VAHAN HOVHANNISYAN: POSITIVE CHANGE IS OBSERVED IN THE ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN NEGOTIATIONS OVER GAS
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 17:57
Returning form the 10th sitting of the Armenian-Russian
Interparliamentary Committee, Vahan Hovhannisyan declared that positive
change is observed in the Armenian-Russian negotiations over gas, which
allows to consider that the gas price will be reconsidered. However,
Vahan Hovhannisyan did not mention any concrete numbers. According
to him, their Russian colleagues were trying to convince the rise of
Russian price is not the will of Russia but Georgia’s demand to supply
gas to everyone at the same price. Vahan Hovhannisyan considers this
the official position of the Russian authorities. The Vice-Speaker
does not take serious Vladimir Zhirinovski’s statement that the gas
will be supplied to Armenia on lower price in case Armenia joins the
Russia-Belarus Union. This is the opinion of the Liberal-Democratic
Party of Russia, which cannot be official.
Vahan Hovhannisyan was given the opportunity to deliver a report on
political relations of the two countries.

TURKS’ PROTEST AGAINST CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEMORIAL IN LYON CAUSED FIGHTING WITH THE ARMENIANS
YEREVAN, MARCH 20. ARMINFO. Skirmish between Armenian and Turkish
immigrants took place in the town of Lyon, France.
The Turks of Lyon had organized a demonstration protesting against
the construction of a memorial devoted top the victims of the
Armenian genocide. Offensive expressions and defamatory banners of
the demonstrators caused fighting between the Armenians of Lyon
and the Turks. It should be reminded that by the decision of the
city administration the memorial will be built in the center of
Lyon and opened on April 24, on the day of 91-th anniversary of the
Genocide. According to certain sources, the authorities of France will
take measure against the violators, as the law about the Genocide,
adopted by the French Parliament, prohibits protesting against it.

ANKARA REFUSES US CALL TO OPEN ARMENIAN BORDER
YEREVAN, MARCH 20. ARMINFO. The Turkish government responded negatively
once again to a demand from the United States to open the Armenian
border, Zaman reports.
An envoy from the United States brought the Mountainous Karabag
(Karabagh) region to the agenda in search of a resolution as they asked
the Turkish government to reevaluate the Armenian border. On Thursday,
Turkish foreign ministry officials met with Assistant Secretary of
States Daniel Friend of the United States as well as with Ambassador
Steven Mann, a United States negotiator assigned to find a resolution
to the Mountainous Karabagh question. Fried addressed the demand to
open the Armenian border, according to reporters. Ankara, however,
acted unenthusiastically to the issue at hand. Turkish officials
classified the Armenian cessation of its invasion of the Karabagh
region as one of the three requirements for the appeasement of
relations between Turkey and Armenia. Turkey is also pushing Armenia
to disavow its allegations of genocide and to remove from the Armenian
constitution the anti-Turkish clauses.
Another topic at the meeting was the demand to ease the administration
in North Cyprus off economic isolation. The United States envoy
preferred to give priority to diplomacy in handling with Iran,
reporters said, although the US administration reserves the possibility
of a military operation as well.

DEMARCHE OF TURKS AGAINST ERECTION OF MONUMENT FOR VICTIMS OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN LYON COMES ACROSS SKIRMISH WITH LOCAL ARMENIANS
YEREVAN, MARCH 20. ARMINFO. Turks, who marched to protest the Lyon
Municipal, which has decided to build a Genocide Monument in French
Lyon city, came across a skirmish with local Armenians.
The aggressive calls of the demonstrators and posters of provoking
nature resulted in a sporadic dispute between the local Armenians
and Turks. French police released tear gas to disperse the crowd.
To note, the monument will be constructed in Lyon’s historical
center. The opening of the monument is fixed for April 24, on the
occasion of the 91st mourning anniversary of Armenian Genocide. In the
meantime, a source close to diplomatic circles, told ARMINFO that the
public adoption of the law on Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire
implies that no one in the territory of France has a right to protest
the given law. The source supposes that the French authorities will
take measures in accordance with the law.

MURDER OF AN ARMENIAN IN GEORGIA HAS NO ETHNICAL BACKGROUND
YEREVAN. MARCH 20. ARMINFO. The murder of a young Armenian in the
town of Tsalka, Georgia, has no ethnical background, said on a press
conference Revaz Gachechiladze, Ambassador of Georgia to Armenia.
The Ambassador said that 150-200 murders take place in Georgia
and both among the murderers and the murdered people of various
nationalities occur. He said that the Georgian authorities will
never permit hooliganism against any nation. Commenting on the ill
economical situation in the Javakhq region, the Ambassador said that
its improvement is in the vital interests of eth Georgian Government
and informed that $116 million will be assigned to the development
of Javakhq in the frameworks of Millennium Challenge program.

