LARISA ALAVERDIAN: IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT WRITING LETTER TO COUNTRY
PRESIDENT IS VIOLATION OF CONSTITUTION
YEREVAN, MACRH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The human rights violation in Armenia
is of a regulated character. RA first Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian
expressed such an opinion at the March 16 discussion organized
by the civil national initiative. According to her, particularly,
the process of violating the property rights of the Buzand street
inhabitants was implemented in conditions of different levels of
cooperation of the authorities.
According to L.Alaverdian, sale of a property may be implemented only
in the case when a profit for the society exists. But in this case,
one may speak about sale with corresponding compensation, but not
about an obliged buy and sale, when owners haven’t even the right to
have their property estimated by an independent agent.
In the given case, people were obliged to sign an agreement on sale
from the money got of which they had to pay taxes, when no taxes are
paid from the money got in the case of compensation.
The former Ombudsperson mentioned that when making an attempt to
draw the country administration’s attention to all these, she wrote
a letter to the RA President, persuading the latters to address to
the Constitutional Court on that issue, a response was got in which
she was accused of violating point 5 of the Constitution with the
explanation that she carried out actions which aren’t arisen of the
Ombudsperson’s commissions. “It became clear that writing a letter
to the President of the republic is a violation of the Constitution,”
Larisa Alaverdian mentioned.
While, according to her, it’s spoken only about the money problem:
people demanded such a size of money which will allow to buy flats
instead of the ones taken from them. According to L.Alaverdian,
in the case of fulfilling those demands, those people or groups of
people the interests of who were classified higher than the interests
of inhabitants at all levels of the authorities, will have no great
losses.
Touching upon the problem of violating the right of judicial
protection, Larisa Alaverdian mentioned that this issue is spoken
about so much that the Ombudsperson’s speech seems to be late. But
according to her, one must give the alarm not about dependence of
judges but about absence of a just legal action. According to her,
for complaints against an unjust decision made by a judge, it isn’t
much important who appoints that judge.

DANGER OF AVIAN INFLUENZA SOFTENED IN ARMENIA, REPRESENTATIVE OF RA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE ASSURES
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The avian influenza danger is
softened in Armenia as not a great number of swans will come to the
republic because of natural climatic conditions. Grisha Baghian,
the Chief of the Veterinary Service Department of the RA Ministry
of Agriculture made such a statment in the March 16 interview to
journalists. According to him, during the last month cases of bird flu
were fixed mainly among swans. And there were yet no swans flying over
Armenia this year. G.Baghian also mentioned that according to data of
poultry keepers of Armenia, about 100 swans may come to the republic.

RESULTS OF COMPETITION HELD AMONG ANALYSTS AND EXPERTS SUMMED UP
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Caucasus Institute for Democracy”
development program summed up on March 16 results of a competition
announced among experts and analysts 2 months ago. According to them,
among the more than 30 presented works, Vahagn Aglian was honoured with
the first prize, 300 thousand drams and diploma for the work dedicated
to development of relations of Russia and the South Caucasus. Prizes
of 200 thousand drams and dimplomas were awarded to Artak Shakarian
for the work concerning the process of Turkey’s membership to the
European Union, and Haroutiun Khachatrian, Noyan Tapan agency expert,
for the work “Armenia: Economy Growth Potential of Coming Years.”
Sergey Shakariants for the work “Kosovo and Artsakh,” Hayk Demoyan and
Sergey Minasian correspondingly for the works “Islamic Mercenaries
in Karabakh War” and “Military-Technical Aspects of Regional Safety
and Problems of Control towards Armament in South Caucasus,” were
awarded the third prize of 150 thousand drams each and dimplomas.
Others of other 3 works were awarded encouriging prizes of 50 thousand
drams each: Hrant Ter-Abrahamian and Levon Ghazarian for the works
concerning problems relating to Iran, and Arshak Ohanian for the
analysis of the U.S., NATO and Russia relations and policy with the
South Caucasus.
While summing up the competition results, Gagik Ter-Haroutiunian, the
head of the jury, the Director of the “Noravank” scientific-educational
center, attached serious importance to the issue that analytical
society is formed in Armenia the evidence of what is that the
considerable part of more than 30 works are analytical works of
a rather high quality. Estimating the works, the jury took into
account the authors’ independence and the general quality of the
works. The organizers also mentioned that the competition will become
a traditional one.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL CONSULTATIONS ON ARMENIAN-GERMAN FINANCIAL AND
TECHNICAL COOPERATION TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON MAY 20-21
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Intergovernmental consultations
on the Armenian-German finnacial and technical cooperation will be
held in Yerevan on May 20-21. NT correspondent was informed at the RA
Ministry of Finance and Economy that during the meeting the sides will
address a number of financial and technical programs. Particularly,
they intend to discuss issues related to the energy, health and
municipal infrastructures sectors, the mortgage crediting market,
as well as issues of assistance for small and medium business.
The Armenian Co-Chairman of the Intergovernmental Commission is the
RA Minister of Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatrian, and the German
Co-Chairman – the Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development
of Germany Rolf Baldus.

Australian Associated Press Pty. Ltd.
AAP Newsfeed
March 17, 2006 Friday 8:54 PM AEST
Wght: Sarkisian retires after missing medal
by Sam Lienert
MELBOURNE March 17
Decorated Australian weightlifting veteran Yourik Sarkisian retired
from the sport in disappointment today, after failing to win a medal
at the Commonwealth Games.
Immediately after failing in his final attempt of the competition,
the 44-year-old removed his shoes and held them up to the crowd,
signalling the end to his illustrious career The Armenian immigrant
won a silver medal for the Soviet Union at the Moscow Olympics in
1980 and broke numerous world records during his years in the sport.
However, after the competition today finished he suggested that the
retirement might not be permanent.
“Today I am stopped, next year I don’t know,” Sarkisian said.
Sri Lankan Chinthana Vidanage won the gold medal, with a total weight
of 271kg.
India’s Arun Murugesan, the pre-event favourite, lifted the same
weight, but Vidanage won out because of his lighter bodyweight.
Malaysia’s Roswadi Bin Abdul Rashid took the bronze medal with a
261kg total.
Sarkisian finished in eighth position with 255kg.
He said he felt before the competition he had the ability to win gold,
but had faltered under pressure in front of his home crowd.
“Too much pressure, I never feel this pressure before,” he said.
“I feel nervous, that never happened before too.”
It could almost have been much worse, after he failed in his first
two attempts at the snatch, with 113kg on the bar, before making the
lift with his third attempt.
That put him in equal fifth place affter the snatch, 8kg behind
leader Murugesan.
It meant he had to do something special in the clean and jerk to win
a medal.
After lifting 142kg with his first attempt, he moved up to 149kg,
which would have been enough for the bronze medal.
However, on both of his attempts at that weight, he could not even
complete the “clean” part of the lift.
After his final failure, he went and thumped the back wall with his
hand, raised his palms upwards with a look of resignation, before
removing his shoes and holding them to the cheering crowd.
That preluded an exciting conclusion to the gold medal battle.
With the final lift of the competition, Vidanage had to lift 153kg,
after failing in his previous attempt at 150kg, when the jury
overturned an earlier majority decision of the judges, who had awarded
him the lift.
It made it all the sweeter for him when he then hoisted the 153kg
weight, giving him the gold medal, Sri Lanka’s first medal of the
weightlifting in these Games.

ARMAVIA TO RESUME YEREVAN – TEL AVIV – YEREVAN FLIGHTS FROM MARCH 23
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting March 23, the Armavia
airline will resume Yerevan – Tel Aviv – Yerevan flights which
were discontinued due to the insufficient number of passengers. NT
correspondent was infomed from Armavia’s press service that the company
plans to operate new flights to Anapa and Donetsk this summer, as
well as to increase the number of flights in July in the following
destinations: Paris, Saint Petersburg, Samara, Odessa, Simferopol,
Beirut, Athens, Aleppo and Tehran. Armavia envisages to purchase two
new Airbus A-319 planes this year.
It was noted that in January-February 2006, Armavia operated 356
regular flights, transporting 26,700 passengers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Australian Associated Press Pty. Ltd.
AAP Newsfeed
March 17, 2006 Friday 8:54 PM AEST
Wght: Sarkisian bows out on sad note
by Sam Lienert
MELBOURNE March 17
Australian weightlifter Yourik Sarkisian’s long, illustrious career
came to a sad end at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne today.
The 44-year-old retired from the sport in disappointment immediately
after failing to win a medal in the 62kg division.
After failing in his final attempt of the competition, he removed
his shoes and held them up to his hometown crowd, the traditional
weightlifting gesture of retirement.
However, he later suggested the retirement might not be permanent.
“Today I am stopped, next year I don’t know,” Sarkisian said.
Sri Lankan Chinthana Vidanage won the gold medal, with a total weight
of 271kg.
India’s Arun Murugesan, the pre-event favourite, lifted the same
weight, but Vidanage won because of his lighter bodyweight.
Malaysia’s Roswadi Bin Abdul Rashid took the bronze medal with a
261kg total.
Sarkisian finished in eighth position with 255kg.
He said he felt he had been capable of winning gold, but had faltered
under pressure before his home crowd.
“Too much pressure, I never feel this pressure before,” he said.
“I feel nervous, that never happened before too.”
It could have been worse, he failed in his first two attempts at
the snatch, with 113kg on the bar, before making the lift with his
third attempt.
That put him in equal fifth place after the snatch, 8kg behind leader
Murugesan.
It meant he had to do something special in the clean and jerk to win
a medal.
After lifting 142kg with his first attempt, he moved up to 149kg,
which would have been enough for the bronze medal.
However, on both of his attempts at that weight, he could not even
complete the “clean” part of the lift.
After his final failure, he thumped the back wall with his hand,
raised his palms upwards with a look of resignation, before removing
his shoes and holding them to the cheering crowd.
Sarkisian, a native of Armenia who migrated to Australia in 1994,
won five world championship gold medals during his long career, broke
23 world records and won an Olympic silver medal for the Soviet Union
in 1980.
He also won three Commonwealth Games gold medals, in Manchester in
2002, and three silvers, in Kuala Lumpur in 1998.
Australian Weightlifting Federation president Sam Coffa said it was a
shame Sarkisian’s career did not end with a medal, after his amazing
contribution to the sport.
“He’s been a great competitor throughout the world, he’s possibly
one of the most decorated athletes our sport has ever seen,” he said.

SEVERAL BOILER-HOUSES TO BE PUT INTO OPERATION THIS YEAR
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. 7 months ago the US Agency for
International Development (USAID) started a program on apartment
heating, under which several boiler-houses will be put into operation
this year. The program director Gagik Hovhannisian said at the March
17 press conference that the allocated 1.5 mln USD will be used to put
these boiler-houses into operation and supply thousands of families
with heating. The program also envisages free advice services for
those organizations which will express an intention to participate
in the program on heating of apartment buildings.
Tamara Babayan, Director of the Fund of Renewable Energy and Energy
Saving of Armenia, noted that 15 mln USD provided by the World Bank
will also be used for repairs of heating systems. According to her,
the program’s main directions are heating of schools (it is envisaged
to restore the heating supply of about 100 schools) and grants for
vulnerable families in the form of gas supply provision and purchase
of gas stoves.
It was noted at the press conference that in addition to this program,
the World Bank envisages to allocate a 3 mln-dollar grant until this
summer in order to deal with the same problems.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

USAID TO PROVIDE 11 MLN-DOLLAR GRANT FOR REPAIRS OF ARMENIA’S HEATING SYSTEMS
YEREVAN, MARCH 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The USAID envisages to provide a grant
of about 11 mln USD for repairs of the Armenian heating systems in
the next 3-4 years. Simon Sargsian, expert of the USAID energy and
water sector, told NT correspondent about it. According to him, 1,5
mln USD of this grant will be used to purchase the respective goods,
and the remaining sum will be spent on technical assistance.
S. Sargsian noted that it is envisaged to use the grant for assessment
of the system’s current state, development of designs, analysis of
the legal field, training of operators for the system, attraction
of foreign experts, etc. A program has already been developed on
repairs of the heating systems in viable apartment buildings of the
cities of Vanadzor, Gyumri, Spitak, Charentsavan, Nor Hachn with
small investments.
It was noted that until now the heating systems of a Yerevan maternity
hospital and 20 schools and an orphanage in Sevan have been repaired
with USAID funds. Repair work of the heating systems in another 40
schools is now underway.

Thursday, March 16, 2006
**************************************
We brag as naturally and thoughtlessly as a canary sings. But whereas canaries have no credibility problem, we do.
*
In a letter from the Publisher of a new Armenian magazine I read the following: “We are one of the few people of the ancient world that have survived to modern times with a language, culture, and memory of our history.”
*
Whenever I read assertions of this type I am seized by an irresistible urge to footnote the text if only for the sake of accuracy and honesty; also in order to inform readers that we are not all braggarts or dupes of braggarts.
*
We have survived to modern times? What if most of us, among them the best, did not survive?
*
With a language? What if most of us neither read nor speak the language?
*
Culture? I see more culture in yoghurt than in an Armenian community center. An odar friend, who is more interested in our literature than most Armenians, tells me: “I have yet to meet an Armenian who has read a single book by Raffi or Zarian.”
*
Memory of history? What’s there to remember? Military defeats and moral victories followed by centuries of oppression, subservience, lamentation, betrayal, collaboration with the enemy, massacres, dispersion, internecine conflicts, and more lamentation….
#
Friday, March 17, 2006
********************************
Things change, people change, life changes, and I am no longer what I used to be. Once upon a time I too was a cliché-spouting, loudmouth chauvinist propagandist. Then I met a Jewish boy from, of all places, Azerbaijan, and bragged about Armenians being the smartest people on the face of the earth. To prove it I went into the old routine of making a list of our celebrities:
“Anastas Mikoyan,” I said.
“Karl Marx,” said he.
“Aram Khachaturian,” I said.
“Mendelssohn, Mahler, Schoenberg, Aaron Copland,” he countered.
“William Saroyan,” I said next.
“Shalom Alecheim,” he said.
“Alecheim Shalom,” I replied.
“I meant the writer,” he said.
“Never heard of him,” I said.
“FIDDLER ON THE ROOF,” he said.
“He wrote that?”
“Who else?”
“Akim Tamiroff,” I said next.
“Who is he?” he wanted to know.
“One of the greatest actors in the world,” I explained.
“Charlie Chaplin,” he said.
“Beat Calouste Gulbenkian if you can, the wealthiest man that has ever lived,” I said.
After a few moments of reflection, he said:
“Jesus Christ, Freud, Einstein.”
And that was the last time I ever bragged about our celebrities.
#
Saturday, March 18, 2006
******************************************
Historian David Irving six years ago in a British courtroom: “More women died on the back seat of Edward Kennedy’s car at Chappaquiddick than ever died in a gas chamber in Auschwitz.”
Found guilty in an Austrian court of law, Irving is now having second thoughts on the subject. If only he had taught himself to put aside his personal prejudices and to say, “I don’t know,” or “I am not sure,” or even “I have studied many documents but not all of
them.”
*
And consider Toynbee who, after an interview with Hitler in the 1930s, stated: “I am now
convinced Herr Hitler wants peace.”
*
According to a French historian, Louis XIV never said, “I am the State.” On the contrary,
on his deathbed, his final words were, “I go, but the State remains.” What if this was a
case of deathbed conversion?
*
According to a Biblical scholar, Jesus was in his fifties when he was crucified.
*
One can prove anything by quoting historians who are notorious for their inability to get
their sh** together. Something similar could be said of political and religious leaders: One can legitimize all crimes by quoting them.
*
Marx called some nations “unhistorical,” because they contributed nothing to world progress. We owe our status as a “historical” nation to the fact that we have contributed many things, but mostly victims.
*
We must teach our children to listen to the other side of the story, and by that I don’t just mean the Turkish side, but also the Armenian moderate, non-partisan, and anti-partisan side.
*
To those who question the validity of my assertions, I can only say that everything I write is based on the published works of our writers and my own experience. I may not have God and capital on my side (or is it Capital and god) but I do have that which is God-given, namely logic and common sense.
#