RA DRAM CONTINUES TO APPRECIATE
Noyan Tapan
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. A 4.3% growth in consumer prices
was registered in 2006 June compared with 2005 December and RA dram
appreciated by 6.4% against USD. According to the data of RA National
Statistical Service, a similar tendency was registered in the same
period of the previous year: a 1.4% growth in prices for consumer
goods was accompanied by a 7.7% appreciation of RA dram against USD.
A 1.2% fall in prices was registered on the country’s consumer market
and a 4.4% appreciation of RA dram against USD was registered in
2006 June compared with May. In 2006 June the average exchange rate
of RA dram against USD made 420.47 drams, which is higher by 6.3%
than the respective index of June of previous year (448.95 drams).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRICES FOR FOOD FALL BY 2.4% IN JUNE IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. A 2.4% price fall was registered on the
Armenian foodstuffs market in 2006 June compared with May. A 19.5-0.1%
price fall was registered in 4 out of the 13 food commodity groups
observed, a 0.1-1.% price growth in 5 groups, and in 4 food commodity
groups prices remained unchanged compared with the previous month.
According to the RA National Statistical Service, a 19.5% price fall
was registered in the fish commodity group in 2006 June compared with
May, which is mainly conditioned by a 23.7% fall in the price for
fresh white fish. A 14% price fall was registered in the potato and
vegetables commodity group in 2006 June compared with May, which was
mainly conditioned by price fall of grean beans (66.3%), green pepper
(56.5%), cucumber (52.2%), tomato (46.1%). In the above mentioned
period price fall for cabbage, egg-plant, onion (5.5-2.1%) and price
growth for garlic, potato, carrot, beet (0.4-37.1%) was registered.
A 2.9% price fall was registered in the fruit commodity group in
Armenia in 2006 June compared with May. Fall in price for strawberry
(57%), cherry (33.1%), apricot (9.1%), as well as among melons and
gourds for watermelon (18.5%) was registered. At the same time,
prices for plum, peach, apple, pear grew by 71.6-3.2%.
Prices for butter and oil decreased by 0.1% in 2006 June compared
with May and in the commodity group of bread products, dairy products,
confectionery, other food, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes the prices
remained unchanged as compared with the previous month.
A 1.1% growth in price for eggs was registered in 2006 June as compared
with May.
A 0.2% price growth was registered in the meat commodity group in
2006 June compared with May, which was mainly due to a 0.3% increase
in the price for mutton, 1.6% increase in the price for beef, 6.4%
increase in the price for poultry. The prices for beef and pork in
the indicated period fell by 0.4% and 3.1%, respectively.
In the commodity group of granulated sugar, coffee, tea, cocoa a 0.1%
price growth was registered in 2006 June as compared with May.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER DENOUNCES AZERBAIJAN’S ACCUSATIONS OF NK’s COMMITTING FOREST ARSONS AS LIBELOUS STATEMENT
Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 3 2006
YEREVAN, July 3. /ARKA/. On Friday, Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Tigran Torosyan, speaking at PACE summer session on forest fires
and their damage to environment, condemned Azerbaijan for accusing
Nagorno Karabakh of committing arsons in forests.
The think is that a week ago Azerbaijani side made a fuss over
bush fires saying Armenians are deliberately firing forests along
Karabakh-Azerbaijan border.
Torosyan reminded that three year ago Nagorno-Karabakhi leadership
voiced alarm at the fact of bush fires and, using OSCE Minsk Group’s
mediation, offered Azerbaijani authorities to work out joint measures
to prevent them, but Azerbaijan ignored this offer.
In his words, while Azerbaijani leadership kept venting anger at
Nagorno-Karabakh, the latter asked OSCE to send its representatives
to see the situation on site. “They have found nothing confirming
Azerbaijani side’s allegation”, Torosyan said in his speech.
Torosyan expressed regret at Azerbaijani side’s bent for resorting
to dishonest means in discussing any problem. In his words, even CE
documents are being forged for that purpose.
Hermine Naghdalyan, another member of Armenian delegation in PACE, said
that the fires, first of all, inflicted damage to Karabakhi people,
who can’t fire own crop. She pointed out “Azerbaijani descent of the
photos presented by Azerbaijani delegation.
This is nothing more than a political blackmail aimed at shifting
international community’s attention from facts of Armenian monuments
destruction in Azerbaijan to other things.

FRENCH WAIT FOR HOLDING OF YEAR OF ARMENIA WITH GREAT INSPIRATION, FRANCE CULTURE ORGANIZATION CHAIRMAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to the program of events
of Year of Armenia in France were discussed at the July 3 meeting
of RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian with Chairman of the France
Culture organization Olivier Poivre d’Arvor.
The Chairman of the France Culture organization, touching upon the
great experience of France in the issue of dialogue of cultures, said
that the French are waiting for the holding of Year of Armenia with
inspiration, and this is an excellent occasion for getting to know
the Armenian culture closer and for rapprochement of the cultures of
the two peoples.
According to RA Foreign Ministry Press Service, the sides emphasized
that rather a serious organization work is being done at present
for Armenia to be able to properly present its cultural wealth with
its history, traditions and modern characteristics and expressed the
hope that the event will promote strengthening of economic contacts
between the countries and tourism development.
The joint press conference of V.Oskanian and O.Poivre d’Arvor took
place after the meeting.

