MILITARY EXERCISES HELD AT MILITARY AVIATION INSTITUTE
Panorama.am
16:40 13/07/06
US European Command military exercises Rescue-2006 will be ceremonially
opened tomorrow at the Military Aviation Institute under Armenian
ministry of defense, Seiran Shahsuvaryan, ministry of defense press
secretary told Panorama.am.
The exercises will be held within Partnership for Peace program and
envisage participation of 250 representatives from 12 countries. The
aim is to organize and coordinate the rescue services of Armenian
ministry of defense military-medical department and RA territorial
administration ministry emergency department. Another objective is
to enlarge cooperation with partner countries./Panorama.am/

GOVERNMENT APPROVES CHANGES TO CRIMINAL CODE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 13, ARMENPRESS: The government has approved today a
justice ministry-designed bill on making changes to Armenian Criminal
Code which allows courts to cancel a long list of private cases in
case the plaintiff and the defendant reach a reconciliation accord.
The list includes such offences as sustaining health damage,
stealth of personal property, torture, breach of copyright and some
others. Justice minister David Harutunian said the reconciliation
deal must be reached before the judge leaves the court-room for
deciding the verdict. The draft law fixes that forcing people to
strike reconciliation is a criminal offence.
Another draft amendment in the Criminal Code establishes a special
court hearing procedure allowing judges to cut the punishment term
by one third if the defendant admits both the charges levied against
him and the evidence of prosecutors.
The minister argued that any court proceeding costs money and if
a defendant cooperates with prosecutors which allows to cut these
expenses the government must meet him or her halfway. He said the
special procedure applies to those crimes which envisage a prison
term up to ten years.

Saakashvili: Kazbegi-Verkhny Lars Closing Dealt Blow to Armenia Rather than Georgia
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.07.2006 13:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The closing of the Verkhny Lars checkpoint dealt
a blow to Armenia rather than Georgia, Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili said at a press conference in Tbilisi July 11. The
closing of the Verkhny Lars checkpoint did not deal blow to the
Georgian economy because Georgian cargo was not transported this
way. But for ordinary people, who move from one state to another,
it’s really bad. And it’s especially bad for Armenia, since the major
part of cargo destined for this country was transported through the
Verkhny Lars,” Saakashvili said remarking that Georgian cargo was
not let pass this way.
July 8 Russian border guards blocked the northern sector of the
Georgian-Russian border at the checkpoint of Kazbegi-Verkhni Lars
over some construction works.
July 10 the Georgian authorities ordered to establish a temporary
checkpoint to allow the citizens enter Georgia from Russia. Many
of these people trying to enter Georgia headed from Verkhny Lars
towards Nizhny Zaramag checkpoint (at the Russian border) and then
via the Roksky tunnel into the Tskhinvali region where there are no
formal checkpoints for crossing the Russian-Georgian border, reported
Georgia online.

Margaryan Thanked Lebanon for Armenian Genocide Recognition
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.07.2006 13:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan met
yesterday with Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh, reported the
RA government’s press office. During the meeting Amdranik Margaryan
said Armenia is grateful to Lebanon for the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide by the parliament of the state and appreciates
highly the warm attitude of the Lebanese people to the Genocide
survivors. The parties underscored that the Armenian community of
Lebanon makes a big contribution to the development of the state
and promotes strengthening of the Armenian-Lebanese relations. Fawzi
Salloukh added that with recognizing the Armenian Genocide Lebanon
once again confirmed that it stands against violence and terrorism
that claim thousands of lives every day.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

European Parliament Postponed Vote on Turkey’s Accession till September
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.07.2006 14:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Vote on the draft resolution on “Turkey’s
progress toward accession” which should have been voted on
Wednesday, July 12th by the Committee for Foreign Affairs of
the European Parliament was postponed due to practical reasons,
reported the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy
(EAFJD). The major reason for delay was the late translation of the
numerous amendments. These amendments were submitted only on Monday
afternoon to the various political groups, which did not leave time
to them to prepare for the vote. The European Parliament resolution
will finally be voted on the first week of September (4-7/09) by the
Foreign Affairs Committee and eventually on the last week of September
in the plenary session.
To remind, the other day members of the leading European Parliament
factions offered to introduce the Armenian Genocide issue and opening
of borders with Armenia without any preconditions as the items of
the agenda of the EU-Turkey talks.

RUSSIANS HAVE NO PLANS YET TO BUY IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE SECTION
Panorama.am
14:42 12/07/06
Armenian minister of defense Serz Sargsyan told a joint conference with
Russian transport minister Igor Levitin that Russians have not plans
yet to buy the Armenian section of Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. There
are no such arrangements with the Russian side since there is no
“gas pipeline yet, too,” Sargsyan said.
Levitin elaborated on the closure of Verin Lars checkpoint on
Russian-Georgian border. He promised to report to president Putin
as soon as he is in Russia and promised to settle the re-opening in
short time.
Note: The Russian side has again closed Verin Lars checkpoint
on Russian-Georgian border recently on the excuse of making
renovations. In fact, this is the sole automobile rout for Armenian
export and import.
The situation has caused problems for economic entities of Armenia.
It is interesting to note that Levitin is just now going to report to
president Putin as if they do not know what is going on in Verin Lars
and what significance it has. Judging from the answer it may be said
that the checkpoint will remain shut for some time more. /Panorama.am/
From: Baghdasarian

A-320 AIRLINER CRASH CAUSE TO BE UNVEILED LATE JUNE
Panorama.am
14:45 12/07/06
International Aviation Committee (IAC) rep Tatianna Anodina stated
that conclusions on causes of A-320 airliner crash will be made public
late July. She claims the cause will be surely stated. In her words,
IAC has all the necessary materials to ascertain the causes of the
accidents. She said they will complete the final report together with
the Armenian, Russian and French experts. She urges not to come up
with any possible causes of the accident unless the final conclusion
is made. She, however, told they are not going to make public the
transcripts of the talk between the pilot and dispatchers saying it
is improper. The Armenian president is reported on the course of the
work today.
Note: Airliner A-320 crashed into Black Sea near Sochi on May 3 killing
113 passengers on board, including 8 staff members. /Panorama.am/

Azeri Side Statements Cast Shadow on OSCE Monitoring Mission
PanARMENIAN.Net
12.07.2006 14:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The village of Talish of Mardakert region of
NKR is a historical Armenian settlement and it’s absurd to suppose
that Armenians demolish and set fire to their homes, head of the
department of information and propaganda at the NKR Defense Ministry,
lieutenant colonel Senor Asratyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter when
commenting on the reports of Azeri Press new agency which said that
“no single construction was left in the village Talish after the
fires set by Armenians.”
In his words, the village was reconstructed upon completion of
hostilities and now its residents cultivate agricultural products.
Senor Asratyan underscored that such propagandistic statements by
the Azeri side are primitive and meant for ignorant people. He also
remarked that these statements cast a shadow on the OSCE Monitoring
Mission, which contributes to the maintenance of the ceasefire. “As for
the fires, people all over the world know that the inflammation of dry
grass is quite possible over heat and lack of precipitation,” he said.

U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS FRANK MERMOUD VISITS ARMENIA
Panorama.am
15:27 12/07/06
Frank Mermoud, U.S. Special Representative for Commercial and Business
Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, is visiting Armenia July
11-13. During his visit, Mr. Mermoud met with representatives of the
American Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, other business representatives
and Armenian government officials regarding economic, commercial
and business issues. Mr. Mermoud discussed ways to further increase
U.S. investment in Armenia and noted positive cooperation between the
United States and Armenia in the economic sector. He also encouraged
all Armenians to continue to fight against corruption and to work to
increase transparency as a means of promoting economic growth.
Frank Mermoud has served as Special Representative for Commercial
and Business Affairs since June 3, 2002.
Mr. Mermoud is responsible for managing U.S.
commercial and business affairs programs, developing strategic advocacy
assistance for U.S. businesses, and integrating business perspectives
into U.S. foreign policy. He possesses significant private sector and
government experience, having served in such positions as Co-Founder
of SageMetrics Corporation, Executive Vice President of International
and Corporate Affairs and a member of the Board of Directors for Aegis
Communications, Director of Legislative Affairs at the Department
of State, and Congressional Liaison Officer for the United States
Information Agency. /EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA/

SYUNIK AND TAVUSH PROVINCES HAVE THOUSANDS OF LAND MINES
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS: According to various estimations,
there are still from 50,000 to 80,000 mines planted in Armenia. The
majority are in Syunik and Tavush provinces.
The UNICEF Armenia Office is carrying out a program in these provinces
aimed to raise the awareness of their population and especially of
children about the danger of mines. Emil Sahakian, head of UNICEF
Armenia Office press service, said special training courses are also
being organized for school teachers so that they could share their
knowledge with children.
Mobile exhibitions and puppet shows are organized for the most remote
and risky communities. Emil Sahakian says in many cases children
cannot tell a mine from something else and when they find one they
think it is a toy.
This program is backed by a budget of $40,000 from the British
Development Program. It is accomplishing this year but a larger one
is supposed to be launched next year.