GEORGIANS CONSIDER RUSSIA, BELARUS AND ARMENIA THEIR ENEMIES
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/03/2006
The Russian Federation is the most hostile country to
Georgia. According to Gazeta SNG online publication, this was revealed
as a result of a public poll carried out by “Kviris Palitra” Georgian
newspaper. 94,4 % of respondents state that Russia is the main enemy
of Georgia. 33,7% of them thinks that Belarus is also one of their
enemies. According to 28,1% of Georgian citizens, Armenia occupied
the third place in the list of the enemies. The list also includes
Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan and Iraq.
Certainly the tense Russian-Georgia and Georgian-Belarus relations
could shape such public opinion. As for the mutual statements of
friendship and fraternity made by the Armenian and Georgian statesmen,
they lose value in the context of this public poll’s results.
It’s noteworthy that recently a printing misunderstanding of a public
poll’s results held in Georgia roused indignation and criticism. The
public poll referred to the issues of the national minorities. Thus,
according to the preliminary data, the majority of the Georgians were
for the return of the national minorities to their homelands. This
was a disinformation. But what can we say in the case of this public
poll. Even the supposition that Armenia and Georgia have good relations
at personal level can be easily denied by the results of the recent
public poll.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: DIASPORA WANTS THE BEST FOR ARMENIA, AND THE BEST FOR ARMENIA IS GOOD RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBOURS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 28 2006
ISTANBUL, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Turkish
“Huriet” daily published its correspondent Sefa Kaplan’s interview
with RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. The interview that the
Istanbul “Marmara” daily reprinted in translation on March 27,
is completely presented below. H.- The new Constitution of Armenia
liquidates the prohibition of dual citizenship. What may happen if
making use of this right, Diaspora has a more influencial role in
the political life of Armenia? V.O.- The issue of dual citizenship
is still disputable in Armenia. No clear decision has been yet made
on this occasion. As in any independent country, in Armenia as well,
the political life is decided by the population of Armenia. There are
numerous gossips, wrong interpretations and wrong conceptions about
Armenia in Turkey. And of its reasons is that the Government of Turkey
refuses to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia. If relations
are established between our countries, the two countries’ peoples
as well will bear the influence of mutual contact, and the Turkish
people will see that it has nothing to be worry from Armenia. H.-
One important part of the Turkish society thinks that if Diaspora
doesn’t exist, the Turkey-Armenia relations will be at much more
well-provided state. V.O.- If the events of 1915 didn’t happen, the
“Diaspora” conception wouldn’t exist. Armenia and Diaspora demand
that events of 1915 are accepted and condemned. On the other hand,
the fact of the borders’ being close and the reality of absence
of relations between the two countries indignate people and deepen
the gulf existing between the two countries. For this puprose our
peoples are not given possibility to share their new experience with
one another and to change their old memories by new ones. Diaspora,
of course, wants the best for Armenia. And the best for Armenia is
establishing good relations with its neighbors. We hope that the
Turkish people as well wants to establish good relations with its
neighboring country, and we expect just it. H.- Will the Diasporan
Armenians be given the right to vote during elections? V.O.- No,
they will not be given that right. H.- What do you want to say to the
Turkish people about the peace and safety of the territories? V.O.-
Peace and calmness will be established only in the case when natural
relations will be established and the dialogue will be completed. To
Erdogan’s proposal addressed to the President of Armenia on calling to
life the “history commission,” Robert Kocharian responded that such
a commission can be created only at the time when close diplomatic
relations and a dialogue are established between the two countries
and governments, and the borders are open. Turkey didn’t respon this
proposal. And the European Union affirmed that even in the case of
having misunderstandings, Turkey must establish good relations with its
neighbors. Turkey is a country that has serious issues with some of
its neighbors and other ones with some others. But it has diplomatic
relations with all the countries, except Armenia. The issue that
Turkey and Armenia, in the international law and order, with their
today’s borders, have their place, is a political reality. Another
political reality is also the issue that Armenia, as a neighboring
country, is not a threat for Turkey. It’s enough for a step is taken
for the beginning.

