ARMENIANS CRITICIZE, WHILE EUROPEANS ACCEPT AND APPRECIATE
Alisa Gevorgyan
“Radiolur”
21.03.2006 16:40
While Armenians continue criticizing Andre and his “Without Your
Love” song to be presented at the “Eurovision” song contest, one of
the most massive ” Eurovision” forums evaluates Armenia’s chances to
win the second among the countries of Eastern Europe.
We have two months till the “Eurovision,” but Andre and his song are
in the center of severe criticism. According to Armenian nature,
the first response to the song was, naturally, critical. The song
reminds the songs of Tukish singer Tarkan, the tune resembles that
of Ruslana’s song or is Arabic, Turkish, etc. Self-criticism is,
of course characteristic of Armenians. However, we are very sensible
towards others’ opinion. Thus, after Andre’s song was placed on the
official web page of the “Eurovision,” Armenia started looking forward
to the response of Europe. The responses are as follows. It should
be noted that Andre’s it was a surprise for even the most devoted fan
of Andre’s song that a European has decided to go to Athens with the
Armenian flag.
As it was mentioned, two months remain before the contest, and in this
period the Internet is being supplemented with new songs. Experts and
fans express their opinion regarding the lyrics, the tune, the style,
and everything, in general. Before the Armenian song was placed on the
web page, the song presented by Romania was being actively discussed
in the forums. Now Romanians are talking about Andre, and as a rule,
positively. One of the opinions states, ” the song is very rhythmic
and is full of national spirit. I’m praying for Armenia and Andre.”
Expert Anton Kulakov has written, “I did not expect at all that pop
and Eastern rhythms may be combined that successfully.”
An opinion from Venezuela, “The song sounds like Ruslana’s song,
but it is not a bad one.”
Like anything in our reality, this contest is also used as a topic
of political discussions. For example, we come across the following
opinion in the Internet, “Turkey is the greatest.” The same person has,
naturally, written that Andre and his song are very bad. However,
another Turkish opinion deserves attention, “Now we are speaking
about today’s best newsm, that is Armenia.”
Thus while the criticism of Andre and his “Without your love”
song continue in our country, the most massive “Eurovision” forums
evaluates Armenia’s chances of victory the second among the countries
of Eastern Europe.

TURKEY CARRIES OUT TRIBAL POLICY TOWARDS ARMENIA (ANALYSIS)
Armen Manvelyan
“Radiolur”
21.03.2006 12:37
As it has been already mentioned, official Washington has again raised
the issue of opening the Armenian-Turkish border. Again it has been
rejected by Turkish authorities. It should be noted that the issue
of opening the Armenian – Turkish border was included in the agenda
of US-Turkey relations long ago.
However, every time the question refers to this, Turkey brings forward
its absurd demands; furthermore, it tries to link the question with
the Karabakh issue. In this regard, it needs to be mentioned that in
the nearest future Turkey will hardly open the border with Armenia,
and there are several reasons for this. First, the relations with
Azerbaijan are important for Turkey. It is linked to Azerbaijan not
only with ethno-tribal similarities, but also with the actively
developing energy ties. This refers to both the Baku-Jeyhan oil
pipeline and the Baku-Erzrum gas pipeline. For a long time Turkey
has been aspiring to become a crossroad of East-West and North-South
energy carriers, and in this context the relations with Azerbaijan
are of strategic importance for Ankara. However, there are deeper
problems here, the most critical of which are the tribal similarities,
which force Turkey to carry out an underlined pro-Azerbaijani foreign
policy. Turning to the issue of “Turkism,” we should note that this
directly contradicts the so-called “Armenism.” Therefore, Turkey
considers every step of Armenia, particularly any success in Armenia’s
foreign policy a threat to its interests, no matter whether this has
to do with Turkey and Azerbaijan or not. Thus, according to Turkish
analysts, military success of Armenia in Karabakh is a direct threat
to their interests, since ” through this step Armenians are trying
to resume the Armenian Issue and return to the idea of creating Mets
(Great) Hayk.” To what extent all this corresponds to reality is a
different issue. It is clear, however, that the Turkish side considers
that the Karabakh issue is first of all a threat to its own interests;
therefore, it is ready for every step to assist Azerbaijan on this
question. Hence, we can say that the close Armenian-Turkish border
is solely the continuation of the 150-year-long policy of Turkey
directed at abolishing the Armenian trace from Small Asia. Simply,
today Ankara has chosen the blockade, since it considers that this
is the best way of exercising pressure over Armenia. Refusal from
the blockade will just mean that Turks have chosen another, in their
view – a more efficient way of pressuring Armenia. That is to say
that speaking about the Armenian-Turkish policy, we have to do not
with Turkey as a separate state, but with the Turkish-Azerbaijani
alliance, which is united against Armenia and carries out a policy
based upon its own tribal interests.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MANUK GASPARYAN: THE PUBLIC SERVICES REGULATORY COMMISSION HAS EXCEEDED ITS LIABILITIES
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 14:49
NA Deputy Manuk Gasparyan turned today to the new price of Russian gas.
According to the Deputy, the gas price could have been incomparably
cheaper from that set by the Public Services Regulatory Commission. He
considers that the Commission has exceeded its liabilities.
Vice-President of the Commission Nikolay Grigoryan did not accept
the Deputy’ s condemnations and confirmed that they acted within the
limits of law.
The Deputy’s arguments will be listed in a lawsuit, which will be
presented for the consideration of judicial instances in early April.
Manuk Gasparyan is waiting for an answer from Russian President
Vladimir Putin as well.
The major argument presented does not satisfy Manuk Gasparyan. “You did
not have the right to raise the set the price without an agreement,”
the Deputy said.

