NEW ORGANIZATION OF PEOPLE WHO CANNOT HEAR
Lragir.am
30 March 06
The split within the Society of People with Hearing Problems in Armenia
is going on. Moreover, new interesting processes are outlining, which
may also have a home political context. On March 30 Parthev Muradyan,
member of the civic action group of the Society of People with Hearing
Problems, the leader of the so-called opposition of the Society, told
news reporters about this processes at the Pastark Club. He is not a
member of the society any more, he was dismissed several months ago,
but leads the movement of the society members against the present
leadership of the Society of People with Hearing Problems, namely,
President Jora Varagyan and his supporters.
Parthev Muradyan and the oppositionists of the Society complain that
Jora Varagyan has dissipated the property and money of the Society,
and is still doing. “Instead of operating the enterprises belonging to
people with hearing problems Jora Varagyan sold them, thus depriving
them of the possibility to work,” says Parthev Muradyan. His supporters
say soon they will have to beg. It is not only a social problem but
also a criminal one. Parthev Muradyan says there is enough evidence
on illegal sale of the property of the society and appropriation of
the money by Jora Varagyan.
A criminal action was suited, however, Parthev Muradyan and his
supporters are dissatisfied with the investigation. Parthev Muradyan
says Gharakhanyan, who investigates the case, concludes that there is
no criminal element in the activity of the president of the Society
Varagyan. On March 30 he and his supporters sent a letter to the
Head Public Prosecutor of Armenia, expressing concern about the
investigation, the possibility that Varagyan will not be punished,
and calling for the Head Public Prosecutor’s personal assistance in
the investigation and punishment of the guilty. A similar letter will
be addressed to the president of Armenia.
Parthev Muradyan does not dare say if the standpoint of the Office
of Public Prosecutor is biased. But Muradyan hints that one of the
reasons of the dissatisfaction of the oppositionist people with hearing
problems can be suspicions about partiality. The oppositionist movement
led by Parthev Muradyan assures that they will not give up even under
threat. By the way, in fact, there are threats. Parthev Muradyan
announced that the present president of the Society of People with
Hearing Problems threatens the oppositionist members of the society
with assault, even murder.
“We are well aware of these threats. But I announce that if anyone of
us suffered, they would get a due counterblow from where they would
have never expected,” Parthev Muradyan defends himself, announcing,
however, that they rely on themselves only.
Parthev Muradyan does not mention either who Jora Varagyan and his
supporters rely on, but he directly points to the direction where the
answer to the question could be found. “I did not tell anything before,
now I say that in the parliamentary election in 2003 Jora Varagyan
supported the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. Think on the rest
yourselves,” says Parthev Muradyan. He said he had a video of Jora
Avagyan, asking one of the leaders of ARF in Los Angeles to donate 200
thousand dollars to the Society. “Then he was told that if he wanted
the money for the Society he should ask for 1 million 200 thousand
instead of 200 thousand. And he was refused,” said Parthev Muradyan.
Parthev Muradyan decided that the way out is to open a new organization
of people with hearing problems. They are going to establish a new
society of people with hearing problems, temporarily referred to as
“the Armenian Alliance of People with Hearing Problems.” The logo of
the alliance is the well-known gesture, meaning OK. Parthev Muradyan
says the Americans have derived this gestures from people who cannot
hear.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WB BOARD CONFIRMED PROGRAM OF DEVELOPMENT OF RENEWABLE ENERGY IN ARMENIA
Lragir.am
30 March 06
The board of directors of the World Bank confirmed in Washington the
program of development of renewable energy in Armenia, which costs 8
million dollars. According to the news agency ARKA, this was stated by
Roger Robinson, the director of the WB office in Yerevan, during the
news conference on March 30. Roger Robinson said the program will be
funded by a 3 million dollar grant of the Global Energy Foundation
and an IDA loan of 5 million dollars for 40 years, on 0.75 per
cent interest and a grace period of 10 years. Roger Robinson said
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will provide
7 million dollars, and the Gafeschyan Foundation will allocate 3
million dollars for the program of renewable energy in Armenia. The
WB representative in Armenia said the program must be confirmed by
the government and ratified by the National Assembly of Armenia.
It is estimated to create an additional 80 megawatt capacity of
renewable energy in Armenia within the upcoming 5 years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RF PRESIDENT’S ADMINISTRATION IS SERIOUSLY RECONSIDERING ITS COURSE TOWARDS ARMENIA, RUSSIAN SCIENTIST SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. “After the disintegration of the
USSR a considerable rupture of contacts between Armenia and Russia
took place, for instance, there is no scientific Russian book in
Armenia in the recent years,” professor Mikhail Meyer, Director of the
Institute of Asian and African Studies under Moscow State University
(MSU), declared at the March 30 meeting with representatives of media
organized by the “Development” fund of the Caucasian Institute of
Democracy. According to him, strategic partners Armenia and Russia
“have few contacts and do not know each other well enough”. In this
connection he reminded that he is in Armenia on the initiative of the
Russian President’s administration. “The RF President’s administration
is seriously reconsidering its course towards Armenia,” professor
Meyer declared. He said that specialists on Transcaucasus and Middle
Asia are already being prepared, as well as specialists on Armenology
are being trained in Russia. Mikhail Meyer pointed to the necessity
of further deepening and development of cultural, scientific and
educational contacts between the two countries. The Russian scientist
also dwelt on the most important issues of Armenian history. In
connection with the Russian-Turkish Treaty of Moscow signed in 1921
(Armenia was Sovietized in late 1920: NT) he declared that the reason
of concessions made by Russia to Turkey mainly at the expense of the
territory of Armenia was that at that time Armenia was “too devoted
to Great Britain, much more than Georgia and Azerbaijan”. The Russian
scientist also touched upon the position of Turkey in the issue of
the Armenian Genocide declaring: “Turkey suffers great moral loss
and the more this country persists in non-recognition of this fact,
the more difficult it will be for it”.

