ARMENIANS SAY SELF-DETERMINATION CRUCIAL FOR ENDING KARABAKH CONFLICT

Armenpress
Mar 14 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 14, ARMENPRESS: A senior member of the governing
Republican party and a dissenter from the radical opposition party have
endorsed today the principle of people’s right to self-determination,
saying it is crucial in efforts to settle the Armenian-Azeri conflict
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Galust Sahakian, the leader of the Republican party’s parliamentary
faction, and Albert Bazeyan, a former top member of the radical
opposition Hanrapetutyun (Republic) party, who has set up a new one
after defecting from Hanrapetutyun, argued that Azerbaijan itself
applied this principle to declare its independence from the former
Soviet Union.

Sahakian said the people of Nagorno Karabakh have also the right to
exercise this principle. He said another conflict resolution option
is to join Karabakh with Armenia.

Sahakian said Armenia remains committed to peaceful resolution of the
dispute and added that a war would shatter what has been achieved so
far. Both men also accused Azerbaijan of failing to display ‘enough
will’ to end the conflict.

FESTIVAL OF BRITISH FILMS TO BE HELD ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the Embassy
of Great Britain to Armenia and the British Council, a festival of
British films will be held on March 10-15 in Yerevan, and in 17-19
in Gyumri. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Service of the
Great Britain Embassy, films will be shown in the “Nairi” cinema
in Yerevan, and the “Hoktember” (October) cinema in Gyumri. Famous
British films of different genres in the English, Russian as well as
Armenian languages during the festival days.

RA MINISTER OF CULTURE RECEIVES AMBASSADOR OF INDIA TO RA AND AMBASSADOR OF RA TO ARGENTINA

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Minister of Culture Gevorg
Gevorgian received Rina Pandey, the Ambassador of India to RA on March
6. The goal of the Ambassador’s visit was to reach agreement on the
purposefulness of further developments of the three-years intercultural
exchanges signed between the Governments of Armenia and India in 2003,
in Delhi. The Ambassador proposed to sign a new program of cultural
cooperation which will be more practical and involve the film studio
as well. According to the Ambassador, it’s desirable that Indian
cinematographers will shoot films in Armenia. G.Gevorgian mentioned
that they know and love in Armenia Indian films, and it’s time today
for cultural cooperation is promoted in that sphere as well. The
Minister expressed will to receive the delegation of the Bollywood film
industry. He also touched upon holding of the cultural days of India in
Yerevan scheduled for September by the intergovernmental program. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Service of the RA Ministry of
Culture and Youth Issues, on the same day the Minister of Culture
received Vladimir Karmirshalian, the newly appointed Ambassador of RA
to the Republic of Argentina. G.Gevorgian presented the Ambassador the
Armenian-Argentinian mutual relations on the cultural field as well as
discussed future activities. The Minister asked the Ambassador to show
practical assistance to the Armenian community of Argentina for this
participates in the All-Armenian Festival “One Nation, One Culture”
to be held in Armenia in summer.

‘WAR WILL ONLY BRING NEW SUFFERING’
Steven Mann Assures

AZG Armenian Daily
15/03/2006

“Though the Rambouillet meeting did not give a desirable result,
negotiations over peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
still carry on,” Azeri-Press news agency quoted US Minsk Group co-chair
Steven Mann as saying in Baku. Ruling out military settlement of the
dispute, Mann stated that the war will only bring new suffering and
producing no quick and lasting results.

“A side that views the war as a way out has to clearly understand its
outcomes, including the situation in the region and energy-related
issues,” Steven Mann said and added that it’s not the time for
speculating on the situation hinting at President Robert Kocharian’s
statement: “If talks prove unproductive, we’ll recognize Nagorno
Karabakh’s independence.”

The Minsk Group co-chair opined that neither side can get 100 percent
what it wants.

ACCORDING TO MANUK GASPARIAN, DECISION ABOUT STOPPING CONSTRUCTION WORKS IN BOTANICAL GARDEN MADE AT HIGHEST LEVEL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The decision about stopping of the
program of construction in the territory of Yerevan Botanical Garden
was made at the highest level. As MP Manuk Gasparian, Head of the
Democratic Way party, declared at the March 7 press conference,
this decision was made at RA President’s staff. According to the MP,
Yerevan Mayor has promised to make an official decision about closing
the program by March 10. According to M.Gasparian, it’s the first
time during his 14-year political activity that he is satisfied with
the result received. According to him, the construction machinery
has been already brought out of the garden with the exception of
two machines that are out of order. The builders have promised to
bring them out of the garden’s territory. According to M.Gasparian,
the decision about construction in the garden was made by Yerevan
Mayor’s Office in 2002. As he mentioned, he has found out the names of
7 out of 18 persons that were to receive land plots in the territory
of the Botanical Garden. Mentioning that they are mainly medium
oligarches, the MP declared that he isn’t going to make public
these names as these persons have been already punished: each of
them has spent about 30 thousand USD still before the beginning of
the construction. M.Gasparian informed that the garden’s irrigation
system will be restored by the end of March.

According to him, the Prime Minister has promised to finance these
works from the government’s resources. And the MP promises to fill
the pits dug for the purpose of construction and to organize tree
planting in the territory of the garden.

PARK DIRECTORATE AS WELL MUST CONTROL CONSTRUCTION IMPLEMENTED IN BOTANICAL PARK, DEPUTY MAYOR OF YEREVAN THINKS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The construction implemented in
the Botanical Park of Yerevan is stopped up to finding those
responsible for the deviation from the draft. Yerevan Deputy
Mayor Kamo Areyan informed journalists about this on March 6 at
the Parliament. According to him, the initiative to create an
Agrobiovariety Ethographic Museum on the 5 hectares land from the
territory separated for the Botanical Park by the city general plan
belongs to the Agroecologists’ Association of Armenia and the NAS. It
was mentioned that the agreement of the Botanical Institute Directorate
also exists. According to K.Areyan, the control of the construction
was first of all to be implemented by the Botanical Park and the NAS,
initiated the construction. He mentioned that the RA Ministries of
Nature Protection and Agriculture as well as the Architect’s Union of
Armenia gave agreement to the program. The construction was allowed
in 2004, based on all the necessary documents.

4TH NOISY KILLING ON SAYAT NOVA AVENUE

Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. The Prosecutor’s Office of the Kentron
and Nork-Marash communities carries on the investigation on the fact
of murder taken place on March 4 near the house #22 of the Sayat
Nova avenue in Yerevan. To recap, on that day an alarm was got at
the Police Central Department that shots were listened and there was
a man’s dead body near the mentioned building.

The operative group left for the scene of accident found out that
an unknown person injured “Kakhtsrik” LTD Director Ashot Vardanian
born in 1952 at the head and chest. The man died at place because of
got injuries. 2 fire-arms cases were found out by the examination
of the scence of accident. As it was mentioned in the information
submitted to Noyan Tapan by the Public Relations and Information
Department of the RA Police, this is the 4th case of murder during
the last years on a not big part of the Sayat Nova street. Joshua
Haglund, a U.S citizen was killed in 2005, Karen Mkrtchian, the Dean
of the Yerevan State University Russian Philology Department in 2003,
and Vahram Khorkhoruni, the Military Police Chief was killed at the
entrance of his flat a few years ago.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘FROZEN CONFLICT THREATENS TO GROW INTO BLOODY WAR’
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
15/03/2006

Anna Palacio, former Foreign Minister of Spain, and Daniel Twining,
consultant of the German Marshal Fund in USA, stated that the
political and military influence of Russia grows in Nagorno Karabakh
in the context of the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. They
emphasized this in “Shadow Empire of Russia” article published in the
“Washington Post.”

“The armies of both states that fought in a fierce war for that
disputable enclave in the 90-ies, now open fire on each other,” they
stated. According to the authors of the article, “the frozen conflict
may grow into a new fierce war that threatens to the whole region.” On
the other hand, according to PanArmenian .net website, the authors
state that the diplomatic breakthrough in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is realistic, as the Western governments would support to an agreement
that will make Armenia return the occupied territories to Azerbaijan
and help the Azeri refugees return to their former dwelling places.

Moreover, in this case, Nagorno Karabakh would gain sovereignty until
its fate is defined through a referendum in the near future.

“The West should improve its relations with Azerbaijan for its
efforts to settle the conflict and the reforms they carry out
and stop any punishment measures against this country,” they
said. Palacio and Twining added that the West should demand closure
of the Russian military bases in Armenia that threatens to security of
Azerbaijan. They suggest carrying out a “unique” Marshal plan for the
South Caucasus to help this region follow the path leading to Europe.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PULLING DOWN OF CONSTRUCTIONS IN DALMA GARDENS BEGINS

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. On March 7, the works of pulling down
the 5 constructions and personal plots attached to them started with
participation of employees of Urban Development and Land Control
Department of Yerevan Mayor’s Office and servicemen of internal
troops. As Stepan Sargsian, department’s first-class specialist,
explained, by RA government’s decision this territory was given
to ArmRusgasprom in 2004 for a 50-year rent. However, because
of 5 unauthorized buildings ArmRusgasprom can’t carry out state
registration of 12 hectares allotted to it. S.Sargsian said that the
building owners have been given time for vacating the territory “for
the purpose of construction of public importance”. And the decision
of Yerevan Mayor’s Office about pulling down the buildings was made
on 2005 May 27, about which the owners were warned.

LEVON ARONIAN IS ON 2ND-4TH PLACES AT LINARES TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

LINARES, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. 8 grand masters participated in
the Linares super tournament after the four-days break re-started
the competition struggle. Representative of Armenia Levon Aronian
gained 1 point in three meetings of the second round. He ended the
meeting with Temur Rajabov (Azerbaijan) and Vasili Ivanchuk (Ukraine)
in a draw and lost the game with world champion Veselin Topalov
(Bulgaria). Peter Lecon from Hungary, who got 6.5 points, heads the
tournament table after 10 rounds. Levon Aronian, Veselin Topalov and
Temur Rajabov are on the 2nd-4th places having 5.5 points each. There
are 4 rounds left before the end of the tournament.