STATE DOOMS ITS CITIZENS TO HUNGER OR SUICIDE
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/03/2006
81-Years Old Pensioner Is Deprived of Her Family Benefit.
Seda Ohanian, a 81 years old lonely pensioner, was returning home
from the Social Security Department of Malatia-Sebastia borough, when
she felt she was about to faint. Fortunately, her neighbors rushed to
help her, called the emergency and rendered her with first aid. But,
certainly they couldn’t ease the pain of the old woman and solve
her problem.
Mrs. Ohanian became another victim of the recent rise in
pensions. Having received a pension that grew by AMD 1000, she was
deprived of her family benefit that totaled to AMD 7000. She learnt
about this news at “Paros” office. But the most terrible though for her
was that she is doomed to survive on AMD 10.800 monthly pension. How
she will manage to pay her utilities, to buy food or medicine on that
sum, she wonders. Even AMD 16.000 she used to receive before didn’t
cover all her expenses.
There occur urgent questions that require the answers of the Labor
and Social Security Ministry officials.
How do they define the degree of poverty? Who they consider poor, if
an 81 years old pensioner is not included in the list of the socially
insecure people?
Is it their right concept of family benefits? Or how can the same
pensioner survive on AMD 10800, when the poverty limit totals to AMD
19.000, according to RA National Statistic Service? Even if we add
AMD 7 000 of family benefit to her AMD 10.800 of pension, it will
not keep in line with the poverty limit. Thus, we can state, that
in this given case, the state officials doom a citizen to hunger or
suicide. If one of the officials just tries to deny this statement,
we offer him to try to survive on AMD 10.800.

INTERNATIONAL PHOTO COMPETITION
AZG Armenian Daily
29/03/2006
The Photo Competition of the Polish Press Photo Fund was held for the
first time. It included works of photographers from photo agencies,
magazines and newspapers. Over 5000 works of photographers from
various countries were exhibited at the competition.
The international jury chose 15 winner photographers from Iraq, Poland,
the Great Britain, China, Australia and Armenia. Ruben Mangasarian,
head of Photojournalism Department of the Caucasian Mass Media
Institute, represented his piece entitled “Black Life ” that was
announced the best photo in “Today’s Life” nomination. Mr. Managsarian
was awarded the first prize.
The award ceremony of the competition will take place in Warsaw on
May 9. On the same day the exhibition of the winners’ pieces will
open. The photographers will also participate in the conference
dedicated to the modern photojournalism issues.

RATIO OF VOLUMES OF IMPORT AND EXPORT IN ARMENIA IS 1/2
Panorama.am
15:26 28/03/06
“The volume of import is a serious problem in Armenia as it
considerably exceeds the volume of export,” announced the Deputy of
the RA Minister of Trade and Economic Development Tigran Davtyan at
the international banking conference dedicated to the questions of
financing international trade organized in Yerevan today. Yet, as he
said, if the ratio of these two indexes was 1/3 at the early 90s,
at the present it is 1/2. It means that the volume of production
imported to Armenia 2 times exceeds the volume of that exported.
As T. Davtyan said the trade-economic regime formed in the course of
the last 10 years is estimated by international organization as one
of the most liberal ones. “From the point of view of trade-economic
regime Armenia is in the first group of countries,” the Deputy of the
Minister noticed. After the admission of Armenia into the WTO (World
Trade Organization) there came forwards legislative guarantees for the
activity of the importers and exporters, a preventive trade-economic
system has been formed, besides the level of preventiveness has
rapidly increased. T. Davtyan mentioned that in the last several
years Armenia succeeded in diversificating the economy and keeping
that tendency.

ATTANTION: YOUNG FAMILIES IN “KENTRON”
Panorama.am
15:22 28/03/06
The developments in Yerevan real estate market give enough bases to
conclude that the flats in so called elite blocks being built in the
city centre will become within the rich of not only the rich but also
young families.
According to the programs of “Hlendale Hills” company realizing the
building works, besides large and luxurious flats the company is
going to introduce to the real estate market flats repaired by high
quality building materials costing 10-28 thousand USD.
As the representatives of the company assure at the moment negotiations
are carried on allocated to making the processes connected with
mortgage loans more available and productive.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IT IS POSSIBLE TO INSTALL INDIVIDUAL HELIOSYSTEMS IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 28 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Individual heliosystems allow to use
the heat from solar energy for domestic purposes. Vahan Hamazaspian,
inventor of the device, academician of the Academy of Quality Problems,
told NT correspondent that the device is mainly suitable for use in
private houses and farms. Their capacity ranges from 300 watts to 200
kilowatts. 3-5 kw equipment is envisaged for apartment use. The current
price of a 1-kw device is 300 dollars. V. Hamazaspian assured that the
price will decline twofold with an increase in its demand. According
to him, the devices under a guarantee of 50 years have already
been installed in Yerevan, Echmiadzin and Ararat. In the opinion of
V. Hamazaspian, heliofication will enbale Armenia to solve a number of
important problems, particularly, to enhance the energy independence
of the country. He noted that it would be expedient to install these
devices within the framework of the Millennium Challenge Program,
whose main purpose is to reduce poverty in the rural area of Armenia.

