Armenpress
ARMENIAN DELEGATION LEAVES FOR WASHINGTON TO SIGN
MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT
YEREVAN, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: On March 25-30
delegation headed by Minister of Finance and Economy
Vartan Khachatrian will set off for Washington for
Millennium Challenge Compact signing. Chief Economic
Advisor to the President Vahram Nercissiantz, Minister
of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian, Armenian
Ambassador to the US Tatoul Margarian and other
officials are included in the delegation.
On March 27, Minister of Finance and Economy Vartan
Khachatrian and Ambassador John Danilovich will sign
235, 65 million USD agreement. Secretary of State
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.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Normalization of Armenia-Turkey Relations Favorable for Yerevan-Baku
Relations
25.03.2006 00:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `The normalization of the Armenia-Turkey relations
will have a positive impact not only upon the economy and internal
political and ideological situation in Armenia but also upon the
Armenian-Azerbaijani relations. The more Armenians benefit from the
cooperation and good neighbor relations with Turkey the less political
forces in Armenia will build the policy of hostility towards Turkey
and Azerbaijan,’ Azeri political scientist Zardusht Alizade stated in
an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, in this case those,
who specialize in `the eternal Armenian-Turk animosity’ in Baku and
Turkey, will have to fall silent.
`Integrating Europe is a good example. But counter steps are
essential. Armenians are convinced that Turkey should acknowledge the
events of 1915 with all the consequences. Turkey for its part
considers that Armenia should stop being an instrument in the hands of
anti-Turkish forces, first of all the Russian special services and
right-wing conservative parties in Europe,’ Alizade said.
At the same time he stressed he is a cautious optimist and sets hope
upon `the reason and the sense of historical prospects of the Armenian
people.’ `Presently Armenia’s position doesn’t give ground for
optimism,’ he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
ANCA Welcomes Los Angeles Times Position on Armenian
Genocide Issue
25.03.2006 00:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Committee of America applauded
the Los Angeles Times for publishing an editorial calling on the US
Government to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. The
editorial entitled `It was genocide’ appeared in the March 22nd
edition of the Los Angeles Times and highlighted reports that the US
Ambassador to Armenia, John Marshall Evans, faced early termination of
his post due to comments he made affirming the Armenian Genocide. The
editorial explained that while the Armenian Genocide is a textbook
example of genocide, the US Government has shied away from using the
term genocide in describing the annihilation of Armenians by Ottoman
Turkey due to its current-day political relations with the Turkish
Government. The Los Angeles Times went on to praise countries that
have passed resolutions acknowledging the genocide and expressed hope
that the US Government would one day act in kind.
`We commend the LA Times for taking a principled stance on the
Armenian Genocide, which is a crime against all humanity,’ commented
Zanku Armenian, a member of the ANCA-WR Board of Directors. `The
editorial position of the LA Times joins a growing list of prominent
newspapers around the country that have taken similar positions
including the New York Times, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune and many
others. This serves as a major blow to Turkey’s genocide denial
campaign and sends a clear message that it is time for the US
Government to reaffirm the facts of the Armenian Genocide rather than
persecute those who dare speak the truth.’

PanARMENIAN.Net
Alizade: People’s Diplomacy – Pioneer Hacking Through Jungles of Hostility

25.03.2006 00:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Our nations have already derived the benefit from
the people’s diplomacy. It’s enough to remember the released hostages
and POWs,’ Azeri political scientist Zardusht Alizade stated in an
interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. `But at the current stage its
efficiency is low, since it’s opposed by the united power forces in
Armenia and Azerbaijan. People’s diplomacy is a pioneer hacking
through the jungles of hostility. Nobody knows whether the society
will follow some ideologists or the well-organized criminal community
of the strong. The self-interest of great powers has a huge influence
upon the Near East as well as in the North and South Caucasus.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Zardusht Alizade: There Is No Hope for `Imposed Peace’
25.03.2006 00:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `With extrapolation of the current situation to the
future without taking into account the possibility of a miracle, the
future of the South Caucasus seems sad,’ Azeri political scientist
Zardusht Alizade stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. `Without
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict on the basis of a
compromise our nations and states will keep on hostility,’ he
noted. In his words, no regional or continental integration will break
through the strong redoubt of national myths and corporate interests
of the ruling elite. `There is no hope for `an imposed peace’
either. Over the availability of conflicts the waters in the South
Caucasus are troubled and economic and geopolitical fish is easily
caught here,’ Alizade added.

