MEMBERS OF INVESTIGATION GROUP ON ACTION BROUGHT ON CASE OF “A-320” PLANE CRASH SENT ON MISSION TO SOCHI
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Within the frameworks of the preliminary
investigation on the criminal action brought on the case of May 3,
2006 accident of the “A-320” aircraft of the “Armavia” company, members
of the RA Prosecutor’s General Office investigation group headed by
Hakob Karakhanian, investigator of the especially important cases
department attached to the RA Prosecutor’s General Office were sent
on mission to Sochi on May 11. The web-site of the RA Prosecutor’s
General Office informs about it. According to the agreement reached
between the RA and RF Prosecutors General, investigation group members
of the RA Prosecutor’s General Office, with the assistance of the
RA Prosecutor’s employees, will held a number of examinations, other
necessary investigating activities in the Sochi airport. Members of
the investigation group of the RA Prosecutor’s General Office will
give Russian partners materials got as a result of the invetigating
activities undertaken by them, they will exchange information. It is
expected that the Russian side will give the Armenian partners the
recording of the conversation taken place among the flying control
officers of the Sochi airport and the “A-320” pilot. The recording
reproduces the last 15-20 minutes of the flight.

WORKS OF SANITARY CLEANING AND PLANTING OF GREENERY CONTINUED IN VAYOTS DZOR
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEGHEGNADZOR, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Deadlines of the month of sanitary
cleaning and planting of greenery stated on March 20 were postponed
in the marz of Vayots dzor till in late May. As of May 10, works of
sanitary cleaning were implemented in 44 communities of the marz,
in 34 of which trees were planted as well. For the tree planting,
the Governor’s Office allocated about 35 thousand plants of ash-trees
to the communities. Community heads’ offices, public organizations
and individual citizens bought other 10 thousand plants. Members of
the “Miasnutyan Tsaratunk” (Unity Tree Planting) office headed by RA
Prosecutor General Aghvan Hovsepian planted trees in the communities
of Yelpini and Vernashen on May 7.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHOLE GAIN FROM SALE OF WORKS BY PUPILS OF COLLEGE AFTER TERLEMEZIAN TO BE GIVEN TO FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF A-320 PLANE ACCIDENT
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition-sale of works by pupils
of Painting College after Terlemezian dedicated to the memory of the
passengers who died in the accident of Yerevan-Sochi plane opened on
May 11 at Yerevan Mayor’s Office. 113 paintings are presented at the
exhibition under the title “Let’s Support Those Alive” organized on the
initiative of the HayArt cultural center of Mayor’s Office. According
to center Director Rita Sharoyan, the whole gain from the sale of
the paintings will be given to the victims’ families.
According to her, the pupils of the college tried to render assistance
to the families of the victims this way. The first picture presented
at the exhibition, amounting to 90 thousand drams (200 USD), was
bought by Mayor Yervand Zakharian.

SERIES OF ONE-WEEK EVENTS DEDICATED TO DAY OF EUROPE START IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. Series of one-week events dedicated
to Day of Europe started on May 11 at the Armenian State Museum of
National Art. More than 80 works by the pupils of 4 children’s painting
institutions of the country were presented at the event organized on
the initiative of the European Movement of Armenia. Representative
of the European Commission in Armenia George Miller said that today
Armenia is included in the New Neighborhood European program and has
submitted an Actions Plan, which is being approved.
Cooperation between EU and Armenia within the framework of the New
Neighborhood proceeds at the governmental level: the high-ranking
officials of the two sides take part in it. “But there are many
challenges before Armenia that should be overcome,” G.Miller said.

TRADITIONAL MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT OF VAHIK LEVONIAN HELD IN VAYOTS DZOR
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEGHEGNADZOR, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. A memorial volley-ball
tournament of Soviet Union hero Vahik Levonian was held on May 4-9 in
Yeghegnadzor. The tournament was held already for the third year after
almost a 20-year interval on the initiative of the hero’s relatives
and with the assistance of Vayots Dzor administration. Teams of 9
communities and the military unit dislocated in the region competed
this time. The solemn ceremony of closing the memorial tournament
took place on May 9 in Arpi, at the secondary school named after
V.Levonian. The Yeghegnadzor team was recognized the winner of the
tournament and won the challenge cup for the third time. The teams
of Arpi nd Chiva took the second and third places, respectively.

ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOOTBALL FEDERATIONS’ HEADS TO MEET ON MAY 12 IN NYON
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The meeting of the Football Federations
delegations of Armenia and Azerbaijan to take place in the UEFA office
in Nyon, Switzerland, on May 12. FFA Chairman Ruben Hayrapetian,
FFA Executive Director Armen Minasian and Alexan Haroutiunian, the RA
President’s and RA Government’s authorized representative, the Council
Chairman of the Public Television and Radio of Armenia will participate
in the meeting from Armenia. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press
Secretariate of the Football Federation of Armenia, Azerbaijan will
participate in the meeting with a similar format as well.
UEFA Executive Committee members Per Ravn Omdal and Mathieu Sprengers
as well as UEFA Deputy Chief Executive Markus Studer will participate
in the meeting from the UEFA.

SAMVEL DARBINIAN APPOINTED RA NATIONAL TEAM’S ACTING MAIN TRAINER
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. By FFA Chairman Ruben Hairapetian’s
decree, Samvel Darbinian was appointed the acting main trainer of the
National Team of Armenia. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press
Secretariate of the Football Federation of Armenia, S.Darbinian headed
the National Team of Armenia in 1995-1996 as well.

YOUTH FOOTBALL TEAM OF ARMENIA TO LEAVE FOR SAN MARINO ON MAY 15
Noyan Tapan
May 11 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The Youth Football Team of Armenia
headed by trainer Samvel Petrosian will leave for San Marino on May
15 to participate the San Marino-Armenia meeting of the qualification
stage of the Europe Championship of up to 21 years old. FFA Executive
Committee member Artak Mnatsakanian will head the FFA delegation. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Secretariate of the Football
Federation of Armenia, Armen Gyulbudaghiants, the main trainer of
the National Team of up to 19 years old people of Armenia and Arsen
Chilingarian, the main trainer of the National Team of up to 17 years
old young men will leave for San Marino with the Youth Team of Armenia.

TURKEY IN GENOCIDE DISPUTE WITH NATO ALLIES
By Amberin Zaman
Voice of America
May 11 2006
Turkey has pulled out of a NATO military exercise in Canada and is
considering sanctions against France for supporting Armenians who
want the mass slaughter of their kin by Ottoman-Turk forces during
and after World War I recognized as genocide.
Members of Turkey’s Workers’ Party hold banners reading ‘The genocide
lie is an American game’. A senior Turkish foreign ministry official
confirmed Turkey would not be participating in an air force training
exercise in Canada.
Turkey’s withdrawal is the latest in a series of moves aimed at
conveying Ankara’s anger over Canadian policy.
Turkey recalled its ambassador last week after Canada’s prime minister,
Stephen Harper, characterized the mass slaughter of hundreds of
thousands of Armenians by the Ottoman Turks as genocide.
Mr. Harper’s comments came as the French parliament prepares to debate
a bill that would criminalize denial of the Armenian genocide and
the Jewish Holocaust following World War II.
Critics of the bill, which was introduced by the Socialist bloc, say
it is calculated to win votes from France’s 800,000 strong Armenian
community in elections scheduled for next year. The French move has
broader ramifications as France is one of the most powerful members
of the European Union, which Turkey hopes to join.
Turkey has always denied that a genocide took place, but there are
mounting calls from within the European Union to change its policy of
denial as a condition for membership. Many Turks see such pressure as
further evidence that the European Union does not want a poor Muslim
country within its ranks.
But despite the Ankara government’s tough rhetoric, including veiled
threats of economic sanctions against France, public debate on the
fate of the Ottoman Armenians is growing in Turkey. Some prominent
Turkish academics have gone as far as to say that the mass killings
did amount to genocide.
But even these intellectuals say they are opposed to France’s efforts
to criminalize denial of the Armenian genocide. They argue that such
laws can only help to vindicate similar laws in Turkey that penalize
Turks who dare to utter the word genocide in discussions of the fate
of the Armenians after World War I.

RUSSIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: EUROPEAN EXPANSION IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT RECOGNIZING LESSONS OF THE PAST
Regnum, Russia
May 11 2006
“European expansion, as well as developing cooperation within
CIS framework are impossible without recognizing lessons of the
past. It concerns not just the Armenian Genocide in 1915, but all
the consequences it caused for states, including legal, political and
moral ones,” chair of comparative politics department of Moscow State
Institute of International relations of Foreign Affairs Ministry of
the Russian Federation (MGIMO), Mikhail Ilyin, PhD, has said to a
REGNUM correspondent.
According to the analyst, the issue of recognizing the Armenian
Genocide in 1915 is settled for Russian society “naturally and
clear.” “Our ancestry as long ago as during World War I expressed
their solidarity with the Armenian people, and for me as a Russian,
this issue is clear as well.” “As for international recognition, I
am sure, without final and overall settlement of the issue, certain
countries, certain nations and the international community will face
difficulties in their movement forward,” the analyst is sure.
Earlier, eleven years ago, Russia officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide. The fact of the Armenian Genocide was recognized by many
countries, including France, Uruguay, lower chamber of the Italian
parliament, several US states, parliaments of Greece, Cyprus,
Argentina, Belgium, Wales, Swiss National Council, House of Commons
of the Canadian Parliament and Seym of Poland.