SWISS GROUP OFFERS A $200 MILLION INVESTMENT PROPOSAL

Armenpress

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS: Deputy urban minister Karlen Gevorkian
said the government was considering an investment plan proposed by
a Swiss National Recycling Group (NRC) that wants to start a refuse
cycling business in Armenia.

The deputy minister said the Swiss company said it was ready to settle
the refuse problem of all Armenian settlements with 10,000 and more
population. The investment plan, assessed around $at 200 million,
envisages construction of five refuse cycling plants and import of a
great deal of equipment. Gevorkian said the ministry and the Yerevan
municipality have received some other proposals, particularly, from
Russian companies which want to take up the business of garbage
collection and recycling. He said all these proposals were being
examined.

He said a grant pledged by the government of Japan will be used for
constriction of a biogas collector in Nubarashen dump. Part of the
gas will be used for production of electricity. He said similar tests
are going on in Vanadzor and Gyumri dumps.

1.5 MILLION FOWLS VACCINATED AGAINST PLAGUE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, MARCH 17, ARMENPRESS: Grisha Baghian, chief of Armenian
veterinary inspection said one man was suspected to have the deadly
H5N1 virus but he tested negative after was examined thoroughly by
experts of the Armenian genetics center.

Baghian said now people should be more careful as the risk of getting
the virus becomes higher with migratory birds stopping in Armenia
in their way to the north. He said 1.5 million domestic fowls were
vaccinated against a disease known as bird plague.

THEY CONTINUE TO VIOLATE THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH

A1+

02:49 pm 17 March, 2006

“The fact which faces the “A1+” staff today comes to prove that in
Armenia they still continue to oppress the activity of free Mass
Media”, leader of the party “National Renaissance” Albert Bazeyan
said. The latter had come to the editorial office in protection of
“A1+”.

“The Government could carry out direct sale and give priority to the
company which has been carrying out all the responsibilities according
to the contract for the last 15 years”, the ex mayor of Yerevan said.

Albert Bazeyan noted that whatever happens to “A1+” today is
connected with all the previous cases of violation of human rights,
“Unfortunately we do not succeed in the protection of the rights
of the citizens, and the authorities continue the policy they have
adopted. As people say, “the appetite comes with eating”; we know
many cases when state property was sold to this or that official for
very little money”.

And today “A1+” is deprived of the area it has been occupying for
more than ten years.

“Today the authorities of any country want to have more power, and
the society of any country, of course if it exists, does not allow the
authorities to have more power. Unfortunately, our society allows the
authorities to do anything”, advocate Avetiq Ishkhanyan spoke about
the indifference of the society. “The society must be strong and
protect its rights. In Armenia they behave like they are sentenced
and their words have no value. That’s too bad”, Ishkhanyan says.

Asked the question who had to be next to “A1+” that is not, he
answered, “Any person who considers himself a citizen, learning about
this had be here today. This refers firstly to social-political bodies,
and of course to journalists”.

By the way, the majority of the supporters of “A1+” today were
journalists.
From: Baghdasarian

Press Release
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I RECEIVES THE REPRESENTATIVES
OF THE DIOCESE OF LEBANON

His Holiness Aram I received Primate Bishop Kegham Khacherian and the
representatives of the Religious and Political councils of the Diocese
of Lebanon on Tuesday 14 March 2006. The two sides discussed issues
related to the ordainment of the newly built St. Vartanants Church in
May and His Holiness’ Pontifical visit. They agreed that His Holiness
should have meetings with representatives of the community structures,
as well as teachers, students and the youth.

His Holiness stressed the importance of reviving the internal
liveliness of the Armenian community of Lebanon in various
fields. He particularly spoke about the great importance of national
schools. Given that His Holiness has announced 2006 to be “The Year of
the Armenian School”, both sides considered it was suitable to organize
special events that would bring the spotlight on the importance of
Armenian schools in the education of the new generations.

His Holiness also stressed the imperative of strengthening the internal
unity of the Lebanese-Armenian community. In this context he welcomed
the representation of the Armenian community at the ongoing dialogue
in the parliament with a united delegation from the three Armenian
parties.

His Holiness Aram I also received a delegation from the Armenian
National Authorities of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The two
sides discussed various issues related to the Diocese.

##

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
dioceses of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web
page of the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

IRONY OF FATE: “A1+” IS OFFERED AN AREA IN THE BUZAND STREET

A1+
03:32 pm 17 March, 2006

The State Property Administration had offered “A1+” an area in
the Buzand Street, and today the director of the company must get
acquainted with the offered area. It is located in the same building
with the Administration of Architecture and Urban Development, and
the Yerevan urban development Programs realization office.

Today an area of only 100 square meters is offered as compensation
for that of 240. Asked the question if the fact that the area is in
Buzand street is symbolic, director of “A1+” Mesrop Movsesyan said,
“Whatever is connected with “A1+” is symbolic” .

By the way, “A1+” has already freed 220 square meters on the third
and forth floors. According to Movsesyan, “A1+” is ready to free the
rest if a proper compensation is offered.

The necessity of financial compensation is condition by the investments
“A1+” has done for years. The fixed sum is 34 thousand USD. “Up to
now I have made all the payments for the electricity and for the
workers. And all the payments done for years must be calculated”,
Mesrop Movsesyan said.

But up to now no court officers have come to “A1+”.

“There are people who will be clever about the issue”, the director of
“A1+” thinks. “The Prime Minster tries to solve the problems, and he
will keep his promise.

An offer was made today that the eviction will not be carried out
until the problem of a new area is solved”.

LATVIA IS INTERESTED IN THE ISSUES OF NKR AND THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

A1+
06:16 pm 17 March, 2006

Today meetings with the Latvian Ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to Armenia Ayvars Vovers took place in the NA.

During the meeting with the NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan it was
mentioned that within the framework of the EU “New Neighborhood
Program” Latvia supports the member countries, and Armenia too will
be included in the program. By the way, a number of deputies of
the Latvian Parliament have taken the initiative to organize the
Armenian Genocide.

The Ambassador of Latvia also met the head of the NA Standing Committee
on Foreign Relations Armen Rustamyan.

Referring to the regional problems and in particular tot he process of
settlement of the Karabakh conflict Mr. Rustamyan mentioned that the
settlement of the conflict is the issue N1 of the political agenda of
Armenia. He expressed opinion that the negotiation process cannot be
successful without the participation of Nagorno Karabakh as a side,
as the agreements signed in 1992 and in 1994 which have been working
successfully for all those years are signed by Karabakh. And if there
is a third agreement, it must be signed by Karabakh too.

FOREIGN MINISTRY ANSWERS TO AZERI LIES

A1+
07:15 pm 17 March, 2006

The Azeri Mass Media have spread false information recently about
Armenian officers. According to them, an officer of the RA Police named
Gevorg Voskanyan participating in courses about Security issues in the
Center after George Marshal in the German town Garmisch-Partenkirchner
made an attempt to rape Natalya Kostroma from Ukraine and was expelled
from the courses.

In another piece of information representative of the RA Defense
Ministry mayor Artem Hakobyan is compromised. The Azeris claim that
he has received a warning from the heads of the Center because of
insults towards Georgia.

Asked a question by “Armenpress” agency how they will comment on the
information and if they correspond to reality or not the RA Foreign
Ministry press speaker Hamlet Gasparyan answered, “Of all the things
mentioned the only thing corresponding to reality was the names of the
Armenian officers. The rest is pure lie. Gevorg Voskanyan and Artem
Hakobyan participated in the courses since September 23, 2005. At
the beginning of the courses mayor Voskanyan had health problems and
was forced to return to Armenia on October 4 with the agreement of
the Center to get medical treatment. In answer to the lies from the
Azeri side the Center too claims in a written form that “All the
accusations of the Armenian mayor Gevorg Voskanyan are groundless
and do not correspond to reality, as he was never involved in any
unpleasant incident”.

In the same written answer it is mentioned that mayor Artem Hakobyan
successfully finished the courses on December 16 of the previous year
and returned to Armenia. “The authorities of the Security issues Center
after George Marshal have not given any warnings to any representative
of the RA Defense Ministry”, the announcement says .

The fact that the Azeri side is trying again to compensate the Armenian
officers participating in international courses proves once again
that the anti-Armenian policy of Azerbaijan is pursued on the state
level. And in these conditions the brutal murder of the Armenian
officer by the Azeri “national hero” in Budapest is not by chance”.

INDIAN BUSINESSMEN VISIT ARMENIA

Panorama.am
19:39 17/03/06

>>From March 18-21 the delegation of Indian businessmen led by
Honored Consul of RA in Mumbai (India) Harshad Mehta will arrive in
Armenia. As it has been informed in FM Press Department, leaders and
representatives of enterprises in the fields of jewelry, information
technologies, cinema production, metallurgy, pharmacy, tourism,
food industry are included into the delegation.

On March 20 a round table on the theme “Armenia-India: business
opportunities” will be held in Armenian Development Agency with
the participation of the Indian delegation and representatives of
different Armenian departments and enterprises. The meeting of the
delegation with RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan is expected to
take place on March 20. On March 21 the delegation is expected to
meet RA Minister of Trade and Economic Development as well as the
Minister of Culture. /Panorama.am/

ELEMENT BAND PRESENTS ARMENIAN CD YEV O PHE

Panorama.am
18:16 17/03/06

Band incorporates sounds of Europe and the Mediterranean, while
maintaining purity of original compositions

Titled Yev O Phe, Element Band´s first Armenian CD brings a refreshing
and long-awaited sound to Armenian music by partnering distinct vocals
with colorful, warm and exotic arrangements.

While the sounds of Europe and the Mediterranean come to life through
the use of classical guitar, violin, bass, accordion, bouzouki,
mandolin, and keyboard, Yev O Phe remains free to be distinctively
Armenian.

The band takes great pains to keep the Armenian songs pure, but uses
bold arrangements and genuine sounds of instruments to introduce
exciting twists and compositions of traditional songs.

Element Band first captured the attention of audiences with their
performance at the John Anson Ford Theatre in May 2005, as the opening
act for the French gypsy band Bratsch. They later opened for the
legendary Demis Roussos at the Kodak Theater in November 2005.

Element Band members include Ara Dabandjian (arrangements, keyboards,
classical guitar, accordion, string instruments), Saro Koujakian
(songwriter, vocals and guitar), Gars Sherbetdjian (vocals), Shant
Mahserejian (violin), Jeremy Millado (bass). Yev O Phe

During the Middle Ages, as a result of greater and more enduring
contact between Armenia and the West, the 36-letter Armenian alphabet
incorporated two additional letters, o and phe, to better reproduce
the sounds of European tongues–all the while, needless to say,
remaining utterly Armenian. As a result, the modern Armenian alphabet
can almost perfectly replicate the pronunciations of various languages.
So it is with Element´s Armenian compositions that incorporate the
sounds of Europe and the Mediterranean, while remaining untethered,
simply free… to be Armenian–uniquely.

–Boundary_(ID_4JowMj+YRuGKEa g+T+AVmQ)–

14-15 DRAMS FOR NATURAL GAS DAILY

Panorama.am
15:56 17/03/06

“In the conditions of Armenia a consumer needs 14-15 drams hourly to
heat 1 cubic meter of dwelling space,” informed the head of Armenian
Fund of Restoring Energy and Energy Productiveness Tamara Babayan at
the press conference today. As she said, according to calculations
of World Bank experts even if the tariff rises for 30-50% natural
gas will become competitive power-bearing substance from the point
of view of heating.

Nevertheless, taking into consideration the social-economic situation
in the country, how much time is necessary to carry out the heating
program? In reply to this question T. Babayan said: “In case of
necessary financial support the time is not essential. Theoretically,
we can achieve that in 5-6 years.” Yet, the financial assistance
is not the only problem, as T. Babayan mentioned. The awareness and
self-discipline of the society is not less important. /Panorama.am/