A-320 MYSTERY IS IN BLACK BOXES
Yerevan, May 12. ArmInfo. Interview with the director general of the
Armavia company Norayr Belluyan.
Q: The media are appearing with various versions of the A-320
crash. Not only specialists but even politicians are speaking about
it. What is Armavia’s version?
A: Until we have black boxes, we better refrain from giving versions?
Who are we trying to deceive? Our own selves, people, the world
aviation community? The media’s versions can be just versions but
some of them are beginning to make conclusions based on their own
interpretations. This is not right. I can understand when versions are
given by aviators, but when they come from people who know nothing
about aviation, this is more than strange. All this is causing
confusion and is spawning myriads of fantastic rumors. The key problem
now is that we can’t say anything specific as the search is not over
yet. But I very much hope that the black boxes will be found and we
will learn why the plane fell into the sea, But unfortunately, the
boxes are still in the sea.
So, there is no sense in guessing. My position of principle is that
only specialists have the right to speak about the causes of the
crash. What I can say today and for sure is that the experts have
ruled out the version of terrorist act onboard. As regards, the
version that there was little fuel – an experienced pilot must be a
kamikaze to fly without fuel. As you know, the public prosecutor’s
office has ruled out this version too. That’s why I urge everybody to
refrain from own conclusions, though I well understand that people
can’t help rumoring about such an accident. But one must not look for
sensations in human tragedy and broken lives.
Q: What do you think about the fact that the talk of the crew with the
Georgian air controllers was made public the very next day of the
crash, while the records of the Sochi air control agency over two
weeks later? It is exactly because of this fact that people are asking
questions.
A: In fact, on the very first day of the tragedy they in the Sochi
airport told us that the air controller forbade the plane to land
because of bad weather and told the crew to make the second turn. But
an air controller can’t order a pilot if he should land or
not. According to IKAO rules, he should inform and recommend – no
more, and it is for the crew itself to decide to land or not to
land. Now Russia and Armenia have set up a special commission to give
answers to all questions and to make them known to the public. I am
more than convinced that nobody will allow anybody to conceal any
information and to soft-pedal the issue. Yes, the air controller did
not let our pilot to land – this is sure. But we can’t yet say that
otherwise everything would be OK. The air controller must have had
reasons for recommending “not to land.”
Q: What do you think about the charge that the plane could have some
technical problems because it was not checked up in Brussels?
A: The plane was checked up in Budapest and not in Brussels. Each
plane has its flight limit after which it must be checked up. Today
the international rules are so tough and so strictly observed that no
plane can take off without check up. For example, if a plane has 5
hours left it uses them to fly to Brussels or Budapest or any other
town where our technical partner, Sabena Technics, will send it
to. The technical problems must have arisen in the air, otherwise we
would know that as we are informed of any even very small problems
onboard.
Q: First, you said that the amount of the insurance compensation will
be $20,000, then, that this sum is approximate.
A: A representative of the London insurance company visited Yerevan a
few days ago. He carried out very serious thorough work, Insurance is
a very delicate business and it is hard to say now how much will be
given as compensation – $20,000, 22,000 or 25,000. Why we first said
$20,000? Because approximately as much is given in such cases, but the
specific amount is not known yet.
This depends first of all on the results of the investigation. But
certainly the compensation will be paid. Let’s say that until the
cause of the crash is known the insurance company will not be able to
specify the amount.
Q: What can you say about the incident in Belgium when two Armenian
airbuses burnt down in a fire. Do you think it was a tragic
coincidence?
A: The point is that until now the scene is still cordoned off and
even Sabena Technics representatives are no let in. Some explosions
are still taking place there. The place is very toxic and nobody is
let in. We are still unaware what actually happened there and what
caused the fire. We know as much as you do – from newspapers and TV. I
don’t think it was some act of sabotage against the Armenian
aviation. Those who are investigating the case will say sooner or
later what happened.
Q: Has the loss of two planes affected the schedule of you company’s
flights in any way?
A: Yes, it has – because to lose two planes is a big blow. We are
delaying flights but Atlant Union (Russia) will let us Il-86 or Tu-154
and we will have delays only in exceptional cases. Most likely next
week we will already have the second A-319. As you remember we earlier
mentioned about our plans to lease fresh airbus. We did not hurry but
now we need it urgently. So very soon Armavia’s fleet will consists of
A-320, two A-319s and two Yak-42s. We are also negotiating leasing a
CRG, an American plane for 70-75 passengers. It will fly only to
middle distances – Rostov, Min Vody, Sochi. So, we have enough planes
for meeting our schedule.
Q: These are short-term plans, and what about mid- and long-term ones,
are they still in force?
A: Absolutely all. We are planning to open a flight to Milan. The
flight we have long been talking about – Yerevan-New York-Los Angeles
is also in the offing. For this purpose we are going to rent a new
A-330 or Boeing-767. We are also planning a flight to China via
Central Asia. I don’t want to give specific dates, but we are actively
working on theses projects and are not going to give up any of them.
Q: What was the reaction of the world aviation community to the Sochi
tragedy? What attitude did you, as director of Armavia, felt towards
your company?
A: You know, I could hardly imagine that the tragedy will receive such
strong compassion from the world aviation community. it was a natural
human reaction, but many companies offered specific assistance in a
whole number of questions and I am very grateful to them.