GOVERNMENT APPROVES HOLDING OF “RESCUER-2006” EXERCISES IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 30 sitting RA government
approved the proposal about signing the agreement “On Holding of
Rescuer-2006″ exercises between RA Defence Ministry and Command of
U.S. ground troops and 7th army in Europe, in the territory of the
Republic of Armenia”. The exercises will be held within the framework
of the “Partnership for Peace” program on July 12-28 this year. Over
250 representatives of 12 countries will take part in them. The
exercises have a command-headquarters character and are aimed at
organization and confrontation of works of the rescuing services
of RA Defence Ministry’s Medical Department and RA Territorial
Government Ministry’s Emergency Department during natural and
technogenic disasters, as well as at extension of possibilities of
cooperation with partner countries. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA
Government Information and Public Relations Department, at the sitting
the government also approved the proposals of signing a memorandum “On
Cooperation between RA Foreign Ministry and Romanian Foreign Ministry
in the sphere of European integration and in Euroatlantic structures”.

ABOUT 1100 USD ALLOCATED TO CEC FOR HOLDING LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS IN 4 COMMUNITIES OF 3 REGIONS
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. At the March 30 sitting RA government
charged RA Minister of Finance and Economy to allocate 506 thousand
620 drams (about 1100 USD) from the government’s 2006 reserve fund
to the CEC united fund for the purpose of financing the expenditures
on organization and holding of elections of village head to be held
on April 16, 2006, in the rural communities of Khachik and Saravan,
Vayots Dzor, elections of village head to be held on April 23, 2006,
in the rural communities of Hatsavan, Kotayk region, and Pokrashen,
Shirak region. Noyan Tapan was informed about it from RA Government
Information and Public Relations Department.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND VICTOR CHERKESOV DISCUSS ISSUES RELATING TO MAKING STRUGGLE AGAINST ILLEGAL CIRCULATION OF DRUGS MORE STRICT
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian received
on March 29 Victor Cherkesov, the Chairman of the CSTO countries’
Coordination Council of heads of bodies engaged in issues of struggle
against illegal drugs circulation, the head of the Federal Service
for Contol of Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Circulation of
Russia. The sides appreciated the productivity of the cooperation
within the framework of the structure. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the RA President’s Press Office, issues of making more strict the
struggle against drugs circulation and of implementation of a complex
of events connected with it were discussed.

OBSERVATION OF CONTACT LINE OF NKR AND AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES POSTPONED BECAUSE OF SHOTS FROM AZERBAIJANI SIDE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 30 2006
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The observation
of the contact line of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan Armed Forced
envisaged near the settlement of Seysulan on March 29 didn’t take
place because of shots from the Azerbaijani Army’s captured village
of Karmiravan. The OSCE monitoring group headed by Andrej Kasprczik,
the Personal Representative of the OSCE Minsk Group Chairman-in-Office
as well as representatives of the NKR Defence Ministry and Ministry
of Foreign Affairs accompanying the observation group fixed three
shots. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR Foreign Ministry’s
Information-Analytical Department, Ambassador Andrej Kasprczik
postponed the observation because of absence of security guarantees
from the Azerbaijani side.