DELEGATION OF RA CIVIL AVIATION TO LEAVE FOR TOULOUSE
ArmRadio.am
03.07.2006 10:32
Representatives of the Chief Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia
will leave today for Toulouse, where modeling of the flight of the
A-320 is to be held. The modeling will be carried out via combination
of the parameter and conversation records of the black boxes.
Only after the completion of these works the International aviation
Committee will draw its final conclusion about the reasons of the
crash.

ARMENIAN WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA CALLS UPON ARCHBISHOP MESROP MUTAFIAN TO RESIGN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 3 2006
LOS ANGELES, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 1, the
Armenian Writers Association of California (AWAOC) spread a report, in
which it calls upon Archbishop Mesrop Mutafian to resign. “Archbishop
Mesrop Mutafian is a denier of the Armenian Genocide,” the Armenian
Writers Association of California declared quotting the Patriarch’s
statement to the Turkish media.
To recap, according to the “Hurriyet,” the Archbishop of
Constantinopole, in particular, said that his opinion concerning
the Armenian Genocide differs from one of Karekin II Catholicos
of All Armenians, according to which the Armenian Genocide is an
undeniable fact for the Armenian people and cannot be subject for
discussion. According to the Turkish newspaper, when journalists asked
the Constantinople Armenian Patriarch what he thinks of the statement
of the Catholicos of All Armenians, Mesrop Patriarch answered:
“The Turk-Armenian relations did not involve only the years of
1890-1923.
The statement of His Holiness was expected for us. (…) All Diasporan
Armenians were watching that press-conference, so the Catholicos
spoke, taking into acount approaches of Diaspora. I have said earlier
as well. It will be good that the issue of 1915 is discussed by
politicians, diplomates, historians and sociologists, it will help
that the sides understand approaches of the opposite side.”
From: Baghdasarian

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: APPLICATION OF SELF-DETERMINATION RIGHT BECOMES MORE AND MORE ACCEPTABLE FOR PACE DEPUTIES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 3, NKR
National Assembly Speaker Ashot Gulian met with RA National Assembly
Speaker Tigran Torosian. Ashot Ghulian told him about his meetings
with officials, deputies and representatives of analytical centers
during his visit to the U.S. He said that these meetings were mutually
efficient and useful.
Tigran Torosian informed NKR NA Speaker about the discussions of
PACE summer session in Strasbourg touching upon the discussions on
prevention of forest fires the Azerbaijani delegation was trying to
turn into one more speculation, the first foreign sitting of PACE
Sub-committee on Nagorno Karabakh to be held in NKR, as well as
the forthcoming visit of Leo Platvoet, Reporter on Missing People
in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan of PACE Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Ethnography, to Nagorno Karabakh. It was mentioned that
though during the discussion of the report on the results of the
independence referendum in Montenegro those speaking tried not to make
comparisons with other countries, it was obvious that the application
of the right of self-determination becomes more and more acceptable
for PACE deputies. Torosian also said that during the discussion
of the report on countries not having ratified the convention on
death penalty liquidation it was registered that death penalty was
liquidated in Nagorno Karabakh, unlike other conflict zones.
According to RA NA Public Relations Department, at the meeting they
also touched upon the work of the RA-NKR Interparliamentary Commission:
the Commission’s regular sitting will take place in autumn in Yerevan.

VARTAN OSKANIAN CONSIDERS THAT FRAME AGREEMENT PROPOSED BY MG CO-CHAIRS IS ACCEPTABLE FOR ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The frame agreement
on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict (proposed by OSCE
Minsk Group Co-chairs: NT) is acceptable for Armenia and we are ready
to continue the negotiations being guided by the principles, which,
in our opinion, are rather balanced,” RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian declared at the July 3 press conference.
As he evaluated, “apparently, a right choice for mutual concessions”
was made in the proposed document. “So, we hope Azerbaijan will revalue
the situation and a possibility for continuing the negotiations and
achieving positive results will be created,” the Minister declared.
Vartan Oskanian refuted the conversations that OSCE Minsk Group
American Co-chair Matthew Bryza drew a parallel between Armenia
and Azerbaijan in the issue of holding democratic reforms, at that,
the comparison proved to be not in favor of Armenia. “Matthew Bryza
in his interview declared that some improvement was registered in
Azerbaijan and he would like some improvement to be registered in
Armenia, too. But he did not drew a parallel. Today the difference
in democracy in Armenia and Azerbaijan is so much obviously in favor
of Armenia hat Bryza cannot have said this,” the Minister assured.
As for cases of violence towards Armenians in Russia and the position
of the Armenian government in this issue, Vartan Oskanian said that
the Armenian side continues discussing this problem with Russia. The
Minister emphasized that the Russian side is also very much anxious
about this. At the same time, according to him, this phenomenon is
going on. “Serious steps are necessary, as unless this phenomenon
stops, it will already become dangerous for the Russian public,”
Vartan Oskanian declared.