OSCE Secretary General visits rocket fuel disposal site in Armenia

ArmRadio.am
13.05.2006 11:55
OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, who is on a two-day
visit to Armenia, applauded the imminent start of the recycling of 872
tons of mélange rocket fuel.
“The mélange project in Armenia is an outstanding example of what
practical co-operation between the OSCE and a participating State can
achieve and could well serve as a model throughout the OSCE region,”
he said during a visit to the disposal site in Kaltakhchi, a village
in Armenia’s northern Lori province.
`Thanks to the OSCE’s support, we were able to start this initiative
that will improve environmental safety and thereby the security of
Armenia’s population,’ added the Armenian Defence Minister, Serge
Sargsyan.

Turkey anxious about the bill on Armenian Genocide to be discussed in the
French Parliament

ArmRadio.am
13.05.2006 12:29
In response to the discussion of the bill on penalizing Armenian
Genocide deniers to be held May 18 in the French Parliament, the
Turkish `Justice and Development’ Party faction is collecting
necessary signatures to present a bill on recognizing the 1954-1962
massacre of 200 thousand Algerians by French as genocide to the
consideration of the Turkish Parliament.
`The bill emphasizes the French policy of dual standards, on one hand
in respect to denying the crimes in Algeria and Rwanda, on the other
hand discussing a bill envisaging penalty for negating the Armenian
Genocide,’ representatives of the party told the `New Anatolian’
periodical.
To note, Algeria insists that during 1954-1962 war for independence
France carried out `genocide’ against 1.5 million Algerians, while
Paris notes that only 200 thousand were killed in the war. In the
framework of international organizations Algeria has always been
opposing the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and has been backing
the Turkish position on this question.

President Robert Kocharyan received OSCE Secretary General

ArmRadio.am
13.05.2006 13:35
President Robert Kocharyan received today OSCE Secretary General Marc
Perrin de Brichambaut.
The President welcomed OSCE Secretary General’s visit to Armenia on
the occasion of starting the program of recycling of 872 tons of
mélange rocket fuel. Robert Kocharyan highly appreciated the
effectiveness of cooperation with the OSCE in regard to the volume,
level and prospects.
The collocutors thoroughly discussed the developments over the OSCE
territory and the process of reforming the OSCE as a structure.
At the request of the guest the President presented the current stage
of the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict. He laid emphasis
on the fact that the issue is being settled within the OSCE framework
and a rather effective format has been chosen. Reference was made to
Armenia-Turkey relations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR Presidnet received the delegation of the Union of Banks

ArmRadio.am
13.05.2006 14:40
May 13 NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan received the delegation of RA Central
Bank Council and the Union of Banks of Armenia headed by President of the
Central Bank Tigran Sargsyan and Head of the Union of Banks Stepan Gishyan.
The meeting, featuring NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Danielyan, Minister of
Finance and Ecoonomy Kamo Nersisyan, Head of Administration of `Artsakhbank’
Kamo Nersisyan, was dedicated in part to the strategy of development of the
crediting system in NKR and the prospects of expansion of cooperation with
Armenian and foreign partners.

Greece preparing for Eurovision-2006

ArmRadio.am
13.05.2006 15:22
This year the Eurovision song contest annually organized by European
TV Companies will be held in Greece, at the Olympic complex of
Athens. Armenia will be represented by `Best singer of the year’
Andre.
The festival will be held May 18 and 20. The first day 10 out of the
24 participants of the semifinal will pass to the final. The best song
will be chosen on May 20.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Implementation of Melange Utilization Program in Armenia Example for
Other Countries

12.05.2006 20:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The opening of the melange processing enterprise is
a good example of cooperation between the OSCE and the Armenian
Government, OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambau said at
the opening of a plant for utilization of propellant components in
Lori region of Armenia. In his words, implementation of the program
will be an example for other countries in the post-soviet space.
At that he remarked that experts from Germany, canada and finland
trained specialists, who will work in Armenia. The OSCE Secretary
General said that the program was composed of three phsses. The US
Government funded the first one. The second one – technical and
economic grounding of the project – was performed by German
specialists. The third phase was the building of the enterprise, in
which all aforementioned OSCE member states participated.

PanARMENIAN.Net
OSCE: Nagorno Karabakh Belongs to Karabakh People

12.05.2006 20:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nagorno Karabakh belongs to the Karabakh people,
OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambau told journalists at
the opening of an enterprise for utilization of propellant components
in Lori region of Armenia. In his words, settlement of the conflict is
possible in the near future. «I have much hope that the problem will
be solved soon,» Marc Perrin de Brichambau underscored.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Armenian Speaker Did What He Deemed Necessary, Armenian MOD Head
Believes
12.05.2006 20:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «I would not advise anyone searching for some
secret aspects in the retirement of Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Artur Baghdassaryan. He did what he deemed necessary,» Armenian
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan told journalists. In his words,
differences in Orinats Yerkir party were about to happen long ago and
Artur Baghdassaryan’s move is quite explicable. As of businessmen, who
left Orinats Yerkir, in Sargsyan’s opinion, they joined the party
hoping to gain power leverage. «However, now the party does not
have power and they considered leaving it was a right move. As of
myself, I will repeat again I was never member of Orinats Yerkir –
either in 2000, or in 2001 or later,» S. Sargsyan emphasized.

AZG Armenian Daily #087, 13/05/2006

Armenian Genocide
BRITISH-ARMENIAN HISTORIAN ARA SARAFIAN CENSURES FRENCH BILL
Following the May 10 rejection of the Armenian Genocide bill by the
Legislative Commission of the French Parliament, Turkey’s president
Ahmed Necet Sezer sent a letter to president Jacques Chirac of
France. The Turkish president expressed satisfaction with Chirac’s
contribution to Turkish-French relations, emphasized that historic
issues should be left for the historians to deal with and pointed out
that the draft penalizing Armenian Genocide denial goes against
freedom of thought – a basic principle in France.
President Sezer reminded his French counterpart of Turkey’s proposal
to Armenia on “setting a joint group to study genocide allegations.”
Regardless the context, the Turkish president uses the word
“genocide”. Unlike him, Turkish intellectuals including Hrant Dink and
Etien Mahchipian prefer “atrocities” to “genocide” in an open letter
in French daily Le Liberacion.
British-Armenian historian and director of the Gomidas Institute in
London, Ara Sarafian, has joined his compatriots from Turkey censuring
the French draft on the pages of Turkish daily Zaman.
Sarafian thinks the draft law may halt the blossoming debate in Turkey
on what happened in 1915 and once adopted will deal a blow to
Turkey-EU relations thus hindering democratic processes in the
country.
The following is the full text of his remarks in response to Zaman’s
questions about the proposed draft law:
The Armenian issue has become a political issue between two contending
camps, Turkish nationalists (and successive Turkish governments) on
the one hand, and Armenian nationalists on the other. Because Turkish
governments have until recently denied that there was an Armenian
issue to be addressed, or explained that the issue was the product of
“Armenian terrorism” (1970s and 80s), or unfortunate events of mutual
communal carnage, they also set the ground rules of how this issue
would be addressed i.e. in terms of power politics. They thus nurtured
and empowered the radical Armenian nationalist camps we see today.
Armenian nationalists are now playing the game by the same rules, and
they have recently found themselves in a powerful position because of
Turkey’s accession talks for EU membership. They have aligned the
Armenian issue in two somewhat contradictory camps, where the Armenian
issue is used as a yardstick to measure Turkey’s ability to come to
terms with its past, and in doing so, its ability to adopt a new
political trajectory that reflects core values adopted by the European
Union; and at the same time, the Armenian issue is used to give
substance to racists, xenophobes and anti-Islamicists who do not want
Turkey to enter the European Union.
The prospective French law is part of an unfortunate power dynamic,
and whether it passes or not, the final outcome will be the result of
power politics. It is ironic that the French legislature, with its own
past in Algeria and Rwanda, is willing to go down this path.
Perhaps the real tragedy is that the current Turkish government has
taken important steps to resolve the Armenian issue. After all, it has
“uncensored” the Armenian debate in Turkey by allowing it to be
discussed openly, letting Turkish nationalist institutions, such as
the Turkish Historical Society, to fend for themselves in the open
arena. It is true that the debate is unequal. There are still
draconian laws that are invoked against dissidents, and most TV
stations still espouse the anti-Armenian line, but there is still a
significant shift towards open debate. Not all TV stations programmes
espouse the state perspective, many newspapers and publications
discuss the Armenian issue more openly, and many court cases against
dissenters are quashed within Turkish legal system.
There are already many Turks and Kurds who have entered this debate in
a critical manner, and they have critical audiences who want to know
the truth. All of this is to Turkey’s credit and there is every
prospect that the Armenian issue will be resolved in a peaceful manner
in the near future.
It is unfortunate that, if the prospective French law is passed, it
could lead to a souring of relations between Turkey and the EU, as
well as a right-wing backlash within Turkey and its own
democratization process. Such a scenario will suit the interest of the
two nationalist camps, which will remain part of the problem and not
the solution.
I hope, irrespective of what happens in Paris in the next few weeks,
we do not lose the perspective of what is important. Today we have the
opportunity of resolving the Armenian issue in a peaceful and
meaningful fashion, based on the truth, and the dignity of the
descendants of the people concerned. Europeans should help and judge
Turkey and Armenians on how they progress down this road. The current
proposed legislation in Paris is a detraction at best, and a hindrance
at worse.
These views of London-based Armenian historian are pleasing to Turkish
official circles as Ara Sarafian identifies neo-fascistic xenophobia
of the Grey Wolves with the Armenian nationalism and equates the
Armenian Diaspora fighting for the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide with Turkey that insistently denies it. He views the
initiatives of Genocide recognition as a hindrance for settling the
Armenian issue in Turkey as well as for democratization of
Turkey. Meanwhile he condemns the authors of the initiative perhaps
sending a positive signal to Ankara and interested international
powers.
By Hakob Chakrian