HAROLD SAUNDERS: OFFICIAL NEGOTIATIONS NOT ENOUGH FOR REACHING PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The American-Russian working group of
the Dartmouth Conference on Regional Conflicts presented the draft
of the framework agreement on settlement of Karabakh conflict at
the March 29 round table taken place in Yerevan. As Harold Saunders,
the American Co-Chair of the group mentioned, official negotiations
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group framework are necessary
but not enough condition for reaching peace in such a difficult
conflict. According to him, the goal of the dialogue, that has been
led among the representatives of the public of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Nagorno Karabakh, are not proposals of the final settlement, but
study of possible approaches towards starting a peaceful process. The
dialogue participants find that the peaceful process may start by
signing intermediate agreements.
For example, the sides may agree relating to not large territories
from where the armies will be moved out and where the peace-keeping
forces will be placed and where refugees will return. According to
Saunders, recognition of the so called temporary status of Nagorno
Karabakh by participants of the conflict will create a possibility for
representatives of not recognized republics are able to participate
in the negotiations with competence of a full participant. As Vitali
Naumkin, the Russian Co-Chair of the working group mentioned, the
proposed framework agreement is called to have a role of a bridge
between the incompatible package and phase variants of settlement of
the Karabakh problem. He emphasized the importance of participation of
the publics of all the sides in the peaceful settlement process. In
the opinion of sociologist Lyudmila Haroutiunian, the time for the
political solution of the conflict hasn’t come yet. According to her,
the conflict isn’t functional only for Armenians, and Azeris speak
about war and prepare for it. “Armenians’ desire for living peacefully
must not be speculated by the international community, and it must not
meet Azerbaijan’s desire to solve all the problems in its favour,”
Haroutiunian stated. In her opinion, it’s still far to reach peace,
and Armenians must not be disarmed.

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS EXPRESSES SATISFACTION RELATING CSTO STATES’ COOPERATION IN ANTI-DRUGS STRUGGLE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 30 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians received on March 29 at the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin the members of the Coordinating Council of heads of
competent bodies of counteracting the illegal circulation of drugs
of the CSTO member states, The guests were accompanied by RA Police
Chief Lieutenant General Hayk Haroutiunian.
His Holiness first of all presented to the guests the history of
the all Armenian spiritual center and its mission in the Armenian
people’s life. “It’s pleasant for us to see that such a cooperation
exists especially in the sphere of narcotism, what, of course is our
anxiety as well. And clergymen as well, certainly, implement their
corresponding propaganda for that event doesn’t find spreading, and
if there are persons who are in the claws of that delusion, are able
to get rid of it. Every delusion is a quilt according to the church
perception, especially the narcotism, which is addressed to disturbance
of natural process of mind, thinking of a man having the God’s image,”
His Holiness said. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information
Services of the Mother See, on behalf of the Coordinating Council,
Viktor Cherkesov, the Council Chairman, the head of the Federal
Service for Contol of Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Circulation
of the Russian Federation welcame the Catholicos of All Armenians and
presented results of the done works and programs. “We’re obliged to be
engaged in people’s salvation,” V.Cherkesov mentioned, emphasizing that
legal bodies cooperate with different civil structures and religious
trends, to protect people from those harmful events and to prevent
the increase in crime of drugs circulation. He particularly informed
about the cooperation with the Russian Orthodox Church concerning
that sphere.

“GOLDEN GUITAR-2006” REPUBLICAN FESTIVAL OF AUTHOR SONG TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Mar 30 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Ovation” producer center in
association with the Charity Fund of Cultural Development and RA
Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs is organizing a “Golden Guitar”
(“Voske Kitar”) republican festival of author song. Those creating
and performing in the author genre to the accompaniment of guitar
can take part in the festival. Samvel Mesropian, Director of the
“Ovation” producer center, informed about it at the March 30 press
conference. According to him, the goal of the festival of author
song is to summarize the developments of this genre of recent
years, to reveal new authors performing their own songs giving
them an opportunity to perform from on the stage for the first
time. S.Mesropian said that such a festival was last organized
in Armenia in 1999. And before it the “Yeghegnadzor” festival
of author song was traditionally organized. According to Edvard
Zorikian, a member of the festival’s steering committee, a well-known
author-singer, this festival is just an opportunity to touch upon this
genre of art of singing. “This is the kind of art which is very subtle
but is very stable and of principle with its criteria. The lyrics is
dominating here and the guitar is the accompaniment of this lyrics,”
E.Zorikian is convinced. Well-known guitarist Martin Aharonian
emphasized that this genre is very individual and author-singers’
songs mainly contain also autobiographical elements. He mentioned
that at present this is an unknown genre for a wide circle of young
people. The bids for participation in the festival will be accepted
till April 20, after which the pre-selection tour will be held. The
best performers will take part in the contest of the first tour to be
held on May 10-15, then the winners together with well-known authors
performing their own songs will take part in the second tour’s concerts
to be held on June 6-10.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress