THE REAR OF KARABAKH ARMY STRENGTHENED

Lragir/am
20 March 06

The army is the chief guarantee of our security, said NKR President
Arkady Ghukasyan during the housewarming ceremony of the houses
built for the officers of the Defense Army. In the 13th quarter of
the center of Stepanakert two blocks of 12 apartments were built. On
March 20 the documents of the apartments were given to 24 officers.

During the opening ceremony President Ghukasyan said the government
and the army command must solve together the problems that will allow
our soldiers to carry out their duty, knowing that their families
are secure. “We defend our independence and try to fulfill the things
that our killed friends had dreamed of,” said Arkady Ghukasyan.

Seyran Ohanyan, Minister of Defense, said in 2005 750 million drams
was allocated for the housing of servicemen. In 2006 1 billion 200
million drams was allocated for the same purpose. Another 300 million
drams will be provided for the construction of houses for the families
of killed azatamartiks.

PROSPECTS OF XXI SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL

Lragir/am
20 March 06

In 2000 the Armenian Music Information Center established the
international music festival “Prospects of XXI”. The president of the
festival Stepan Rostomyan said this is the only festival of classical
music in Armenia, and is one of the important events in the CIS.

The London Symphony Orchestra, Yuri Bashmet, the Chronos Quartet,
the Tokyo String Quartet, Stephen Isserlis, Alexey Lyubimov and
other musicians and orchestras have arrived in Armenia for the
festival. Their visit is a great cultural event for any country. The
participants of the festival say Prospects of XXI has brought the
top classical quality to Armenia.

The seventh Prospects of XXI International Music Festival will
start with the concert of the outstanding German cello player David
Geringas. The musician is in Armenia with his wife Tatiana Geringas,
pianist. David Geringas has worked with the best orchestras of the
world, with such conductors as S.

Ratterley, G. Albrecht, Rostropovich, and others. The first concert
of the Geringas family will be on March 21, at the Chamber Music Hall.

ARMENIAN BOXERS ACHIEVE MEDALS IN WARSAW

ArmRadio
20.03.2006 17:56

Armenian boxer Gabriel Tolmajyan achieved a silver medal at the
international tornament after famous Polish trainer Felix Shtamm.

Another boxer of Armenia, Samvel Matevosyan from Vanadzor was also
struggling for a medal. He lost in the semifinal and achieved only
a bronze medal.

Three other Armenian sportsmen were participating in the
tournament. None of them managed to reach the semifinal, which would
guarantee at least a bronze medal.

The trainer of the Armenian team is Rafael Mehrabyan.

DID ARMENIAN SPECIAL SERVICES PLOT AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST AZERI PRESIDENT?

16:2 4 03/20/2006

“Counter-intelligence into the case of junior sergeant of N military
unit of the Azeri Defense Ministry Bekirov Ruslan Hagani Oglu, 1985,
called up by the Shamkir military commissariat and held in captivity
by the Armenians Feb 15-May 7 2005, has proved that he was in secret
cooperation with the Armenian secret services,” reports APA, referring
to the PR department of the National Security Ministry.

Misled by the Armenians, the commander of the N unit Ruslan Bekirov,
together with his men Abdulayev Hayal Idris Oglu, 1986, and Tagiyev
Hikmet Adem Oglu, 1983, deserted to the enemy Feb 15 2005, thereby
betraying his Fatherland and causing detriment to the national
security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and defense of the
Azerbaijani Republic.

Upon being brought back from captivity by ICRC, Bekirov admitted his
cooperation with the Armenians. But counter-intelligence showed that
Bekirov’s first testimony was part of the Armenians’ secret plan. As a
result, Bekirov confessed that the Armenians persuaded him, Abdullayev
and Tagiyev into secret cooperation.

They met with Bekirov 7 times and, finally, got him to pledge secret
cooperation on paper and video. They nicked him “Ramin” and told
him how to keep contact. They promised him $3,000-4,000 for each
mission. An Armenian secret agent, calling himself Rudik, told Bekirov
to organize blasts on the route of the Azeri president, at BTC and in
the territory of Haydar Aliyev Airport as well as to photograph various
military-strategic facilities and to send the pictures to Armenia.

All the above facts were proved. The Military Council of the AR Court
on Grave Crimes ruled Oct 7 to imprison Bekirov and Abdullayev for
12 years — for high treason (article 274), desertion at war time or
on duty (334.3), abuse of duty (338.1) and abuse of powers (341.3),
while Tagiyev for 11 years — for high treason (274), desertion at
war time or on duty (334.3) and abuse of duty (338.1).

EVENTS IN TSALKA HAVE NO ETHNIC CONTEXT

Lragir/am
20 March 06

The recent murder of an Armenian and stabbing of two Armenians in the
Georgian town of Tsalka does not have an ethnic context, assures the
Georgian ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachecheladzeh. He announced that
the offender had been arrested and will get a punishment. However,
the breaking of windows of the university, the courthouse, the
protest actions of Armenians were also battering, said the Georgian
ambassador. “Every year 150-200 murders are reported in Georgia. The
population of Georgia is not homogeneous, and in a number of cases the
murderer and the victim have different nationalities. But this does
not mean that all these murders were committed on an ethnic ground,”
said the Georgian ambassador.

GEORGIA IS INTERESTED IN GETTING IRANIAN GAS THROUGH ARMENIAN TERRITORY

ArmRadio
20.03.2006 18:08

“Georgia is interested in getting Iranian gas through Armenia’s
territory,” Georgian Ambassador Revaz Gachicheladze declared today.

Revaz Gachicheladze underlined that this will be beneficial for both
Armenia and Georgia.

Commenting on the project of construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway, the Georgian diplomat said that
his country considers this project in the context of joining the
international railroad network. The Ambassador underlined that
in case Armenia had agreed with Turkey on reconstruction of the
Kars-Gyumri railway, there would be no necessity of constructing the
new Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway.

GEORGIA TEMPTED BY IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PROJECT – AMBASSADOR

Yerkir
17:23 | 20/ 03/ 2006

YEREVAN, March 20 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) – Georgia is
interested in a project to transport natural gas from Iran via Armenia,
a Georgian diplomat said Monday.

“We are interested in the project to construct an Iran-Armenia
pipeline. However … the pipeline being built has a smaller diameter
than was expected at 700 mm,” said Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgia’s
ambassador in Armenia.

If constructed, the pipeline would not be enough even for Armenia,
he said, adding that both Georgia and Armenia would benefit from
transit using a pipeline of larger diameter.

The agreement to build the 141-km pipeline was signed in May 2004,
and will cost an estimated $210-220 mln, including $120 mln for the
Armenian section. Construction started in Armenia November 30, and
the project is to be finished by January 2007.

Under the agreement, Iran will supply Armenia with 36 bln cubic meters
of natural gas over 20 years, with an option to extend the contract
for five years and increase total supplies to 47 bln cu m.

The natural gas will be used for electricity generation for Armenia’s
domestic needs and for export to Iran.

Iran began natural-gas supplies to Georgia via Azerbaijan to ease
a crisis that erupted amid freezing temperatures in January after
explosions on a pipeline in Russia, previously Georgia’s only
supplier. However, frequent supply interruptions due to technical
failures in Azerbaijan have caused problems with the transit.

‘ARMENIA AND ARMENIANS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD CULTURE’ CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN KRASNODAR

Yerkir
20.03.2006 17:31

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – “Armenia and Armenians within the Context of World
Culture ” scientific conference will be held in Krasnodar April 25,
reported Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia.

The event was initiated by the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, the Kuban State University, the North Caucasian History
Institute and the Armenian community of Krasnodar. A collection of
speeches will be published upon completion of the conference, which
is dated to the to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the
Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923 when about 2 million of Armenians were
killed. It should be noted that a conference dedicated to the Armenian
Genocide was held in Kransodar in 2005 as well.

That time Turkish Consul General in Novorossiysk Ahmet Riza Derimer
protested the event and addressed a formal letter to the rector of
the Kuban State University. Nevertheless the conference took place
and a statements calling on the Turkish authorities to recognize the
Armenian Genocide was adopted upon its completion.

PROPOSAL ON PROVISIONAL COMMITTEE FOR ELECTORAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION REJECTED

Lragir/am
20 March 06

On March 20 the National Assembly confirmed the agenda of the March
20-23 meeting of the National Assembly and rejected the proposal of
setting up a provisional committee to investigate electoral fraud
during the constitutional referendum. Victor Dallakyan, the author
of this initiative, thinks that this committee is necessary for the
prevention of electoral fraud, as well as the fulfillment of the
stipulations of the Council of Europe. After the referendum the PACE
observers proposed to set up a committee to investigate irregularities
and give a political evaluation.

The Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs gave a negative
conclusion for Victor Dallakyan’s initiative. The minister of justice
Davit Harutiunyan said the stance of the government is definite:
there is no need to set up such a committee, since not all the state
institutions have been applied. Davit Harutiunyan means that the
opposition, for instance, have not appealed to the Constitutional
Court over electoral fraud.

During the March 20 meeting of the National Assembly Victor Dallakyan
announced that the government does not have the right to evaluate the
initiatives of lawmakers. “It is an interference with the internal
affairs of the National Assembly,” says Victor Dallakyan. The member
of parliament pointed out the importance of setting up a committee to
investigate the electoral fraud, hear the corresponding report of the
Public Prosecutor and give a political evaluation of the referendum.

The Speaker of the National Assembly Arthur Baghdasaryan said
investigation of electoral fraud is the responsibility of the law
enforcement agencies and they have to deal with it. Arthur Baghdasaryan
said the political evaluations have been voiced and all the political
forces have already expressed their opinion on the referendum. The
speaker of the parliament put to vote the question of including the
bill on a provisional committee on electoral fraud in the agenda.

Twenty MPs of the alliance Ardarutiun and National Unity voted for the
initiative of the opposition. Nobody voted against the proposal of the
opposition to set up a committee, but no one voted for the bill except
for the opposition either. Of the majority only the Orinats Yerkir and
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation voted. Both political parties
of the coalition abstained. The Republicans did not vote at all. The
United Labor Party and the People’s Deputy did not vote either.

MP Hmayak Hovanisyan assessed the behavior of the Republicans as
boycott.

And Victor Dallakyan, the author of the proposal, announced that by
voting down the initiative the parliamentary majority confirmed that
they had been involved in the electoral fraud.

TRACKING INDIAN BOLLYWOOD

Lragir/am
20 March 06

A group of 17 Indian businessmen headed by the Honorary Consul of
Armenia to the Indian city of Mumbai (former Bombay) has arrived in
Armenia to set up business relations with their Armenian colleagues
and to study the business environment in Armenia. The guests have
already visited the Armenian Development Agency, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and met with local businessmen. On March 20 the
members of the delegation met with reporters.

Among the members of the delegation are representatives of the
leading branches of industry in India: diamonds, IT, pharmaceutics,
tourism, metallurgy, etc. Presently, imports from India total 11
million dollars, exports in the opposite direction total 400 thousand
dollars. According to the deputy foreign minister of Armenia Armen
Baiburdyan, trade between the two countries grows annually by 70 per
cent and still there is potential. Besides trade the Armenians and
Indians cooperate in education, science and culture. The cooperation
in culture promises to develop cooperation in other spheres. Three
representatives of the Indian Bollywood – Mukesh Bhatt, Sabir Boxala,
Ashok Mehta – arrived in Yerevan with the delegation.

Mukesh Bhatt opened his speech with the popular phrase in India
“tourism follows wherever Bollywood goes.”

Bollywood annually produces 1000 films. Mukesh Bhatt annually produces
5 films. He has produced 45 films, 27 were made abroad, in Switzerland,
Singapore, etc. Life revealed that after such films Indian tourists
tend to visit to the country. The Armenian ambassador to India
Ashot Kocharyan, deputy minister of foreign affairs Armen Bayburdyan
and the Indian ambassador to Armenia Rina Pandei and the producer
expressed hope that soon a romantic Indian film will be produced in
Armenia with all its subsequent consequences. Mukesh Bhatt hopes that
a romantic relationship will begin between Armenia and Bollywood and
will last long. He said he had been told that there is good scenery
in Armenia for shooting. Mukesh Bhatt said there is also warmth and
hospitality. The Indian reporter Gustasp Irani said unlike Singapore
and China, the Armenians have preserved their identity and are an
island of Christian culture surrounded with Arab culture.