BOLLIWOOD TO MAKE A FILM IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, MARCH 20. ARMINFO. Indian movie studio ‘Bolliwood’ will make
a film in Armenia which will attract numerous tourist, said Mukesh
Bhatt, film director.
The film director said that the film shootings are planned for the
next year. Mr. Bhatt said that the only inconvenience is the absence
of direct flights from India to Armenia, but the Armenian side promised
to organize Yerevan-Delhi flights by next year. The necessary equipment
for the film will be also provided be Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LEVON ARONYAN SHARES 1ST TO 2ND PLACES IN THE SUPER CHESS TUURNAMENT IN MONACO
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 17:20
After three rounds Grand Master of Armenia, 2005 World Chess Cup holder
and winner of the 2006 Linares Super Chess Tournament Levon Aronyan
shares the 1st to 2nd places with Russian Alexander Morozevich at the
“Amber” Super Chess Tournament held in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Levon Aronyan has gained a total of four points and continues to lead
together with the Russian chess player.

MINISTER SAYS NO BIRD FLU IN ARMENIA
Mediamax news agency
21 Mar 06
Yerevan, 21 March: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today discussed
the bird flu situation with Agriculture Minister David Lokyan.
Quoting the results of the latest research by Armenian and US
specialists, the minister told the president that there is no H5N1
virus in Armenia, the presidential press service told Mediamax today.
The meeting also discussed the issue of establishing about 200 small
and medium-size processing plants in the republic. Kocharyan instructed
the minister to draft a relevant proposal as soon as possible and
noted the importance of helping the processing plants and making it
easier for them to get bank loans at a low interest rate.
Kocharyan and Lokyan also discussed the issue of irrigation, the
availability of fertilizers and the import of farming equipment.

RUSSIAN ARMENIANS ASK RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT TO CONDEMN VANDALISM IN NAKHICHEVAN
13: 49 03/21/2006
On March 20, a round table conference “Armenian monuments in
Nakhichevan – objects of Azerbaijani vandalism” took place in
Moscow. As a REGNUM correspondent has been informed in the editorial
staff of Yerkamas Russian Armenian newspaper, leaders of most Armenian
organizations in Russia participated in the conference.
As a result of the conference, the participants issued a statement,
where they condemn barbarous destruction of the Armenian monuments
in Old Juga, Nakhichevan, conducted by the Azerbaijani authorities
in December 2005.
The statement says that these monuments (about 8,000 of unique
cross-stones called “khachkar”) were in the Nakhichevan province,
when it was Armenian territory. When in the Soviet times Nakhichevan
became a part of Azerbaijani territory, almost 4,000 of the monuments
were destroyed.
According to the statement, vandalism stopped only in 1998, because
of UNESCO efforts. But now, when OSCE Minsk Group tries to settle
Nagorno Karabakh problem, official Baku conducted another act of
vandalism in Nakhichevan.
Authors of the statement say, that Azerbaijan also tries to falsify
the history of Russia, Armenia and Caucasus region as a whole,
thus disorienting its own citizens and international communities,
which contradicts to common norms of cultural preservation, and is
classified by the UN Convention of 1948 as an act of genocide.
The statement addresses the Russian government, other authorities
and the Russian Orthodox Church to immediately condemn vandalism and
demand from the Azerbaijani government strict preservation of cultural
heritage of other nations according to international conventions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GERMAN COMPANY TO PLAN ROADS IN SAMTSKHE-JAVAKHETI
Lragir/am
21 March 06
Akhalkalaki, March 20, A-INFO. The Georgian office of the Millennium
Challenge Corporation issued a press release on the repair of the roads
of Samtskhe-Javakheti on the grant of the U.S. government to Georgia.
On February 10, 2006 a contract was signed with the German company
Kocks Consult GmbH, which will plan the construction of the roads. The
preparations will cost 3.196 million dollars, which will be allocated
from the 4.1 million dollars to be granted to the Georgian government
by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The majority of the roads to be repaired pass across the regions of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli. The construction of 245 km of
roads will begin in 2007, and is foreseen to finish in 2010.
102.2 million dollars was provided for the roads of Samtskhe-Javakheti,
which is the biggest share of the project, costing 295.3 million
dollars.
The construction of the roads will be put out to an open, competitive,
international tender.