AN IDEAL LAW TO PREVENT FOOD POISONINGS
Panorama.am
15:18 28/03/06
“Our country can be listed among the developed ones if the consumer
doesn’t feel danger while buying food in the shops,” announced NA
Deputy Tatoul Manaseryan during the round table organized in the
National Academy of Sciences today. He expressed his concern about the
fact that genetically modified goods of low quality are still being
imported into the country in spite of being banned by law. “They do
not only cause poisonings but also genetic transformations.” As a
fresh example T. Manaseryan mentioned the goods imported from Turkey
recently the 90% of which did not correspond to International Standards
of Quality. And that is not the only example.
“A serious state approach is needed towards this question which will
prevent that danger, “the Parliamentary Deputy thinks.
And what does it mean: “A serious state approach”?
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Gagik Khachatryan thinks that the
legislative field has to be improved in accordance with international
standards, although he also thinks that “there are no ideal laws”.
Later the President of “Farmers’ Movement” public organization
Sargis Sedrakyan wondered how our village food can correspond to ISO
requirements when “a farmer sows whatever he has”. What is the role
of the Government in this case? And the Governmental representative
mentioned that a new draft law about food security has been worked
out according to which management systems have to be formed in
food producing enterprises. When S. Sedrakyan asked to answer his
question to the point Deputy Minister G. Khachatryan said: “Armenia
has no corresponding equipment and laboratory system to check the
seeds. Steps are being taken in that direction.”

USA, ARMENIA SIGN DEAL ON POVERTY REDUCTION
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
28 Mar 06
The American Millennium Challenges Corporation and Armenia signed an
agreement at the State Department in Washington a few hours ago. Under
the agreement the Armenian government will receive 235.65m dollars
within the next five years to reduce poverty in rural areas and
restore infrastructure, roads and irrigation systems in rural places.
Armenian Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and
executive director of the Millennium Challenges Corporation John
Danilovich signed the agreement. US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice and Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan also took part in
the signing ceremony.
The main aim of the programme is the reduction of poverty in rural
areas by ensuring a stable growth of agricultural goods. Within the
framework of the programme, 750,000 people or 75 per cent of the
rural population of Armenia will receive aid.
By implementing this programme the poverty is expected to be reduced
by 6 per cent. Under the programme, 67m dollars will be used to
rebuild rural roads, 146m dollars to upgrade the irrigation system
and the remaining 23m dollars will used to monitor, assess, control
and manage the programme.
Armenia is our best partner and we are glad to assist Armenia and to
provide a better life for all the Armenians, executive director of the
Millennium Challenges Corporation John Danilovich said. The corporation
will continue to control the implementation of this programme in
Armenia during the next five years, the executive director of the
corporation noted.

HOME FARMS HEADED BY WOMEN MAKE 31.6% IN 2004 IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 28 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2004, women made 51.8% of the
constant population of RA. In that year the home farms headed by
women made 31.6%. Hrachya Petrosian, a member of the Statistical
Council of RA Statistical Service, informed about it at the March 28
presentation of the statistical brochure “Women and Men of Armenia”. He
mentioned that in the 2004/2005 educational year women made 69.1%
of 30483 students attending institutions of vocational education
and 55.8% of 85109 students of higher education institutions. In
2004, women made 28.1%, 36.4% and 23.3%, respectively, of those
who entered post-graduate studies, studied and graduated from
them. In 2004, the number of women among people who were convicted
for committing a crime amounted to 5.3%, In 2004, the share of women
among 15-70-year-old population made 52.3%. 52.1% of the women of this
age was economically active. The share of employed women was large in
spheres of education, culture and art, healthcare and social services,
as well as crediting and state insurance spheres (54-78%). In 2004,
only 5% of RA MPs were women, the involvement of women in executive
power republican bodies made 39.7%, in territorial government bodies
37.8%, in judicial power bodies 20%. According Consuelo Vidal,
Coordinator of UN Permanent Representation in Armenia, the fact that
the Armenian women’s participation in making political decisions is
so much limited causes anxiety. As she mentioned, women are aware of
the country’s needs best of all, so it’s important that their voice
be listened to and their opinion be taken into consideration.