LENNMARKER TO REPORT ON KARABAKH AT OSCE PA SESSION
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 13:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The discussions at the 15th annual session of
the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly to be held in Brussels July 3-7
will focus on the regional security, human rights, conduction of
elections, secret jails and trafficking in people. The resulting
document with recommendations on the issues discussed will be adopted
during the session. The report on Nagorno Karabakh prepared by OSCE
PA rapporteur Goran Lennmarker will be heard at the sitting of the
Permanent Committee July 4.

RA PREMIER TO PARTICIPATE IN ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE SITTING
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 13:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan will
depart for Georgia July 7 to take part in the recurrent sitting of the
Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Committee on Economic Cooperation,
RA government’s press office told PanARMENIAN.Net. The sitting of the
Committee will be held in Ajaria according to a bilateral agreement.

TURKS-MESKHETIANS ARRIVED IN JAVAKHK AS “TOURISTS”
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 13:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Some 40 Turks-Meskhetians arrived in Javakhk. They
visited the villages of Khavet and Davni, Akhalkalak region, where
their ancestors used to live. When talking with Armenians residing
in the villages the Turks said they arrived as tourists and have no
intention to resettle there, reported A-info news agency. To note,
after the expulsion of Turks-Meskhtians in 1944 their houses in
the Aspindza and Adyga regions in Samtskhe Javakhetia were occupied
by Georgians.

CONGRESSMEN CALLED ON U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE TO RECONSIDER AMB. EVANS RECALL
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Four leading Congressional friends of Armenia, George
Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA), and Congressional Caucus
Co-Chairmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), have
strongly encouraged Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to reconsider
the recall of Ambassador John Evans, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA). In a June 22nd letter, the legislators
noted that “after months of speculation,” the recall of Ambassador
Evans “was confirmed when the President nominated Richard Hoagland
to serve as the new United States Ambassador to the Republic of
Armenia on May 23. While there has been no official acknowledgement
that Ambassador Evans removal was a result of his February 2005
statement that the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th
Century, all evidence points to that conclusion.” The Congressional
letter closed with the four legislators expressing their belief that
“the United States must formally recognize the Armenian Genocide,
and we will continue to work towards that goal. Allowing John Evans
to continue as Ambassador to Armenia sends a strong message on the
necessity of Turkish recognition, and will be an important step in
establishing the U.S. position on the Armenian Genocide.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WILL ARMENIA EXPORT OIL?
Artem Yerkanyan “PanARMENIAN.Net” analytical department
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.06.2006 GMT+04:00
International experts are optimistic about the restarted works in
search for oil and gas occurrences.
In September Transeuroenegery Corporation, Canada, will launch
exploring works to search for hydrocarbon in Armenia. The essential
equipment will be brought in the near future and very soon it will
be possible to say whether Armenia has a chance to enter the cartel
of oil exporting states.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Specialists spoke of the necessity of exploring
works still in 1950-ies. In mid 1970-ies the matter grew serious. But
at that time the exploration was rather scientific than commercial
and no serious funds were invested in it. Now the optimism has grown
and Transeuroenegery Corporation has long-term plans. Canadians are
ready to spend over $10.5 million on the first stage of the works
that will take some 5 years. If things go well new investments will
be made. The other day the company leadership concluded an agreement
with a foreign company engaged in prospecting of oil and gas, which
will deliver modern equipment to Armenia. This equipment will allow
prospecting the bowels of the earth at a depth of 2500 km. The works
will start in September while the first results will be known in
February 2007. The Yerevan office administration is more optimistic
about gas than oil. It should be also noted that the gas-well boring is
easier. The exploring works will be launched in three Armenian regions
– Armavir, Krasnoselsk and Shoghaghbyur. The Armavir sector is rated
as the most promising. The only question is how much it will cost.
The first serious attempt to set oil and gas prospecting on a
commercial path was made 10 years ago. At that time the California
Energy Commission came to rather optimistic conclusion on oil
and gas occurrences in the Armavir sector and even calculated the
presumable amount of oil. January 27, 1997 the Armenian government
and the Armenian-American exploration company signed a contract on
prospecting in the Armavir license sector. The works were launched
the same year however they did not last long. In July 2000, after
the death of company owner Alen Poslen, the works were stopped. Since
that time the company has just been processing the data received and
looking for financial partners. In early 2004 Canada-based Idusmin
Energy purchased the rights of the Armenian-American exploring company
and resume works in Armavir. In autumn the company was renamed into
Transeuroenegery Corporation. Before this the Canadians proceeded to
prospecting in the northeast sector near Krasnoselks. In January 2003
the Corporation signed an appropriate memorandum with Geoenergetika
CJSC. At that time Indusmin Energy received the right for conduction
of exploring works on a territory of 3.5 thousand km2.
“I am sure there are oil and gas deposits in Armenia,” said Head of
the Corporation Armenian Office Mike Smith. According to him, the
optimist is conditioned by the fact that there are rich occurrences of
hydrocarbon stuff very close to the Armenian border with Turkey. There
are also hydrocarbon occurrences in Georgia and foreign companies have
already invested over $70 million in oil exploring in Georgia. By
the way, Indusmin Energy, which is engaged in prospecting works in
two geological sectors in Imeretia, was among the investors. The
Canadians put up over $35 million.
They bored a well that has given 160-170 tons of oil annually since
1995. In Ninotsminda region, Javakhk, oil is being prospected
for a long time already. It’s unnecessary to speak of Iran and
Azerbaijan. Thus, if all our neighbors have hydrocarbon we should
have it too. The problem is that no proper attention was paid to oil
and gas prospecting. Now, when the matter is seriously treated we
can hope that Armenia will transform from an oil importing country
into an exporting one.

