A1+
WILL USA RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NKR?
04:44 pm 24 March, 2006
`There are three sides which affect the regulation of the Karabakh
conflict – USA, Russia and EU. The quick settlement of ethnic
conflicts in Southern Caucasus is not very profitable for USA as
because of them USA remains in the region, and thus Washington reaches
its different aims’, politician Igor Mouradyan said during the
conference `Models of Stability of Black Sea – Caucasian Region’ in
Sochi.
According to him, USA has adopted a policy of recognizing the
independence of NKR. Contrary to that, EU is against the creation of
new Republics in Southern Caucasus, and Russia `has no other option as
to protect the European point of view’.
According to Regnum, Azeri delegates were also invited to Sochi but on
learning that representatives of NKR will participate in the
conference, they refused to come.

CHAIRMAN OF UNION OF PAINTERS RULES OUT CONSTRUCTION OF ANOTHER
BUILDING ON UNION EXHIBITION HALLS

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The two large exhibition halls of the
Union of Painters will be reconstructed by a new design, and no
building will be constructed on these halls, since it may endanger the
existence of this cultural center in the future. Chairman of the union
Karen Aghamian stated this at the March 23 press conference. In his
words, the studies on the building’s condition have revealed that it
is not seismic resistant, so construction of a multistoried building
on it is ruled out. Moreover, it is dangerous to use the first floor
of the exhibition in its current condition – the main pillars contain
no concrete, and only the reinforcement remains. K. Aghamian
underlined that the union’s building, which was constructed in the
1940s and has not been repaired since that time, is need of major
repairs. “Of course, it would be more logical if this work would be
done by the Lincy Foundation, but repairs of the city street curbs was
considered more important,” the union chairman noted. In such
conditions the union had to find a sponsor to assist with repairs of
the exhibition halls. Last year the Rengema construction organization
assumed the implementation of this work on mutually beneficial
terms. K. Aghamian noted that after repairs the Union of Painters
will have an area of 1,000 square meters instead of the two exhibition
halls covering an area of 720 square meters. The first exhibition hall
4.80 meters high will have all the necessary lighting and technical
facilities in line with international standards, while the second hall
3,60 meters high is envisaged for graphic works. According to him,
the construction organization will be given the 3 floors being
constructed above the exhibition halls to use this area as
offices. The height of these three floors and two halls will not
exceed the former height of the building: by the new design, the
foundation was dug several meters deeper, so the former height of the
exhibition halls was reduced – to make them more comfortable. Karen
Aghamian assured that all contracts have been signed with the Rengema
construction organization, with the Union of Painters being considered
the building’s owner. According to him, neither he nor the union
board members would agree to other versions of the building’s repairs,
if they had even slightest doubts.

A1+
THE REPORT DOES NOT REFLECT THE ESSENCE OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
07:25 pm 24 March, 2006
`The report of the international crisis group which was made public on
March20 of the current year is a serious analytical work and contains
credentials to the CE to be actively involved in the procedures in
Southern Caucasus’, the head of the political administration of the
Foreign Ministry of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Irina Beglaryan
announced commenting on the report of the International Crisis Group
titled `Settlement of Conflicts in Southern Caucasus: The Role of the
EU’.
`We agree with the international community not to allow wars in the
European neighborhood. In this context we greet any consistent steps
which will be directed towards the establishment of peace and
stability in Southern Caucasus, and in particular the peaceful
settlement of the Karabakh conflict which aroused as a result of the
armed aggression of the Republic of Azerbaijan against the Republic of
Karabakh.
Nevertheless, we think that the mechanisms of reaching the aims
represented in the report of the ICG are not realistic as they do not
reflect the real essence of the Karabakh conflict and is based on
substitution of key concepts. Enhancing of democracy and respect of
human rights are the preconditions for the peaceful settlement of the
conflict, and we hope that in the policy adopted in Southern Caucasus
EU will be guided by the principles universal for Europe.
The positive side of the report is that the necessity of involving the
non-recognized countries of Southern Caucasus into the process of
integration into the EU is mentioned. The document also offers to make
the EU special envoy to Southern Caucasus participant of the
negotiations within the framework of the OSCE Minks group.
And still, we express our bewilderment at the attempts of the authors
of the report of accusation of the privatization of the Minsk group
peaceful procedure. The activity of the Minsk group is not the whim
of separate diplomats and countries: it is work under the OSCE
mandate.
During 14 years the Minsk group has managed to process experience of
peace-keeping activity. And I would like to underline that neither the
present format nor the possible participation of the European
mediators can compensate the absence of the immediate participant of
the conflict – Nagorno Karabakh in the negotiations’, the announcement
says.

Panorama.am
17:53 24/03/06

NOT THE RESULT BUT THE CONTENT IS IMPORTANT
On the basis of the application of Human Rights’ Defender the lawsuit
in the Constitutional Court gave place to different comments and talks
which have found their place in the press. In concern with this the
head of `Iravunk ev miabanutyun’ (Law and Unity) Parouyr Hayrikyan
gave his comments to Panorama.am correspondent today: `I am not in the
habit of seeking for intrigues.
Those intrigues are temporary and have ulterior motives. Usually they
pass very soon. I know that due to Constitutional referendum we have
an Institution of Human Rights’ Defender as well an additional
opportunity to involve the Constitutional Court in a case by means of
the Defender. This fact gladdens me and I’m not interested in anything
else. `And what outcome will the lawsuit in the Constitutional Court
have P. Hayrikyan had difficulty to say: `I cannot make any
predictions but the trial itself is already a great achievement and
progress in our life.’/Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
17:53 24/03/06

POLICEMEN DEFEND, SMI INSPECTORS DEFY
Do the policemen defend or defy the rights of the citizens? It turned
out that they defend, but how much? `So much as you see. I associate
with the representatives of state bodies and citizens more often and
their main complaints refer to the work of state motor vehicle
inspectorate,’ said first deputy of the head of the Police Ararat
Mahtesyan in reply to Panorama.am question.
But the latter hopes that soon the reins of the inspectors will be
restrained as the President has signed a decree according to which a
working group has been founded. `The working group has prepared a long
document according to which great work has to be carried out in the
legislative, financial and many other fields. After these works we
shall have a State Motor-vehicle Inspectorate of new, higher quality
and the contacts between an inspector and a citizen will be rather
rare as a result of which they will be more objective,’ A. Mahtesyan
said.
And it is hard to say when the expectations of the deputy of the head
of the Police will come true. And before that drivers who have done no
violations will be stopped by Motor vehicle inspectors and the former
will have to pay 500 drams for the Inspector to let them drive
on./Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
15:29 24/03/06

SHAHGELDYAN SUGGESTS AN INCOMPLETE PRESCRIBTION
`Today it is too early to make any calculationas as the gas price is
not finally fixed yet,’ mentioned NA Deputy, RLC member Mher
Shahgeldyan touching upon the announcement of Central Bank manager
Togran Sargsyan made yesterday.
To remind, according to the head of the Central Bank if the gas price
remains 90 drams for 1 cubic meter until the end of the year it can
have an influence of 1% inflation on the consumer’s basket of the
population. As the deputy mentioned he hopes the results are not going
to be too bad even after the inflation.
`We need to have mechanisms which will liquidate and or at least make
those influences minimal,’ M. Shahgeldyan suggested yet without
mentioning any particular mechanism and who has to form these
mechanisms. /Panorama.am/

Glendale News Press, CA
March 24 2006
Schiff names Women of the Year
Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat who represents Burbank and Glendale,
named Tuesday his women of the year from the cities in the 29th
District in honor of Women’s History Month.
They are: Beth Marcus of Burbank, Seta Simonian of Glendale; Angie
O’Brien of Pasadena; Betty Wang of South Pasadena; Helen Hancock of
Alhambra; Nancy Donohue of Temple City; Pat Maguire Freeman of San
Gabriel; Sandra Thomas of Altadena and Sharon Martinez of Monterey
Park.
Marcus is a family physician who practices in La Cañada Flintridge,
where she has practiced for more than 10 years on the medical staffs
of Verdugo Hills Hospital and Glendale Adventist Medical Center.
After completing her family medicine residency, she went on to
complete a fellowship in adolescent medicine, where she worked with
adolescents struggling with poverty, family estrangement, drug abuse,
homelessness, and other issues.
As Burbank Temple Emanu El’s social action chair, Marcus has
coordinated numerous efforts to help others in the Burbank, Glendale,
North Hollywood area. She has arranged blood drives, collected shoes
and clothing for impoverished children, gathered donations for
tsunami victims and hurricane victims, filled backpacks with school
supplies, assembled items for homeless women, and made sandwiches for
the hungry.
She also volunteers her time to help the PTA at Emerson Elementary
School in Burbank, and is planning to implement a nutrition program
at the school called Food is Elementary.
Simonian, a math teacher at Wilson Middle School in Glendale, was
born in Aleppo, Syria, and at age 11 moved to Beirut, Lebanon.
Upon graduating from the American University of Beirut at the age of
22, she married Hratch Simonian.
The Simonians lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for eight years, then
moved to California in 1985. Since 1987, Seta, her husband, and their
two children, Karin and Sebouh, have resided in Glendale.
Simonian co-founded and chaired the Hamazkayin Educational and
Cultural Society of Pasadena.

Panorama.am
13:47 24/03/06

DALLAKYAN OFFENDED FOR BEING OMITTED FROM THE LIST OF TOP SEXY
`I think from now on journalists will be more practical and will
appreciate the real sexiest man,’ `Justice’ grouping secretary
informed the correspondents today.
To remind, on the eve women-correspondents had carried out public
opinion poll among them to find out the sexiest men-politician. As a
result of the poll R. Kocharyan, V. Siradeghyan, Aram Z. Sargsyan,
`Hayrusgazard’ manager Karen Karapetyan, David Shakhnazaryan and Vahan
Hovhannisyan were recognized sexiest men. And Victor Dallakyan got,
in fact, offended that women-correspondents had omitted him, and he
was left out of the list of the sexiest men-politicians./Panorama.am/

March 24 is the international day for fight against tuberculosis

ArmRadio
24.03.2006 14:48
March 24 is the international day for fight against tuberculosis (TB).
Despite the efforts directed at control and prevention of the disease,
the desirable results have not been achieved. The rate of tuberculosis
continues to remain high all over the world. 9 million TB cases are
registered annually, 2 million of which die. The mortality rate from
TB has also increased. According to the coordinator of the national
program to fight TB Vahan Petrosyan, the implementation of the DOTS
strategy by the World Health Organization has raised the effectiveness
of the fight against the disease.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of South Caucasus to be held in Berlin

ArmRadio
24.03.2006 13:50
The sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of South Caucasus, which was
previously scheduled late March, will be held in April in Berlin,
member of the initiating group from the Azerbaijani side, Deputy Zahid
Oruj said, noting that issues of integration of South Caucasus
countries in different spheres will be discussed during the
sitting. He noted also that discussions will center also on the topic
of `The precondition of peace and a view into future.’
The sittings are being held at the initiative of the British `Links’
organization.