A1+
HAYRIKYAN NEGOTIATES WITH THE PRIME MINISTER
04:10 pm 24 March, 2006
Today the leader of the Union for National Self-Determination Paruyr
Hayrikyan started the process of negotiation with the leader of the RA
republican party, Prime-Minister Andranik Margaryan, a person whom
Paruyr Hayrikyan himself called and `agent’ and accused of various
actions.
Is it possible after all this to find edges of negotiations and will
Andranik Margaryan agree to negotiate? Being in the stage of
negotiations, Paruyr Hayrikyan today allayed his estimations
concerning Andranik Margaryan and said, `Andranik Margaryan has been
one of the important persons of the National United Party. After some
time some people left the party, among those people was Andranik
Margaryan who was under pressure’.
Paruyr Hayrikyan wants the 40th anniversary of the National United
Party to be celebrated on the government level. `Is there a single
party in Armenia which puts a goal before himself and his people and
reaches it? The only one was National United Party the aim of which
was independence and he reached it. And now whose anniversary should
be celebrated if no of that of National United Party’,-says Paruyr
Hayrikyan, who founded the Union for National Self-Determination on
the bases of the National United Party.
He also noted that there is a considerable difference between the
independence of the countries of the former Soviet Union: `Uzbeks
became independent because Armenia was in a struggle. We didn’t win
our independence the way they did’. According to Paruyr Hayrikyan,
this year is also the 15th anniversary of the self-determination of
the Armenian nation – the 1991 September referendum of
independence. And we cannot celebrate it without remembering the
anniversary of the NUP.
Paruyr Hayrikyan expects Andranik Margaryan to start the anniversary
events of the NUP anniversary on April 24 which is the day of
foundation of the party. He expects that programs about the history of
the party, conferences and congresses will take place within the
framework of the events. The most important thing for UNSD is to move
the ashes of the founder of the NUP Haikaz Khachatryan to the pantheon
and to declare him as a national hero. `He was a person who for a long
period of time was the inspiration for the independence’, Paruyr
Hayrikyan says.
By the way, it is not clear yet if Andranik Margaryan is going to
negotiate with Paruyr Hayrikyan.

A1+
ARMENIAN PRISONER OF WAR REPATRIATED UNDER ICRC AUSPICES
04:20 pm 24 March, 2006
Geneva (ICRC) – On 24 March an Armenian prisoner of war detained in
Azerbaijan was repatriated under the auspices of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The operation took place on the
road between the Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of
Ijevan.
The ICRC, participating as a neutral intermediary and in accordance
with its mandate, facilitated the repatriation of the released
prisoner at the request of the Azerbaijani and the Armenian
authorities.
ICRC delegates visited the prisoner of war before the operation to
ensure he was returning home of his own free will.
Since the start of its activities in connection with the Nagorny
Karabakh conflict in 1992, the ICRC has helped repatriate or transfer
656 people, and the organization will support any similar operation in
the future should the need arise.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GOVERNMENT APPROVES PROGRAM OF MAIN EVENTS DEDICATED TO 15TH
ANNIVERSARY OF RA INDEPENDENCE

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Government approved the program
of main events dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the independence
of the Republic of Armenia on March 23. As Noyan Tapan was informed by
the RA Government’s Information and Public Relations Department, Vigen
Sargsian, the RA President’s Advisor made a statement concerning the
program at the sitting. The program that includes about 8 dozens of
events of festive-ceremonial, sceintific-educational, cultural, sports
and other character will be implemented in the capital of the
republic, marzes and communities starting from April till the end of
the year. In the RA and Nagorno Karabakh all-Armenian events as well
will take place, including the “One Nation, One Culture” second
festival, the forth all-Armenian-youth and second educational
conferences, the “Golden Apricot” (Voske Tsiran) third international
film festival. During the week of the 15th anniversary of the
Independence, from September 17 to 24, the Armenia-Diaspora third
conference, the second all-Armenian economic forum, different
conferences will be held, poster and photo exhibitions dedicated to
the independence anniversary, show of films shot during the 15 years
of independence will be organized. The start of the jubilee week will
be marked with the Surb Liturgy celebrated in Etchmiadzin and all the
Armenian churches of the world.
The main ceremonies of the program will take place on September 21.
On the Independence Day, events will start with a visit to Yerablur,
then a military parad will be held on the Republic square, people’s
celebrations will take place in the capital and in marzes, a great
festive concert will be organized in the republican sports ground
after V.Sargsian. Illumination will take place in Yerevan, Gyumri and
Vanadzor in the evening. It is instructed to present the programs of
events in marzes to be included in the program of main events to the
RA Prime Minister till April 20, 2006. A number of instructions were
given to heads of corresponding state bodies and organizations as
well.

SOGHOMONIAN REFUTES REPORT ABOUT ALLEGED COMPENSATION OF INCREASE IN GAS
PRICE BY PROVIDING ARMS AT DISCOUNT

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The Russian newspaper “Kommersant”
reported in the March 24 issue that Russia allegedly agreed to
compensate Armenia for an increase in the gas price by selling arms to
Armenia at a discount. It is envisaged that starting April 1, the
price of the gas that Russia supplies to Armenia will increase from
the current 54 dollars to 110 dollars for 1,000 cubic
meters. According to the newspaper, this year Russia intends to sell
arms to Armenia at much lower prices, in some cases – almost
gratis. By the newspaper’s estimates, it will allow the RA state
budget to save 23-50 mln USD this year, thanks to which the government
will be able to compenaste for the gas price increase. The press
secretary of the Armenian President Victor Soghomonian refuted the
information of “Kommersant”. “I must say that I read today’s
information of the Russian newspaper “Kommersant” with surprise,” Mr.
Soghmonian said to NT correspondent. “I cannot judge why the
information authors made such imaginary statements and then came to
such a far-fetched conclusion. Nevertheless, I consider it necessary
to say that the part of today’s information of “Kommersant” which says
that Armenia will buy ammunition at low prices from Russia as a
compensation for the increase in the Russian gas price has no relation
to reality,” the press secretary of the Armenian President noted.

A1+
33 LIBRARIES WERE CLOSED DOWN IN THE PAST 16 YEARS
05:07 pm 24 March, 2006
`Our society yearns to read good books and normal library
conditions. It needs libraries which can satisfy today’s needs. There
is still much to do in the sphere of libraries’, director of the
National Library and head of the Armenian Libraries’ Association David
Sargsyan said during the press conference.
The Association is going to organize a library week in order to invite
the attention of the society to libraries and books. On April 3-10 in
all the regions of Armenia, in Nagorno Karabakh, as well as in the
Armenian libraries of Javakhq, Ispahan and Hamshen events will take
place in the libraries. These events will include book reading,
exhibitions, and competitions of compositions with the themes `My
Library’ and `What is Reading?’
This is the fifth time the Association has ever organized a library
week. According to David Sargsyan, the idea was born during the
discussion of the library associations of USA and South Caucasian
countries.
Head of the library after Avetiq Isahakyan Hasmik Karapetyan states
that the libraries have serious problems. Every year many libraries
are closed, and those which exist are not in good conditions. During
the last 16 years 33 libraries have been closed down in Armenia. At
present, there are about 1000 libraries in the Republic.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress