LOGIC OF FRUIT AND FLOWER REVOLUTION IN ARMENIA
Lragir/am
21 March 06
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Mathew Bryza’s announcement
about upward democracy is close to the scenario of fruit and flower
revolutions, told Aram Karapetyan, the leader of the political party
Nor Zhamanakner, to our reporter. “It is very close to what I have
heard in different countries. It is always put like this: a popular
movement is the way to establishing democracy.”
Aram Karapetyan says there are incentives from the outside, small
ones which may grow later. “After all, every such revolution was on
financial assistance, incentives from outside. If anyone insists on
the opposite, it will not be serious.”
Aram Karapetyan believes that the early recall of the
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia implies changes in the policy of the
United States. “Presently, the experience of the United States to
“take Armenia” may have a considerable importance. I think it has
become clear to the Americans that the policy for the South Caucasus
and the Near East becomes difficult without Armenia.
Unfortunately, Russia will also plan its efforts. The Iranians
are ready to take steps,” states Aram Karapetyan. Aram Karapetyan
supposes that the outside incentives for the movement are already
outlining. “Even if they do not recall John Evans, this man known for
his pro-Armenian stance has already received strictures in the press,
as well as in the statements of the U.S. Congress representatives,”
said Aram Karapetyan.

THE HOLIDAY OF FRANCOFONIA CELEBRATED THIS WEEK
ArmRadio
21.03.2006 18:13
This week the world celebrates the holiday of Francofonia. This
international organization includes 53 member countries, 10 observer
states, including Armenia, 175 million francofons and 900 thousand
francofon teachers.
Among the priorities of Francofonia are rromoting peace, democracy
and human rights.
“France will spare no effort for resolution of the Karabakh conflict,”
the ambassador of France to Armenia Anri Kyuni said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSTRUCTION OF ELITE HOUSES BRINGS 300 PER CENT PROFIT
Lragir/am
21 March 06
The owners of elite blocks of apartments get 300 per cent profit from
sales, said MP Manuk Gasparyan on March 21. He denied the concerns that
the increase of the price of cement will affect the rates of building.
“Two or three years ago the price of reinforced concrete grew by
200-300 per cent. Who learned about it? No one, and the rate of
construction did become slow,” says Manuk Gasparyan. According to
him, there was no need to set a low price on the natural gas supplied
to industry not to allow the growth of the price of cement. “Cement
is required for building, and building is done by rich people. Why
are we reducing the price of gas for industry at the expense of the
population,” says the member of parliament.
Manuk Gasparyan thinks this is a big bluff. Armrusgasard sets the
price of gas for industry in dollars, but sells gas to people in drams.

CRISIS GROUP PREDICTING WAR?
Lragir/am
21 March 06
To guarantee its own security, the EU should become more engaged
in efforts to resolve the three disputes, for Nagorno-Karabakh,
Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflicts have the potential to ignite
into full-fledged wars in Europe’ s neighborhood, is stated in the
new report of the International Crisis Group, informs the news agency
ARKA. In the new report of the International Crisis Group on the role
of the EU in the settlement of the South Caucasian conflicts it is
stated that with the UN engaged in the settlement of the Abkhazian
conflict and the OSCE in NKR and South Ossetia, the talks lasting
for several decades did not lead to signing peace agreements. With an
image of an “honest broker” and the lure of greater integration into
Europe, the EU is going to play a greater role in the region and aid
the efforts of the UN and the EU, states the report. According to
the experts of this organization, the EU plans to create a chain of
countries with effective governance around it to guarantee its own
security. “Geographic proximity, energy resources, pipelines and the
challenges of international crime and trafficking make stability in the
region a clear EU interest,” is mentioned in the summary of the report.
“As the EU is unlikely to offer membership to Georgia, Armenia
and Azerbaijan even in the medium term, it must identify innovative
means to impose conditionality on its aid and demonstrate influence,”
conclude the experts of the International Crisis Group. Nicolas White,
the director of the European program of the International Crisis Group,
thinks the failure of the EU in secure neighborhood strategy in the
South Caucasus would ruin its reputation. Nicolas White thinks the
biggest concern is that the EU will not be prepared to respond to
the military actions among its neighbors in case of escalation of
the South Caucasian conflicts.

ARF condemns Lyon demonstration and calls on French government to fulfill its responsibility
Yerkir
21.03.2006 17:30
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – As reported by the ARF Press service, the
ARF Western Europe Central Committee has condemned the Turkish
demonstration held in Lyon on March 18. The Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) calls on the French government to carefully watch
the cases of denying the Armenian genocide in France.
The ARF condemns the decision by the Rhone region governor to sanction
this hate and denial demonstration, though he was informed upfront
about the real goal of the demonstration and that Turkish government
had secretly contributed to this demonstration through the Turkish
embassy in Paris and Turkish consulate in Lyon.
He was also aware of the contribution the Grey Wolves, a fascist
organization.
The ARF notes that using the Grey Wolves threatens France and the
French people.
The Turkish government on the highest level has decided to organize
the Turkish communities in Europe. The March 18 demonstrations in
Lyon and Berlin were the first expressions of the Turkish government’s
involvement.
The Lyon demonstration had a clear characteristics of the Genocide
denial, something unacceptable to a country like France. France has
to immediately undertake adequate steps to end the development of
that damaging movement.
We demand that an investigation be launched to find the organizers
of the demonstration and to unveil the involvement of the Turkish
government in the demonstration, as well as to put an end to any
anti-Armenian expression against the French Armenians.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANC OF CANADA AND ARF’S ARMEN GARO STUDENT UNION PARTICIPATE IN UNESCO’S CANADA COMMISSION GENERAL MEETING
Yerkir
21.03.2006 12:31
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – UNESCO’s Canada commission held its 46th general
meeting on March 16-18 at the OMNI Hotel in Montreal.
Jean Mkrtchian, representative of the Armenian National Committee
of Canada, Ms. Artemis Mkrtchian as well as Hurik Hayrapetian and
Dvin Topuzian, both representing the ARF’s Armen Garo Student Union,
participated in the March 17 session as observers.
The Armenian delegation and Arpi Hamalian, the director of the
Educational Sector of the UNESCO’s Canada Commission, met with the
Commission’s Secretary General David Valdeni and raised the issue of
the destruction of the Armenian historical monuments in Old Julfa of
Azerbaijan’s Nakhijevan region.
The secretary general was also informed of the miserable state of the
Armenian architectural monuments in the Western Armenia. Mr. Valdeni
said he has sent the ANCC and Armen Garo letters to Paris expecting
relevant solutions.

PRICE OF ELECTRICITY DECIDED
Lragir/am
21 March 06
Now we can be sure to state that the citizen of the Republic of Armenia
will have to pay more not only for gas but also for electricity. The
Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan and the Thermal Power Station of Yerevan
operate on gas have already submitted a bid with the Commission
of Public Utilities to increase by 90 per cent the tariff of the
electricity they produce. On March 21 Nikolay Grigoryan, Deputy
Chairman of the Commission, announced that the price of electricity
will increase by 3 drams. Though producers on gas have bid a higher
price, the impact will not be visible, since the energy these thermal
plants generate comprises 25 per cent of energy in Armenia, which is
mainly required in winter months.

RUSSIANS NEEDN’T BE JEALOUS
Lragir/am
21 March 06
On March 14 and 15 the tenth sitting of the Russian-Armenian
Parliamentary Commitee took place in Moscow. On March 21 Vahan
Hovanisyan, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, the head of the
Armenian delegation, informed about the results of the sitting.
“The work of the Russian-Armenian Parliamentary Committee is becoming
more effective, this is the evaluation of the Russian party,”
reported Vahan Hovanisyan. The speaker did not say what standards of
effectiveness the Russians applied; however, he told what the Armenians
had explained to Russians rather than what had been discussed. “We
kindle tensions, problems are not a reason to be insulted.” For
instance, they said our bilateral relations do not depend on us only,
because there are two countries between our countries, one of these
has problems with Russia, the other is openly hostile towards Armenia.
They also explained that Armenians have never been happy about ferry
services across the Black Sea, because thus the hope for operating the
Abkhazian railroad fades away. Besides, the ferry is not efficient and
does not justify itself. “Goods are not transported from Armenia. The
prices are too high. The importance of cutting prices was set down
in the document adopted by the committee, which will be extended to
the Russian government. If only the political component is viewed
in the ferry, it will not work. The ferry services must be rendered
profitable.” And the hope for operation of the Abkhazian railroad fades
due to the initiative of the Russia-Iran communication via Azerbaijan.
Armenians are concerned publicly.
The Russians were informed that the Armenian businessmen working
in blockade for 15 years have found alternative ways. In general,
the Armenians have explained and proposed to the Russians not to
feel jealous when Armenia seeks for alternatives in communications,
energy sources and other sphere.
In Russian-Armenian relations Armenia is to blame for education
only. In Russian authoritative universities provide 50 scholarships
to Armenia, but these places remain empty.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DEPUTY SPEAKER SAYS THERE IS HOPE WITH REGARD TO PRICE OF GAS
Lragir/am
21 March 06
On March 14 and 15 the Russian-Armenian Parliamentary Committee
discussed the price of the Russian gas. The head of the Armenian
delegation Vahan Hovanisyan announced without details that there were
positive moves and there is reason for optimism.
The deputy speaker of the Russian Duma Vladimir Zhirinovsky announced
that if Armenia wants to buy gas at a lower price, it has to enter
the Russia-Belarus Union. Vahan Hovanisyan said this is the opinion
of one person, or the political party he represents, and the Russian
Federation did not offer this to Armenia. The price of gas and the
steps and standpoint of Russia that are far from being pro-Armenian,
have kindled anti-Russian moods both in political circles and among
people. Pro-Russian stance is being replaced by pragmatism, states
Vahan Hovanisyan, who explained to Russians that if “insensible
persons dominate Russian politics, they will bring about changes”
that will not benefit the Russian Federation.
In Yerevan Vahan Hovanisyan elucidated for the Armenian reporters
that the price of gas is boosted by Gasprom and not the Russian
state. “It is not important that the state owns 51 per cent of shares
of Gasprom.” Vahan Hovanisyan believes that the Russian Federation is
becoming a country which lives under the rules of liberal markets,
where the economy dictates policies. In this case there is nothing
left to do but to “make changes in our national interests and introduce
new components in the Russian-Armenian relations.”

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
March 21, 2006
DIOCESE JOINS RELIGIOUS LEADERS SEEKING MID-EAST PEACE
Vartkes Balian, a member of the Legate’s Committee, represented the Diocese
of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) during a recent gathering of
religious leaders at the U.S. State Department in Washington, D.C.
Christian, Jewish, and Muslim leaders, representing 25 national
organizations, met with Karen Hughes, undersecretary for public diplomacy
and public affairs, on Tuesday, February 28, 2006. The meeting was part of
an organizational appeal urging President Bush to make Israeli-Palestinian
peace a priority for U.S. policy.
During the meeting, the religious leaders expressed the desire to see
continued humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, while agreeing with
President Bush’s insistence that Hamas, the newly elected leaders of the
Palestinian Authority, reject violence and recognize Israel.
They specifically asked the Bush administration to press for an immediate
and comprehensive ceasefire, work to assure that the agreement on Gaza is
fully implemented, press both sides to implement their initial Road Map
obligations, and appoint an on-the-ground envoy to manage and monitor
negotiations.
The gathering was organized by National Interreligious Leadership Initiative
for Peace in the Middle East, which was founded in 2003. In a statement on
the meeting, organizers said that they believe “achieving peace in Jerusalem
and the Holy Land is not only essential for Israelis and Palestinians, but
for reducing the threat of global terrorism and easing tensions among
religious communities worldwide.”
The Diocesan Legate’s Committee, of which Balian is a member, is an advisory
board that works with Bishop Vicken Aykazian, legate and ecumenical officer,
to promote the ecumenical and interfaith efforts of the Diocese.
“It is important that our legate and the Legate’s Committee continue taking
an active interest in the status of the Holy Land,” said Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Primate. “As both Christians and Armenians, we have a strong
historical tie to the Holy Land. It is vital that our voice be heard in
Washington, the United Nations, and around the world, for we are also
stakeholders in the lasting future of the Holy Land.”
— 3/21/06
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