AZG Armenian Daily #054, 25/03/2006

Press Release
ARMENIAN DELEGATION HEADING FOR US
On March 25-30 delegation headed by Minister of Finance and Economy
Vardan Khachatryan will set off for Washington for Millennium
Challenge Compact signing. Chief Economic Advisor to the President
Vahram Nersissiantz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan Oskanyan,
Armenian Ambassador to the US Tatoul Markaryan and other officials are
included in the delegation.
On March 27, Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and
Ambassador John Danilovich will sign 235, 65 million USD
agreement. Secretary Condoleezza Rice will attend the signing ceremony
that will take place at State Department’s Benjamin Franklin Hall.
Secretary will also address the participants.
On March 28, representatives of MCC and Armenian delegation will
jointly present the main directions and objectives of the program to
the representatives of media, NGOs and Armenian Diaspora. They will
also answer the questions.
Press service of Ministry of Finance and Economy, RA

AZG Armenian Daily #054, 25/03/2006

Karabakh diary
TO THE MEMORY OF ARTSAKHI MARTYRS
A monument to the martyrs of the Artsakhi war will shortly be erected
in Stepanakert. Famous Artsakhi sculptor Albert Harutyunian has put
the model of the future monument for a contest these days. It is
currently exhibited in the museum of the union of relatives of
perished freedom fighters of Nagorno Karabakh. The first public
attendance has already been held. Seyran Ohanian, defense minister of
NKR, head of the Union of Freedom Fighters of Artsakh dubbed the model
worthy of attention. Meanwhile, he expressed hope that the idea of a
monument immortalizing the memory of freedom fighters will encourage
other sculptors to take part in the contest.
Author of the model Albert Harutyunian thinks its is expedient to
erect the monument in the area linking the WW II Monument and the
freedom fighters’ cemetery as a more visible site.
The monument is due to be opened in May 2007.
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert

AZG Armenian Daily #054, 25/03/2006

Armenia-Region
HOPES TO BREAK ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC BLOCKADE
Consortium on Abkhazian Railroad Rehabilitation Set Up
“Setting apart political and economic issues” was the motto that
united Russia, Georgia, Abkhazia and Armenia to begin the works of
rehabilitation of Abkhazian railroad. An ad hoc four-sided consortium
was set to carry out all works, Vladimir Badalian, representative of
Armenia in the consortium, told daily Azg.
A document signed at the session of the Russian-Georgian
intergovernmental commission in December 2005 set in motion the
creation of the consortium. Mr. Badalian says that thanks to the
efforts of Armenian-Russian and Armenian-Georgian companies they
managed to set apart economic and political issues. As a stumbling
block in this regional initiative emerged first of all the
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict. Tbilisi sought to get Georgian refugees
back to the Abkhazian region of Gali against its consent to railroad’s
reopening. The return of refugees paved a way for negations. The next
vital issue had to do with the customs station: should it be on
Georgian-Abkhazian or Russian-Abkhazian border?
Representatives of Russia, Armenia, Georgia and Abkhazia had their
first meeting within the consortium format on March 15 in Moscow and
agreed to meet again in Tbilisi in late March. After the mid-April
meeting in Yerevan the consortium will be legalized after which it
will engage in its activities. The consortium is also responsible for
fund raising. Most of the finances will be directed to demine
surrounding territories of the railroad, repair of bridges and
rails. Vladimir Badalian says that a railroad link stretching 70-80 km
is completely devoid of rails. The overall price of the project is
$150-200 million. The Russian side will cover 50 percent of the sum,
Georgia $30, Armenia and Abkhazia 10 percent. Mr. Badalian assures
that the railroad will possibly function in 1 or 2 years.
The consortium gives hope that the Abkhazian railroad will finally
function spurring development of our economy. Besides it will break
the economic blockade of Armenia by 60-70 percent opening a window not
only to Russia but also to Europe. Experts claim that reopening of the
railroad will bring new approaches in Armenian-Turkish relations – the
closed Turkish border will hence be meaningless.
By M. H

AZG Armenian Daily #054, 25/03/2006

Armenian Genocide
`THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ TO BE SHOWN GRATIS AT EGYPTIAN THEATRE OF
HOLLYWOOD
Israel Charny Urges PBS to Show the Film
On April 17, residents of Los Angeles and neighboring regions will
have the chance to watch free of charge “The Armenian Genocide”
documentary at the Egyptian Theatre. Film director, Emmy prize-holder
Andrew Goldberg will also be present at the theatre. The film due to
be shown at 6.00, 8.00 and 10.00 pm is a reaction to the Los
Angeles-based PBS TV Company’s cancellation of the previously reached
agreement to show the documentary. The main reason for this step was
the planned discussion on Armenian Genocide after the film to which
the Armenian community opposed.
Interestingly, the International Association of Genocide Scholars in
the persons of its president Israel Charny and first vice-president
Gregory Stanton wrote an open letter to PBS urging to show “The
Armenian Genocide” on April 17 at the hour when the film will be shown
all over the USA and the world.
The Association noted on its behalf that it considers the documentary
conscientious and well shot. Professors Charny and Stanton underscore
that no other film on this issue so precisely describes and presents
the condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. Andrew Goldberg opens the
film with a request of condemnation, presenting interviews with
scholars as well as common Turkish citizens condemning the Genocide
and shows that the issue of condemnation of the Armenian Genocide is
still the focal point.

AZG Armenian Daily #054, 25/03/2006

Anniversary
CHOREOGRAPHIC COLLAGE CELEBRATES ITS 80TH ANNIVERSARY
The Choreographic Collage is celebrating its 80th Anniversary. The
collage prepared a 2-hour long performance especially for this
occasion. Vilen Galstian, director of the collage, stated that the
performance had two parts – classical and folk dances.
Mr. Galstian stated that the collage has many problems, including
those of economic or organizational character. He stated that RA
Culture Ministry have already allocated about AMD 1 million 200
thousand on the occasion of the collage’s anniversary.
By Gohar Gevorgian

PanARMENIAN.Net
Shooting Armenia – Eternity Territory Film Began

25.03.2006 01:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Film director Alen Melik-Grigoryan began shooting
Armenia – Eternity Territory 52-minute documentary. The script of the
film, produced by Simon Kaghinyan, is written by Armen Vatyan,
cameraman is Mkrtich Malkhasyan. In Melik-Grigoryan’s words, there are
also performed episodes in the film. Christian period of Armenia is in
focus of the film. The pagan period will also be shown and will be
shot in Garni.
The picture goal is to acquaint the world with Armenia. The film will
be recorded in Armenian, Russian and English and will be screened in
all countries that have an Armenian community. The film will fit BBC
standards and level.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Arman Melikyan: Azeri State Should Pay Penalty

25.03.2006 20:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Each next phase of development of the conflict make
search for peaceful solutions more complicated. If in 1988 Armenians
of Karabakh still could discuss the question of enhancing their
autonomy status to the level of autonomous republic, at the moment of
concluding the cease-fire in 1994 no one in Karabakh could think of
autonomous status within Azerbaijan, NKR President’s Foreign Policy
Advisor Arman Melikyan stated during scientific and practical
conference titled Stability Models in the Black Sea/Caucasus
Region. In his words, each new attempt of the Azeri authorities to
solve the issue from the position of force posed the question of
securing the people and guaranteeing its survival before the NKR.
«On the other hand, it is apparent that Azeri authorities did not
search for political solutions to forced political demands of Nagorno
Karabakh. They tried to solve the issue by force, for which the Azeri
state should pay penalty and should recognize its responsibility for
sufferings of hundreds of thousand people and the state – the NKR,»
Melikyan underscored.
The NKR President’s Advisor believes that recognition of Karabakh’s
independence by Azerbaijan will be the beginning of the way to
reconciliation. «Azeri authorities have to pay compensations to
Armenian refugees, as well as internally displaced Azeris. Some
territories controlled by the NKR Defense Army today play the role of
a security belt. After a reasonable period of time if the Azeri party
does not undertake those actions, the aforementioned territories,
along with their security function, may also become a resource for
compensation to Armenian refugees and a place for their re-settlement,
as citizens of the former Azerbaijani SSR they have the right to
settle in any of its parts they prefer and where their rights – first
of all that to life – are guaranteed,» he said.
Arman Melikyan also remarked that use of force should be censured and
punished, as full development of not only Azerbaijan and Karabakh, but
also entire the Black Sea/Caucasus region is not possible without
that.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Expensive Russian Gas to Be Compensated by Cheap Arms for Armenia?

25.03.2006 21:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «The situation with Russian gas supplies to Armenia
seems to be solved. Gazprom, as in case of Ukraine, will get its
price, while Armenia will not increase gas prices for the
population. What is the secret?», Neftegaz.ru writes. `Already March
22 Armenian PM Andranik Margaryan said the gas tariffs will not
change. `The price of $110 fixed in the bilateral agreement is a final
one and no changes should be expected,’ he said, adding the parties
are specifying opportunities and mechanisms of compensation. Armenia
tried to dissuade Gazprom from increasing the gas prices, stating it
can undermine Russia’s authority in the region, however the company
did not give up. At that Mr. Medvedev specially noted that political
alliances do not play any role in change of tariffs for gas being
supplied to Transcaucasia. Moscow, however, agreed to consider option
of compensation for increase of the gas prices, which would mitigate
the blow for the Armenian consumer. Earlier, Russia had suggested a
number of schemes that were to assist Armenia is overcoming the rise
of price. Moscow, specifically displayed interest in acquiring a large
share holding of ArmRosgazprom. In the Russian party’s opinion, the
money from the deal will be enough for Yerevan to support low price
for domestic consumers. The other option provided for passing
ownership of the fifth energy block of Hrazdan Thermal Plant, as well
as the entire gas and transport system of Armenia to Moscow.
However, judging from reports from Armenia, the matter did not come to
it and the parties accepted a compromise. «Commissioned by the
Armenian President I sent a letter to Gazprom’s head, making several
proposals. Friday we got the response from Miller. Before end of
March Gazprom is ready to sign corresponding documents, which will
allow the population and producers paying lower prices that expected
before,» Serge Sargsyan said.
The rescue mechanism was worked out in Moscow. Supplies of Russian
Arms to Armenia on preferential terms is the point. Moreover, part of
the contracts have even gratuitous basis. As the military budget of
Armenia is rather large, these benefits can overlap the increase of
the gas price,» reports Neftegaz.ru.

Panorama.am
15:32 25/03/06

`SUMMER TIME’ IN ARMENIA

According to RA law about transition to summer and winter times, on
Saturday, March 26 at 02:00 the clock hands should be transferred to
an hour forward. It will mean the beginning of `summer time’.
/Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
14:44 25/03/06

`ARMENTEL’ ACTION NOT CEASED

`ArmenTel’ continues its bonus action for his 1-year
contractual subscribers in the scopes of which it
provides them with connection for 2 drams per minute.
Nevertheless, the head of the company’s press
department Hasmik Chutilyan rejected the information
spread one of these days about the cease of the
action.
To remind, according to the estimation of the State
Committee to Defend Economic Competition this action
of `ArmenTel’ has been qualified as an
anti-competitive step towards `Gh- Telecom’ and it was
decided to fine the company with 1% of its annual
income. And `ArmenTel’ has appealed the decision of
the SCDEC to the Committee itself. /Panorama.am/