OUT-OF-TURN SPEECH AGAINST AZERBAIJAN
Panorama.am
14:27 28/03/06
During the session of the Economic Committee of Parliamentary Congress
of Black Sea Economic Cooperation the Azeri delegation put forward its
allegations to return the territory as well as to give the refugees
an opportunity to return to the former dwellings.
All this were the reason why the head of the Armenian delegation
Gagik Minasyan made an out-of-turn speech.
Today at the conference the latter read an extract from that speech:
“There is no basis to call Nagorno Karabakh a dim territory. NK people
build their state system according to all the international law and
democratic principles… The economic blockade of a whole state is
the highest level of economic cooperation realized by Azerbaijan
against Armenia …”
As G. Minasyan informed at the conference today, they were ready to
attacks by Azerbaijan. “We were afraid for the Azeri delegation to
speculate of Karabakh issue,” he noticed. As G. Minasyan said after
his speech the Azeri abstained from further discussion of NK issue.
However, G. Minasyan will perhaps have no more chance to make such
anti-Azeri announcements as he is no longer Deputy of President of
the Economic Committee.
The matter is that as a result of change of the legislation of the
committee the latter is going to have only one deputy. And this time
the Deputy is going to be Vladimir Badalyan representing “National
Deputy” group.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OPEN LETTER TO ARMENIA’S CITIZENS AND ALL INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN THE REPUBLIC
Panorama.am
13:47 28/03/06
IN DEFENSE OF HERITAGE Since March 4, 2006, Chairman Raffi
K. Hovannisian of the Heritage Party and the staff of its central
office have been forcibly denied the right of entry into their own
place of work, which under the existing contract is theirs until
June of this year. Considering this to be a flagrant infringement,
on the part of the incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of
fundamental civil liberties and political freedoms, MP and chairman
of the National Democrats’ Alliance Arshak Sadoyan has launched an
initiative whereby he has petitioned all political parties in Armenia
as well as institutions that are interested in the establishment of
democracy in the Republic to raise their voice of protest against
this blatant lawlessless. The authors of this initiative declare
that the letter is open to all political forces and public and
private organizations which choose to demonstrate their solidarity
on this matter. On March 4, 2006, a criminal break-in took place at
the premises which Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi
K. Hovannisian has been leasing for more than 12 years. Without advance
notice on legal warrant, the lock of the Heritage Party headquarters’
main outer door was smashed and replaced with another.
As a result, the chairman of the Heritage Party and the staff of
its central office have been forcibly denied the right of entry into
their own place of work, which under the existing contract is theirs
until June of this year. The absolute closure of access to Heritage’s
official seal, documents, computers, and means of telecommunication
has brought the party’s activities to a standstill, paralyzing the
regular contact between its headquarters and regional offices.
Raffi Hovannisian and the executive board of the Heritage Party have
issued formal and telephonic petitions to Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian, Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepian, and Police Chief Haik
Harutiunian regarding this unlawful act. No response, explanation,
or comment has been received to date from the law enforcement bodies.
In fact, the constitutional order has once again been violated in
Armenia. A leading opposition party that has stood out of late with its
civic and public initiatives has effectively and illegally been shut
down. We consider this to be a flagrant infringement, on the part of
the incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of fundamental civil
liberties and political freedoms.
We demand that the Armenian authorities reopen the Heritage Party
headquarters immediately and implement measures guaranteeing its
normal, unfettered, and secure operations.
Forum of Intellectuals of Armenia National Democrats’ Alliance Republic
Party National Rebirth Party National Democratic Union New Times Party
Social Democrat Hnchak Party Social Democratic Party of Armenia Social
Ecological Party of Armenia Democratic Motherland Party Motherland
and Pride Union National Unity Mission Party Armenian Arian Union
Armenian Center for Cultural Assistance and Strategy “Human Rights 96”
NGO “The Officer’s Pride” NGO Anti-globalists’ Union “People are the
Country’s Owners” Union.

INTERNATIONAL BANKING CONFERENCE HELD IN YEREVAN
Panorama.am
12:40 28/03/06
Today the three-day international banking conference dedicated
to questions of financing international trade started its work
in Yerevan. The initiators of the conference were European Bank
of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Armeconombank and the
European Union.
As the head of Armenian Central Bank Tigran Sargsyan mentioned in
his speech it is necessary to use the trade financing new instruments
accepted in international practice. “Unfortunately, today most Armenian
banks give only elementary letters of credit and short-term credits
to exporters and importers, which in its turn has a negative influence
on their opportunities,” T. Sargsyan noticed.
In the course of the conference the manager of EBRD in Southern
Caucasus, Byelorussia and Moldova Michael Davy mentioned the dynamic
development of trade financing sector in Armenia. According to the
data of M. Davy last year the EBRD granted 20 million euros to Armenia
to realize programs in the spheres of energy, industry and insurance
business. This year the Eurobank intends to grant 40-50 million euros
which will be allocated to financing 20 programs. In the meantime
Michael Davy noticed that in spite of the political risks present in
the country the Armenian banks succeed in favorably cooperating with
foreign partners.
Representatives of international banking structures such as
“Citibank N.A.”, “Commerzbank AG Frankfurt”, Raiffeisen Zantrallbank,
“Lloyds TSB Bank PLC”, “Deutsche Bank”, “International Financial
Corporation” as well as Russian and Ukrainian banks participate in
the conference.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEPUTY MINISTER REFUTES
Lragir.am
28 March 06
On March 28 RA Minister of Defense Arthur Aghabekyan refuted the
information that people of draft age are not allowed to leave the
country. Moreover, the deputy minister wondered how obstinately this
information is circulated in public and in the mass media.
Arthur Aghabekyan emphasized that the high officials of the Ministry
of Defense of Armenia and the minister of defense Serge Sargsyan
himself have refuted this information for a number of times.

ARMENIA IS CONSIDERED A FOE IN GEORGIA
Lragir.am
28 March 06
The news agency Regnum informs that the Georgian Kviris Palitra
Newspaper conducted a poll, and 28.1 per cent considered Armenia one
of Georgia’s foes.
Fortunately, the poll does not suggest that Armenia is the prime foe
of Georgia, for 34 per cent named Belarus among Georgia’s foes. 4.7
per cent of the participants of the poll think referred to Turkey as
a foe, and 1.6 per cent think the same of Azerbaijan. By this opinion
poll Russia was “recognized” the chief “enemy” of Georgia, for 95 per
cent of the participants of the poll conducted by the Kviris Palitra
Newspaper think so.

POLITICAL PROBLEMS MADE ARMENIAN COMPANIES MORE FLEXIBLE
Lragir.am
28 March 06
Michael Davy, the regional director of the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Belarus and Moldavia announced in Yerevan on March 28 that the EBRD
granted a loan of 20 million euros to four Armenian banks.
According to Michael Davy, the funding involves a rather wide range
of spheres: pharmaceutics, energy, insurance, etc. At the same time,
the EBRD representative pointed out the importance of diversity of
activities of Armenian companies and the search for new international
partners, informs the news agency ARKA.
Michael Davy said the Armenian companies have become more flexible
due to the political problems that the Armenian economy is facing.

KARABAKH IS NOT A GREY AREA BUT IT MAY BE SENSITIVE
Lragir.am
28 March 06
On March 21 and 22 the meeting of the industrial and environmental
commission of the Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic
Cooperation took place in Bucharest. Member of Parliament Gagik
Minasyan, who represented Armenia at the meeting, reported details
to news reporters on March 28.
The issue of cooperation in struggle against economic crimes was on
the agenda of the commission. Fighting bird flu was discussed as a
burning issue.
Gagik Minasyan said during the discussion of the issue
on the agenda Azerbaijan again spoke about Karabakh, the
refugees and territories. The representatives of Armenia was
not startled. Addressing the Parliamentary Forum, Gagik Minasyan
announced: “The economic blockade of an entire country is a specific
economic crime organized on a top governmental level. Azerbaijan has
been committing this economic crime of the government level against
Armenia for a number of years.” And proposed to uproot all the types
of economic crime, including blockade.
Georgia proposed to state in the resolution on fighting economic crime
that ” One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called grey
areas, such as, for instance, the post-conflict areas of Abkhazia and
the former South Osetian sovereign region in Georgia, where there are
illegal markets and illegal circulation of foreign currency.” Georgia
proposed to include in the recommendations of the resolution that
in grey areas, particularly, in the mentioned places, the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation should assist in seeking for peace settlements
of the conflict.
The phrase “grey area” was disapproved by Armenia, as well as Turkey
with regard to Cyprus, and Russia with regard to Chechnya. The
phrase in the Georgian proposal was replaced by “sensitive areas”:
“One of the main types of economic crime is the so-called sensitive
areas, which favor illegal trade and illegal circulation of foreign
currency.” Many disliked the phrase “sensitive areas” used in the
recommendations as well, for the phrase “sensitive areas” can suggest
anything. But the resolution has already been passed.

TRIBUTE OF HONOR TO ASHOT NAVASARDYAN’S MEMORY
ArmRadio
28.03.2006 16:38
On the occasion of 56th anniversary of the founder of the Republican
Party of Armenia, participant of the national liberation war Ashot
Navasardyan, representatives of the Republican Party headed by RA
Prime Minister, President of the RPA Council Andranik Margaryan,
members of RA government and a number of NA Deputies attended Erablur
to pay a tribute to his memory.
According to Andranik Margaryan, the Republican Party continues to
accomplish the theses of their program, which is a continuous process.
“Our major purpose is independence, which Asot and his friends were
fighting for in Soviet times,” RA prime Minister noted.
According to the decision of the Yerevan City Hall, school #196 in
Davitashen was named after Ashot Navasardyan. The school will be
sponsored by the republican Party.

OSCE MISSION TO CARRY OUT REGULAR MONITORING AT THE CONTACT LINE OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES
ArmRadio.am
28.03.2006 16:53
On March 29 the OSCE Mission will carry out regular monitoring at
the contact line of Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces.
>From the Armenian side the monitoring will be carried out by
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Ambassador
Anjey Kasprchik and his field assistants Alexander Samarski and
Imre Palatinius. From the Azerbaijani side the monitoring will be
accomplished field assistants of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Harry
Erronen and Peter Key.

AGAIN GAS, AGAIN FRAUD?
Lragir.am
28 March 06
The government is taking measures to relieve the consequences of
expensive gas, but meanwhile it is waiting for the outcome of the
negotiations with Russia, stated Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
to news reporters on March 28.
However, the prime minister declined to reveal what Armenia had offered
Gasprom in return for “a not very high price,” as the co-chair of
the Russian-Armenian intergovernmental commission, Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan had put it.
“We will tell when it is time,” says Prime Minister
Margaryan. According to him, the negotiations will finish in the
nearest future, so the Armenian society will soon learn how our
government managed to persuade Gasprom. It is obvious, however, that
the public will not learn about it on time, as the prime minister said;
as soon as it becomes known what Armenia had offered to Russians in
return for low price of gas, it will not be essential, for it will
already be a fact. Whereas, the problem is much serious. In fact,
they are preparing the society psychologically and mentally that there
is only one alternative to what we are going to cede or to offer –
expensive gas and hard social consequences. So this time the government
of Armenia prepares an excellent social basis, and naturally people
predicting a threat to their budgets will instinctively agree to
anything except emptying their already empty pockets.
Let us suppose, however, that the government of Armenia has,
nevertheless, made a dignified deal for the state with Gasprom. It
does not imply that everything was done for the sake of the Republic
of Armenia. After guaranteeing a low price of gas the government will
have to account for the decision of the Public Utilities Commission,
which has already boosted the tariffs of gas for the population and
industries, assuming that the price of gas would be 110 dollars on
the border. And the decision of the commission will be in effect
for at least 6 months, and the price will not be reasonable. But the
government will not allow this, stated Andranik Margaryan once again.
“We can solve this problem by a government decision only. In other
words, what additional resources the government possesses that can
ensure certain compensation. The commission has done its job, the rest
is our problem, it is a matter of resources, what resources we have,
how much we will manage to cut the price,” said the prime minister.
It would be reassuring if it were not so very sly and extremely
distressing.
The Public Utilities Commission has, apparently, decided on something
that does not exist yet. The government is still negotiating, whereas
the commission already has adopted a decision. If the government
belonged to Armenia, and the commission belonged to Equatorial Guinea,
for instance, the disaccord in their actions could be justified. But
in this case two governmental organizations are concerned. And now
the prime minister announces that the government will find a way
to compensate for the price of gas, maintained by the commission,
on its resources.