REVAZ GACHICHELADZE: I HAVE ONE MAJOR MISSION – TO REINFORCE THE CENTURIES-LONG FRIENDSHIP OF THE TWO PEOPLES
ArmRadio
20.03.2006 17:24
“I have one major mission – to reinforce the centuries-long friendship
of the two peoples,” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
Georgia to Armenia Revaz Gachicheladze considers the Georgian-Armenian
relations in this context.
The Georgian Minister of Conflict Resolution Georgi Khaindrava had
characterized the accident in Tsalka and the murder of the Armenian
young man as criminal. According to him, this was a mere hooliganism,
which should be punished with law. The Ambassador and the Minister
do not see an interethnic conflict behind the murder of the Armenian
young man. “Our country is not homogeneous.
Therefore, it is not excluded that representatives of other nations
may be killed in the result of 150-200 murders carried out annually.”
Georgian authorities demonstrate differentiated attitude to Javakhk
Armenians. For instance, the salaries of Armenian teachers are
lower. Revaz Gachicheladze, however, does not share this opinion.
“High salaries encourage Georgian specialists to come and teach in
Javakhk,” the diplomat clarified.

4 ACTIONS WERE SUITED OVER ELECTORAL FRAUD
Lragir/am
20 March 06
Four actions were suited over electoral fraud during the constitutional
referendum on November 27, 2005, based on the information Speaker
Arthur Baghdasaryan had provided to the Office of Public Prosecutor,
stated Arthur Baghdasaryan on March 20. The Public Prosecutor gave
this information to the speaker of the National Assembly. There
has already been a ruling. The guilty was sentenced to 6 years of
imprisonment. The speaker vowed to inform the members of parliament
about further facts from the Office of Public Prosecutor.

THE REAR OF KARABAKH ARMY STRENGTHENED
Lragir/am
20 March 06
The army is the chief guarantee of our security, said NKR President
Arkady Ghukasyan during the housewarming ceremony of the houses
built for the officers of the Defense Army. In the 13th quarter of
the center of Stepanakert two blocks of 12 apartments were built. On
March 20 the documents of the apartments were given to 24 officers.
During the opening ceremony President Ghukasyan said the government
and the army command must solve together the problems that will allow
our soldiers to carry out their duty, knowing that their families
are secure. “We defend our independence and try to fulfill the things
that our killed friends had dreamed of,” said Arkady Ghukasyan.
Seyran Ohanyan, Minister of Defense, said in 2005 750 million drams
was allocated for the housing of servicemen. In 2006 1 billion 200
million drams was allocated for the same purpose. Another 300 million
drams will be provided for the construction of houses for the families
of killed azatamartiks.

PROSPECTS OF XXI SEVENTH INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL
Lragir/am
20 March 06
In 2000 the Armenian Music Information Center established the
international music festival “Prospects of XXI”. The president of the
festival Stepan Rostomyan said this is the only festival of classical
music in Armenia, and is one of the important events in the CIS.
The London Symphony Orchestra, Yuri Bashmet, the Chronos Quartet,
the Tokyo String Quartet, Stephen Isserlis, Alexey Lyubimov and
other musicians and orchestras have arrived in Armenia for the
festival. Their visit is a great cultural event for any country. The
participants of the festival say Prospects of XXI has brought the
top classical quality to Armenia.
The seventh Prospects of XXI International Music Festival will
start with the concert of the outstanding German cello player David
Geringas. The musician is in Armenia with his wife Tatiana Geringas,
pianist. David Geringas has worked with the best orchestras of the
world, with such conductors as S.
Ratterley, G. Albrecht, Rostropovich, and others. The first concert
of the Geringas family will be on March 21, at the Chamber Music Hall.

ARMENIAN BOXERS ACHIEVE MEDALS IN WARSAW
ArmRadio
20.03.2006 17:56
Armenian boxer Gabriel Tolmajyan achieved a silver medal at the
international tornament after famous Polish trainer Felix Shtamm.
Another boxer of Armenia, Samvel Matevosyan from Vanadzor was also
struggling for a medal. He lost in the semifinal and achieved only
a bronze medal.
Three other Armenian sportsmen were participating in the
tournament. None of them managed to reach the semifinal, which would
guarantee at least a bronze medal.
The trainer of the Armenian team is Rafael Mehrabyan.

DID ARMENIAN SPECIAL SERVICES PLOT AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST AZERI PRESIDENT?
16:2 4 03/20/2006
“Counter-intelligence into the case of junior sergeant of N military
unit of the Azeri Defense Ministry Bekirov Ruslan Hagani Oglu, 1985,
called up by the Shamkir military commissariat and held in captivity
by the Armenians Feb 15-May 7 2005, has proved that he was in secret
cooperation with the Armenian secret services,” reports APA, referring
to the PR department of the National Security Ministry.
Misled by the Armenians, the commander of the N unit Ruslan Bekirov,
together with his men Abdulayev Hayal Idris Oglu, 1986, and Tagiyev
Hikmet Adem Oglu, 1983, deserted to the enemy Feb 15 2005, thereby
betraying his Fatherland and causing detriment to the national
security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and defense of the
Azerbaijani Republic.
Upon being brought back from captivity by ICRC, Bekirov admitted his
cooperation with the Armenians. But counter-intelligence showed that
Bekirov’s first testimony was part of the Armenians’ secret plan. As a
result, Bekirov confessed that the Armenians persuaded him, Abdullayev
and Tagiyev into secret cooperation.
They met with Bekirov 7 times and, finally, got him to pledge secret
cooperation on paper and video. They nicked him “Ramin” and told
him how to keep contact. They promised him $3,000-4,000 for each
mission. An Armenian secret agent, calling himself Rudik, told Bekirov
to organize blasts on the route of the Azeri president, at BTC and in
the territory of Haydar Aliyev Airport as well as to photograph various
military-strategic facilities and to send the pictures to Armenia.
All the above facts were proved. The Military Council of the AR Court
on Grave Crimes ruled Oct 7 to imprison Bekirov and Abdullayev for
12 years — for high treason (article 274), desertion at war time or
on duty (334.3), abuse of duty (338.1) and abuse of powers (341.3),
while Tagiyev for 11 years — for high treason (274), desertion at
war time or on duty (334.3) and abuse of duty (338.1).

EVENTS IN TSALKA HAVE NO ETHNIC CONTEXT
Lragir/am
20 March 06
The recent murder of an Armenian and stabbing of two Armenians in the
Georgian town of Tsalka does not have an ethnic context, assures the
Georgian ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachecheladzeh. He announced that
the offender had been arrested and will get a punishment. However,
the breaking of windows of the university, the courthouse, the
protest actions of Armenians were also battering, said the Georgian
ambassador. “Every year 150-200 murders are reported in Georgia. The
population of Georgia is not homogeneous, and in a number of cases the
murderer and the victim have different nationalities. But this does
not mean that all these murders were committed on an ethnic ground,”
said the Georgian ambassador.

GEORGIA IS INTERESTED IN GETTING IRANIAN GAS THROUGH ARMENIAN TERRITORY
ArmRadio
20.03.2006 18:08
“Georgia is interested in getting Iranian gas through Armenia’s
territory,” Georgian Ambassador Revaz Gachicheladze declared today.
Revaz Gachicheladze underlined that this will be beneficial for both
Armenia and Georgia.
Commenting on the project of construction of the
Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway, the Georgian diplomat said that
his country considers this project in the context of joining the
international railroad network. The Ambassador underlined that
in case Armenia had agreed with Turkey on reconstruction of the
Kars-Gyumri railway, there would be no necessity of constructing the
new Kars-Akhalkalak-Tbilisi railway.

GEORGIA TEMPTED BY IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PROJECT – AMBASSADOR
Yerkir
17:23 | 20/ 03/ 2006
YEREVAN, March 20 (RIA Novosti, Gamlet Matevosyan) – Georgia is
interested in a project to transport natural gas from Iran via Armenia,
a Georgian diplomat said Monday.
“We are interested in the project to construct an Iran-Armenia
pipeline. However … the pipeline being built has a smaller diameter
than was expected at 700 mm,” said Revaz Gachechiladze, Georgia’s
ambassador in Armenia.
If constructed, the pipeline would not be enough even for Armenia,
he said, adding that both Georgia and Armenia would benefit from
transit using a pipeline of larger diameter.
The agreement to build the 141-km pipeline was signed in May 2004,
and will cost an estimated $210-220 mln, including $120 mln for the
Armenian section. Construction started in Armenia November 30, and
the project is to be finished by January 2007.
Under the agreement, Iran will supply Armenia with 36 bln cubic meters
of natural gas over 20 years, with an option to extend the contract
for five years and increase total supplies to 47 bln cu m.
The natural gas will be used for electricity generation for Armenia’s
domestic needs and for export to Iran.
Iran began natural-gas supplies to Georgia via Azerbaijan to ease
a crisis that erupted amid freezing temperatures in January after
explosions on a pipeline in Russia, previously Georgia’s only
supplier. However, frequent supply interruptions due to technical
failures in Azerbaijan have caused problems with the transit.

‘ARMENIA AND ARMENIANS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF WORLD CULTURE’ CONFERENCE TO BE HELD IN KRASNODAR
Yerkir
20.03.2006 17:31
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – “Armenia and Armenians within the Context of World
Culture ” scientific conference will be held in Krasnodar April 25,
reported Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia.
The event was initiated by the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic
Church, the Kuban State University, the North Caucasian History
Institute and the Armenian community of Krasnodar. A collection of
speeches will be published upon completion of the conference, which
is dated to the to the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide in the
Ottoman Empire in 1915-1923 when about 2 million of Armenians were
killed. It should be noted that a conference dedicated to the Armenian
Genocide was held in Kransodar in 2005 as well.
That time Turkish Consul General in Novorossiysk Ahmet Riza Derimer
protested the event and addressed a formal letter to the rector of
the Kuban State University. Nevertheless the conference took place
and a statements calling on the Turkish authorities to recognize the
Armenian Genocide was adopted upon its completion.