PUBLIC ORGANIZATION WANTS ARMENIA TO WRITE IN CLASSICAL SPELLING
Panorama.am
15:23 24/06/06
The Union for Recovery of Mesropian Spelling again raised the issue
of shifting to classical spelling.
The head of Diaspora Research and Education Center Suren Danielean
(we write his surname in classical spelling upon his request) is sure
that the shift to classical spelling will further strengthen the ties
with the diaspora. He is sure that the differences between Western
Armenian and Eastern Armenians are caused by Russians. “Return to
classical spelling will be a return to our origins. That return will
signify unification because the diaspora does not recognize today
the communist edition,” he said.
Danielean was asked if they have studied public opinion on the issue
to which he answered, “it is not always that the relations between the
majority and minority reflect the truth. Our teachers were separated
from the diaspora and the diaspora separated the whole educational
system from Armenia.”
According to Danielean, 19 schools have shifted to classical spelling
in Armenia. This year 7 schools will also teach classical spelling,
including one in Echmiadzin and 6 in Yerevan.

TYSON SYMPATHIZES VIC DARCHINYAN
Panorama.am
14:54 24/06/06
“Amateurish box is a duel and professional box is a fight,”
Vakhtang Darchinyan (Vic), 5 times champion in professional
IBF boxing and 4 times world champion in IBO boxing told a press
conference today. Speaking on his upcoming fight with Omar Narvayes,
an Argentinean world champion in WBO boxing, Darchinyan said “he has
had 21 fights, never lost a game, has won by knock-outs a lot but I
will win over him and of coarse by knock-out.”
V. Darchinyan has been living in Australia for 6 years and fights
in professional boxing. He has combated 26 times and has as many
victories, 21 of which by knockouts.
Vakhtang says he is a close friend of world famous Mike Tyson and
the latter promised to be present during his fight with Mexican
Luis Maldonado in Las Vegas. However, before the fight Tyson called
Vakhtang saying that he cannot come promising to follow the game on
TV. The fight ended with the victory of Vakhtang Darchinyan over the
Mexican boxer.

WILL THE FESTIVAL BECOME TRADITIONAL?
Panorama.am
14:26 24/06/06
The participants of One Nation, One Culture festival, which launched
yesterday evening, were discontent with the organizational matters
upon their visit to Tsitsernakaberd. They put flowers on the eternal
fire commemorating the genocide victims and also planted a tree in
the fir-tree grove.
Vigen Sargsyan, president assistant, who deals with the organization
of the festival, was not aware of the discontents. Tamar Poghosyan,
who has won the title of unsuccessful culture vice minister told that
discontents are due to large number of participants.
In her words, delegations from 20 countries take part totaling 2000
participants.
“Nothing can be perfect. We deal with 2000 people and each has her/her
own demands, understanding and mentality. Difficulties are mainly
connected with the lack of information. We really have problems in
organizational matters since we cannot provide the level of service
for such mass events. Some think that they will get personal service
cars. There are some groups which have performed on big stages of
the world. We provide whatever we have. We should work with the
delegations and explain them,” T. Poghosyan said.

OLYMPIC DAY OF RUNNING RACE HELD IN YEREVAN
Panorama.am
13:37 24/06/06
Running on the occasion of Olympic day of race started in Yerevan
today at 10.00 from the Republic Square.
The action is held in many countries around the globe and nominates
the anniversary of the establishment of International Olympic
Committee (June 24, 1894). The participants of the race, students
and schoolchildren, will run to Hrazdan stadium. Certificates will be
handed to the first 20 winners of the race. The runners will be met by
the National Olympic Committee of Armenia and other Olympic champions.
The transport movement is partly stopped in the city due to the
race.

URBAN ASSAULT RACERS TAKE ON AUSTIN
By Kate Alexander
Austin American-Statesman , TX
June 25 2006
Bike race requires blood, sweat and sense of humor
Austin’s urban warriors faced their foe Sunday morning and it was
not the four-foot rubber duckie, with its bulbous head and mocking,
wide-eyed grin.
Though vexing, the rubber duckie and its tendency to tip could be
overcome. Mount Bonnell proved a far greater challenge.
For Team Crazed Armenians, just the idea of the gravity-defying climb
up Mount Bonnell had them questioning their fortitude.
“You want to talk about our strategy?” asked Shant Donabedian, as
they prepared to take off toward the daunting hill.
“Survive,” responded teammate Krikor Deurdulian.
Some 800 competitors in the third annual Austin Subaru Urban Assault
bike race slogged through foam, slip-n-slides and potato sack races
along the 20 to 25 mile trek. One of seven races across the country,
the contest in Austin, the race’s hometown, is by far the largest,
said race director Josh Kravetz. The Dallas contest last month drew
300 racers.
The goal: ride to checkpoints throughout Austin and complete the
various challenges at each destination.
At the Rowing Dock on Town Lake, one member of the team had to mount
the enormous rubber duckie as the other person swam them , duckie in
tow, to a buoy and back. The duckie was rarely cooperative.
Other challenges had the teams searching for plastic aquatic animals
in a vat of foam, riding mini-bikes through an obstacle course and
running a potato-sack race.
At the same time, the competitors had to decipher the clues to three
local landmarks. The clues led them to Mount Bonnell, the University
of Texas Tower and Treaty Oak.
The first two-person team to collect the beads at all 10 checkpoints
and return to Run-Tex on Riverside Drive won.
That honor went to doctors Lee Chilton and Brannan Smoot, who repeated
their victory from the first urban assault race in 2003.
Team Inaugural winners said the key to their dominance is planning.
“You win the race in the days before it and not on the day of,”
Smoot said.
Chilton left a good chunk of skin on the asphalt near the corner of
Barton Springs Drive and Lamar Boulevard when he hit a grease spot
in a parking lot and took a tumble off his bike. But a little blood
dripping down his leg did not slow them down. They completed the race
in just over an hour and a half.