TURKS USED THE RALLY IN LYON TO DENY THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 13:40
French-Armenians and the French police complain of the Governor’s
decision to authorize the Turkish rally, which started after the
decision was taken to erect a memorial dedicated to the Armenian
Genocide in the Central Square of Lyon. Not satisfied with the
decision, Turks launched a campaign against the project.
The slogans of Turks denying the Armenian Genocide forced the French
to arrange a demonstration against the Turkish initiative. To get
clarifications about the authorization of the rally, Head of the
European Armenian Federation Hilda Tchoboyan met with the Governor.
Yesterday Hilda Tchoboyan had told “Radiolur” correspondent
Anna Nazaryan that the Governor did not have to authorize such a
rally. It was a severe mistake, since it is known that the French law
prohibits denying the fact of the Armenian Genocide. The Governor
sent an explanatory letter to the Coordinating Council of Armenian
organizations.
The letter notes that the Turks used the rally organized under a
different pretext to deny the Armenian Genocide.
“From now on the fact will be taken into consideration and Turks
will not be allowed to organize similar demonstrations in future,”
the letter noted.

NO AGREEMENT WAS SIGNED BUT PRICE OF GAS WENT UP
Lragir/am
21 March 06
On March 21 the question of the soaring price of gas was discussed at
the Hayeli Club. MP Manuk Gasparyan debated with Nikolay Grigoryan,
Deputy Chairman of the Commission of Public Utilities. Manuk Gasparyan
said the decision of the commission to sell gas to people at 90 drams
per cubic meter was illegitimate, groundless.
“If the commission made a decision, it means there was ground,”
says the deputy chairman of the Public Utilities Commission Nikolay
Grigoryan, who decided to accept the bid of Armrusgasard with his
other four colleagues on March 10 and to increase the price of the
gas supplied to the population up to 90 thousand drams and 146.5
thousand drams for enterprises.
Manuk Gasparyan thinks it was a groundless decision, and if the
commission had imposed a reduction of estimated losses of 5.37 per cent
by at least 1 per cent and had not allowed Armrusgasard to increase
the margin from 12 to 18, the price of gas would not be that high. “If
they extract the margin and losses and charge the VAT at the border,
the price of gas would grow up to 73 drams with 450 drams exchange rate
of the dollar, but if calculated on 420 drams as set in the budget,
the price of gas would grow up to 69 drams,” says Manuk Gasparyan.
“The commission did not have the right to consider the bid of
Armrusgasard until there is a deal that since April 1 Russia will
sell gas to Armenia at 110 dollars,” says Manuk Gasparyan. Nikolay
Grigoryan confirms that they could not consider the bid of Armrusgasard
without having signed a contract, but there is a contract, signed
by Armrusgasard and Gasexport, one of the companies of Gasprom, on
December 28. Manuk Gasparyan says it is merely a document, postponing
the supply of gas at 110 dollars until April 1, and negotiations
were to be held until April 1. Manuk Gasparyan announced that the
negotiations are not over, and the final price of gas has not been
fixed yet. “The contract will be signed by Armrusgasard and Gasprom
on March 28 and 29. I expect and I believe that the price of gas will
be below 110 dollars. What will the commission do with its decision
on increasing the price?” says Manuk Gasparyan.
Nikolay Grigoryan thinks it would be a miracle if the price of gas
were set below 110 dollars. He says the commission would not be
guided by unreal things, and the decision was based on the deal
signed on December 28. “We are not guided by mays and ifs,” said
Nikolay Grigoryan in answer to the argument that after April 1 the
price of gas may be lower than 110 dollars, whereas the commission
had decided to double the price of gas supplied to the population
starting from this number.
However, the negotiations for the price of gas are going on, and
the Public Utilities Commission might not be convinced that 110
dollars underlying its decision will be the final price. If it is
the final price, the minister of energy, the prime minister and other
representatives of the executive are doing populism when they say that
negotiations for the price of gas continue. Or if they are right,
it means the commission hurried to accept the bid of Armrusgasard,
and the company is facing a real possibility of extra profit.
The point is that if Russia reaches an agreement with Armenia, and
the gas price is set lower, or a mechanism of compensation is found,
Armrusgasard will have, in fact, extra profit, because people will
have to pay 90 drams per one cubic meter for at least six months. Such
is the law, for the price set by the Public Utilities Commission will
work for at least six months.

CYBER SECURITY IS PRIORITY, ARMENIAN POLICE SAYS
Mediamax news agency
21 Mar 06
Yerevan, 21 March: The fight against cyber crimes is one of the
most important tasks facing the Armenian law-enforcement bodies,
the deputy chief of the Police, Maj-Gen Ararat Makhtesyan, said today.
Addressing a round table hosted by the OSCE office in Yerevan and
entitled “Reinforcement of cyber security and of the fight against
cyber crimes in Armenia”, Ararat Makhtesyan said that cyber security
has become especially topical taking into consideration the priority
of information technologies for the republic, Mediamax reports.
He said that the Armenian Police has already developed a programme
to ensure cyber security, and relevant institutions have approved it.
Ararat Makhtesyan noted that a relevant unit has been set up at the
Police to efficiently fight cyber crimes, and amendments have been
made to the Criminal Code. Armenia has also joined the European
convention on computer crime.
A criminal case was filed in Armenia in 2005 under Article 256 of
the Criminal Code (development, usage and distribution of dangerous
computer software).
The head of the OSCE office in Yerevan, Vladimir Pryakhin, said that
“the problem of cyber security lies in human’s lag in understanding
technical progress”.

POPE BENEDICT GREETS ARMENIAN PATRIARCH
AP Online
Mar 21, 2006
Pope Benedict XVI recalled the “terrible persecution” Armenians
suffered under Turkish rule 90 years ago during an audience Monday
with an Armenian Catholic patriarch.
Speaking to Nerses Bedros XIX Tarmouni about the Armenian people
over the centuries, the pope singled out the “sufferings which
they underwent in the name of the Christian faith in the years of
the terrible persecution that went down in history with the sadly
meaningful name ‘metz yeghern,’ the great evil.”
Armenians accuse Turks of a genocide of up to 1.5 million Armenians
between 1915 and 1923. Turks claim the number of deaths is inflated
and say the victims were killed in civil unrest.
The country is now facing pressure to fully acknowledge the event as
it seeks membership in the European Union.
Benedict did not use the term “genocide” in his official remarks. His
predecessor, Pope John Paul II, called the deaths genocide but did
not declare any party responsible.

LEADER SAYS AZERI PROSPECTS BRIGHT, ARMENIA’S “FOGGY”
ANS TV, Baku
21 Mar 06
[Presenter] The question of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty is not at issue and the opposite side must understand it.
This was announced by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev when he
addressed Novruz festivities in Ganclik [Youth] Square in front of
Qosa Qala Qapisi [gates in the old part of Baku].
[Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijani president, captioned, shown speaking]
The question of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty
is not and will never be at issue. We want the opposite side to
understand this as soon as possible and to promptly join international
developments. Globalization is under way all over the world and
countries not just of the region but also of the world are opening
their borders and cooperating with each other. The future prospects
of Armenia, which has isolated itself from this cooperation, are foggy.
Azerbaijan will continue its course. Our cause is just. We will
resolve this conflict on the basis of Azerbaijan’s national interests
and international norms and principles. At the same time, Azerbaijan
will continue to strengthen its economic potential, the potential of
the army and resolve social problems.
Azerbaijan must become one of the world’s most developed countries
in a few years time.

OMBUDSMAN ARMEN HARUTYUNYAN: THE GOVERNMENTAL DECISION CONTRADICTS THE CONSTITUTION
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 17:02
>From early morning residents of Northern Avenue and Buzand Street
gathered in front of the Constitutional Court. The Court was
considering today RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan’s application
regarding the correspondence of the governmental decision on
“Implementation of facilities development programs within the
administrative borders of Kentron community of Yerevan” to RA
Constitution.
The Ombudsman considers that this decision contradicts the
Constitution. The opposite opinion is expressed by representatives
of the responding side – Minister of Justice David Harutyunyan and
Assistant to the President Gevorg Mheryan. The dispute between the
latter and the Human Rights Defender inspired the residents present
in the courtroom, and Armen Harutyunyan’s speech was welcomed with
applauds.
Armen Harutyunyan has investigated similar experience of foreign
countries, proving that the decision does not correspond to Article
31 of the Constitution.

BIRD FLU ISSUE IN THE CENTER OF RA PRESIDENT’S ATTENTION
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 15:55
Today President Robert Kocharyan had a working meeting with the
Minister of Agriculture David Lockyan.
The President was first of all interested in issues related to
bird flu.
The Minister of Agriculture presented the latest results of study of
Armenian and US experts, according to which the bird flu virus does
not exist in Armenia so far.
The issue of creation of more than 200 small and medium-sized
manufacturing enterprises was discussed. The President instructed to
adopt a doctrine on this in the nearest future.
Robert Kocharyan said that assistance should be provided to
manufacturing companies by providing the opportunity of taking
low-interest loans.
The President was interested also in tree planting activities,
the irrigation system and the issue of importing new agricultural
techniques.