PARIS AND FRANCE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO DAYS OF ARMENIA, ADVISER TO FRENCH PRESIDENT SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The organization works
on holding Year of Armenia in France are coming to an end and the
program of events will be officially presented on September 12. Laurent
Bili, Diplomatic Adviser to the French President, declared this at
the joint press conference with RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
held on July 3 in Yerevan.
According to him, a possibility for presenting the Armenian culture,
traditions and history was created within the framework of the
planned events.
“Paris and France are looking forward to the Days of Armenia, as this
is not a foreign country for us. I think this year will open the whole
richness of the Armenian culture and will contribute to the growth
of the number of French tourists to Armenia,” Laurent Bili declared.
He informed that the French side will provide about 1.5-2 mln euros
for holding Year of Armenia in France, including the funds received
from different organizations and museums.
In his turn, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian informed that the
program of holding Year of Armenia in France is very eventful. He
expressed hope for further successful development of Armenian-French
contacts.

NKR OFFICIAL DELEGATION ARRIVED IN WASHINGTON
MFA PRESS SERVICE.
03-07-2006
On June 26 NKR Speaker Ashot Ghulian and the minister of foreign
affairs of NKR Georgy Petrossian arrived in Washington for an official
visit. On the same day the NKR high-ranking officials met with the
Armenian Ambassador to the United States Tatul Margaryan and discussed
questions of mutual interest.
Afterwards the NKR delegation met with Mathew Bryza, the US co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group at the NKR Permanent Representation to the
United States and discussed the present stage of the Karabakh conflict
and regional developments.
Speaker Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian
presented the NKR stance on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict,
underlining the importance of the legal aspect of the problem. The
participants of the meeting arranged to continue consultations,
including in Stepanakert. On June 27 the NKR delegation met with
the representatives of the Washington Office of Hay Dat and the
Armenian Assembly of America. During these meetings they discussed
cooperation between the NKR government and these organization, as
well as the present situation in the region and the Homeland-Diaspora
relations. Afterwards the Artsakh officials met with Craig Kennedy,
president of the German Marshall Fund, and discussed the current
stage of settlement of the Karabakh conflict and the home and foreign
policies of NKR. In the afternoon the NKR delegation met with senators
Lincoln Chaffy and Jack Reed. During this meeting the NKR officials
presented the social and economic state of NKR, democratic achievements
and the recent development in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. The delegation emphasized the importance of the US assistance
to NKR and called for continuing and expanding this assistance. In
the morning of June 28 NKR Speaker Ashot Ghulian and Foreign minister
Georgy Petrossian addressed an event at the US Institute of Peace,
devoted to the preconditions of peace settlement of the Karabakh
conflict. Diplomats, heads of strategic centres and organizations,
as well as members of the Armenian community were present. The
Artsakh officials presented the official stance of NKR on the peace
settlement of the conflict over Karabakh, touched upon the history
and the current stage of peace settlement. The speaker of NKR dwelled
on the legal and historical aspects of declaration and establishment
of NKR, emphasizing their compliance with the international law and
experience. With regard to the current developments in the region,
he mentioned that NKR perceives the vital interests of the United
States and other countries in the South Caucasus. At the same time, NKR
expects these countries to perceive its interests as well. The foreign
minister of NKR underlined that the current format of the talks does
not reflect the conflict fully because the Azerbaijani side refuses
to negotiate with NKR. Similarly, since 1988 Azerbaijan has distorted
the possibility of a legal settlement of the conflict into a lasting
ethnic and political conflict. In the end the NKR delegation answered
the questions of the participants of the meeting. Later the Armenian
delegation met with Congresswoman Nita Lowey. During the meeting
the NKR delegation presented the social and economic state in NKR,
democracy in Artsakh and the recent developments in the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict. In the afternoon there was a reception
for the NKR delegation at the Capitol. Armenian Ambassador to the
United States Tatul Margarian, NKR Permanent Representative to the US
Vardan Barseghian, the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian
National Committee of America were present. US House Representatives
Franck Pallone, Joe Knollenberg, Edward Royce, Caroline Maloney,
Adam Schiff, Brad Sherman addressed the guests and greeted the
speaker and the minister of foreign affairs of NKR. Condemning the
anti-Armenian aggressive policy of Azerbaijan, the representatives of
the U.S. House affirmed their commitment to assist in the establishment
and development of NKR. In their speeches the NKR officials thanked the
US congress and the American people for establishment of freedom and
democracy, as well as the humanitarian aid from the United States to
NKR. “Artsakh chose the path of freedom and democracy consciously and
nothing will make it deviate from this path,” concluded the speaker
of the NKR National Assembly. After the reception the NKR delegation
met with the co-chairs of the Armenian task force of the U.S. House,
Rep. Franck Pallone and Rep. Joe Knollenberg. During this meeting
they discussed economic and democratic reforms in NKR, US assistance
to NKR and the settlement of the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress