTEL TO RUSSIA
YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia cannot pass over ArmenTel
to Russia, as 90% of the latter’s shares belongs to the OTE Greek
company. Serge Sargsian, RA Defence Minister, Co-chairman of the
Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation,
declared this at the July 12 press conference.
Mentioning that several companies take part in the tender on sale of
ArmenTel’s shares, the Minister refuted the information, according
to which the Armenian side is carrying on lobbying activity aimed
at passing over ArmenTel to the MTS operator making part of the AFK
Systema Russian company. According to the same information, in return,
the AFK Systema, allegedly, assumes an obligation to relaunch the
Mars enterprise passed over to Russia for the Armenian national debt.
Igor Levitin, Russian Co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian Commission,
RF Transport Minister, in his turn said that the AFK Systema company
has expressed willingness to privatize or to assume long-term
management of Mars. He said that currently the Russian government is
discussing the way of passing over this enterprise to Systema.

ARMENIA CALLS ON ISRAEL AND LEBANON TO SHOW RESTRAINT AND CAUTIOUSNESS
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has called today on Israel and
Lebanon to display restrain and cautiousness in order not to let the
situation in the fragile Middle East spiral out of control.
Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian told today journalists that
Armenia wishes that the standoff between Israel and Lebanon be resolved
through talks and cease-fire established as soon as possible. Oskanian
said Armenia condemns any manifestation of violence-taking hostage
or use of force, especially the inadequate use of force, targeting
civilian infrastructure and claiming civilian lives.
Israel’s bombardment of Beirut’s airport yesterday disrupted Middle
Eastern air travel and threatened to cripple Lebanon’s tourism industry
at the start of its busiest season. The Israeli air strike forced
the closing of the airport and the diversion of all incoming flights.
Even the plane carrying Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh from
Armenia was unable to land and he had to make his way home through
Damascus, in neighboring Syria.

OSKANIAN CAGEY ABOUT CONTESTING NEXT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian was
cagey today when asked whether he might decide to contest the 2008
presidential election, but said he was determined to have his input
in building a stronger Armenia, help it develop economically and
politically.
“I feel I am still able to contribute to Armenia’s advance, but I
can not say what way it may be reflected. I did not even think about
it,” Oskanian said to a news conference today. The minister said his
priorities were now efforts for resolution of the ongoing Karabakh
conflict, organization of the third Armenia-Diaspora Conference,
slated for late September and foreign policy affairs.
Oskanian said he did not either think about joining a political
party and received no invitations from any. Oskanian said the main
objective now is to define the national policy for the next decade
and see which of political forces is able to ensure the continuity
of the state’s policy.
Asked what Armenia can do to counter the commissioning of
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyahn oil pipeline that will bring huge profits to
Azerbaijan and Georgia, Oskanian said Armenians must rely on domestic,
Diaspora and international resources.

“KAPUTAK SEVAN” INTERNATIONAL CHESS TOURNAMENT STARTS IN SEVAN
SEVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 12, the “Kaputak Sevan”
Traditional International Tournament of the 9th category started
in Sevan on the initiative of the Chess Academy of Armenia. 10
chess players from Georgia, Iran, Russia and Armenia who have an
international recognition, take part in the tournament. Tigran
Torosian, Arman Pashikian, Zaven Andreasian, Levon Babujian, Armen
Haroutiunian and Hrant Melkonian represent Armenia in the tournament.
The tournament will end on July 21.

WORLD-FAMOUS ITALIAN SCRIPT WRITER ANTONIO GUERRA IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. “I am very happy to be in Armenia. For
the first time I have been here with Sergey Parajanov several
years ago. It’s a very warm country and Armenians are very much like
Italians. People in my country speak about Armenians as their religious
brothers,” announced Italian legendary script writer Antonio (Tonino)
Guerra at the July 13 meeting with the journalists.
Antonio Guerra is a author of film scripts of 120 films which
he has written for the films by great and talented film directors
including world-famous cinematographers Michelangelo Antonini and
Federico Fellini.
Tonino Guerra informed that he had brought two wonderful works for
the Golden Apricot Film Festival, one film by Michelangelo Antonini,
the other dedicated to the works of Fellini.
The famous script writer said that had already been in Etchmiadzin
and met with Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II and it is possible
that he will write something on a religious theme for this country.
Guerra also informed that he studied the Georgian and Armenian
churches.
According to him, pictures dominate in Georgian churches and Armenian
churches almost lack pictures.
“I was on familiar terms with Sergey Parajanov. I associated with
him for many times and took many interesting and unusual ideas from
him. His imagination was his life,” said Guera. The well-known artist
told interesting and funny incidents connected with Parajanov as
well as with Antonioni, Fellini, Marcello Mastroianni and composer
Nino Rota.
The talented script writer mentioned that “Amarkord” presented to the
Oscar award-giving ceremony is his and Fellini’s childhood memories
and he worked on it only for 8 days from 9am to 1pm. In general,
all his other film scripts written for famous films were also created
in a short period of time, in 8, 9, 10 days or less. He also worked
with Francisco Rosi and Andrey Tarkovski and wrote the film scripts of
“Nostalgia” and “Lucky Lusiano” films.
Tonino Guerra is a poet, one of the famous script writers of
cinematography, who was awarded with the “Best Prize” award of
the Cannes festival for the film “Journey to Sitera” by Telo
Angelopoulosi. Besides, he wrote stories and novels. His works were
translated in many countries of the world. In 1956, he together
with Ellio Piter wrote his first film script for the film “Man and
wolves” shot by Giuseppe de Santisi. Three years later Guera wrote his
masterpiece “La Aventura”, with which his continual cooperation with
one of the greatest film diorectors, Michelangelo Antonioni started.

RA PRESIDENT IS NOT COMPETENT TO SIGN ANY DOCUMENT ON BEHALF OF NKR,
IN DEFENCE OF NKR STEERING COMMITTEE DECLARES
YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President Robert
Kocharian is not competent to sign any agreement or contract on behalf
of the NKR not recognized by Armenia yet or not having joined it de
jure. The July 13 statement of the In Defence of NKR steering committee
read. The document authors also mention that by the 1992 decision
of RA Supreme Council no Armenian official has the right to sign a
document where Nagorno Karabakh is mentioned as part of Azerbaijan.
“Both the OSCE MG July 3 statement and the proposals reveal the
tendency to politicize the problem and open neglect of history,
international law and regional facts. The legality of Nagorno Karabakh
formation and Baku’s aggressive territorial claims are disregarded,”
the statement read.
In Defence of NKR steering committee expresses its disagreement with
the methods adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group in the issue of Nagorno
Karabakh settlement, condemns the Armenian diplomatic services’
activity, “because of the incapacity of which the essence of the
conflict was distorted” and demands that the Budapest summit format
be restored, according to which NKR will be a side of the negotiations
enjoying full rights.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS FRENCH EMBASSY
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and his spouse Bella Kocharian visited today the French embassy in
Armenia on the occasion of the National Day of France.
Presidential press service informed Armenpress that the president
congratulated the staff of the embassy and noted that the
Armenian-French partnership is developing quite effectively.
Kocharian and embassy officials were unanimous that the Year of
Armenia in France, set to start in late September, was the evidence
of high-level relations between the two countries.

ONLY RUSSIANS BELIEVED OSKANYAN’S THESIS ABOUT BREEDING TIGERS IN
CAGES FOR 100 YEARS
Lragir.am
14 July 06
The operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline would probably
be the first important event after the World Cup if Israel did not
decide to cross the border of Lebanon. Cynical though it may sound,
it is nevertheless good that the operation of BTC was not the first
global event after the World Cup, because our feeling of regret for
being left out of it will not be so very sharp. And we have to confess
that we have such a feeling. After all an annual tens or maybe one
hundred million dollars is not little for a country whose state budget,
even with a two-digit economic growth, hardly counts over one billion
dollars only due to the brazen depreciation of the dollar. And though
the operation of the oil pipeline sparks national dignity and pushes
into “100 years of solitude” (according to Vardan Oskanyan, Armenia
will develop even if it remains in blockade for a hundred years),
it would be nevertheless preferable that Armenia were included in
projects of global importance.
The Armenian government had been attempting to persuade the Armenian
society that the BTC pipeline would not be constructed because
economically it is not favorable. Of course, these statements relied
not only on the economic disadvantage but also the belief that Russia
would hinder the implementation of the project, which clashed with
its interests, acting as a turnpike between Moscow and the region.
But official Yerevan was perhaps in a confusion. If Russia may not
tolerate Yerevan’s steps and prevent Yerevan from doing something,
it does not mean that Russia can do the same with everyone else. The
utmost thing that Russia may bar is transportation of Armenian cargo
via Verin Lars.
It is notable that Russia marked the operation of BTC by deciding
to pour out its fury on Armenia. Of course, the Russians dispatched
Levitin to announce that they did not know that Armenians have no
other route of transportation of cargo otherwise they would have
informed about closing Verin Lars beforehand.
No, probably only the Russians believe Oskanyan’s thesis on breeding
tigers in a cage for 100 years. Or only the Russians took it for
a joke and went on joking. Otherwise, how can the assertion of
Russians that they did not expect that closing Verin Lars would cause
a road problem for Armenia be taken seriously? The impression is that
because of closing the same Verin Lars several months ago the trucks
of Equatorial Guinea with Armenian numbers stopped at the checkpoint
for weeks, and could not come to Armenia or go to Russia.
Similarly Russia may have been unaware that the BTC oil pipeline would
offer significant political and economic dividends to Azerbaijan,
the regional rival of Armenia, otherwise it would not have allowed
the construction of a pipeline, which is against the interests of its
ally. On the other hand, however, the pipeline is not so very bad for
us. This project representing the energy interests of great powers,
namely the United States, is a guarantee of peace and stability in
the region. If they build, it is clear that the United States does
not need the pipes but the oil barrels flowing via these pipes. And
in order to keep the oil flowing they need to guarantee stability
and peace in the region.
In this aspect, the oil pipeline makes Azerbaijan powerful, on the
one hand, but on the other hand, it restrains its power, at least
until they run out of oil. In this context, it is evident that at
the moment the oil pipeline is in the interests of Armenia as well,
and it is good that Russia did not perceive this, for it might made
real efforts to hinder its construction. It is also clear that the
pipeline will be in our interests as long as there is oil in it. In
other words, we do not have a factor of eternity of our interest for
the simple reason that we do not have oil to pump into the pipeline
to prolong peace after the Azerbaijani and Kazakh oil is through.
However, we do not have oil but we have a Diaspora. We should
reconsider the program of the third Armenia-Diaspora forum and instead
of directing the Diasporan money at the development of Armenian
villages we should direct it to Geyhan. Not for the development
of Ceyhan, of course, but at buying all the oil flowing out of the
BTC pipe to pump it back into the pipeline somewhere in Georgia or
Azerbaijan. In order not to keep the oil flowing forever and prevent
Azerbaijan from displaying its power.
HAKOB BADALYAN

BUSH TRIES TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF THROUGH BRYZA
Panorama.am
14:27 14/07/06
Rector of Linguistic University after Brusov Suren Zolyan shared
his opinions on Karabakh conflict settlement in a press conference
today. “If Minsk Group co-chair say they have ended up their
imagination, let them resign and find a proper job for them. Under
such conditions, the presidents of the three countries must call the
co-chairs back and appoint people with better imagination,” the head
of one of the leading universities in Armenia said.
Zolyan also believes that the format of the conflict settlement will
not change because no instance is ready to take the responsibility
on itself at the moment at least until the situation in the region
is more clear.
Zolyan thinks that USA took the initiative to unveil the details of
the negotiation package and he believes it targeted several aims. One
of them, according to Zolyan, is that George Bush tries to explain the
international community before the elections that USA has put maximum
efforts for the conflict settlement but the sides could not reach
any agreement. “It is an interesting observation that the statement
of co-chairs was posted not on OSCE but US State Department official
site,” Zolyan said. He believes that this step did not accelerate the
negotiation process, but, on the contrary, created further difficulties
to continue it. /Panorama.am/