SHUSHI, SAN DIEGO AND ETHNOGRAPHY
Lragir.am
5 May 06
Shushi is not ignored by the Armenia Fund, we simply have to have a
clear perception, Naira Melkumyan, Executive Director of the Fund,
said May 5. While we will be trying to perceive, there will remain
nothing in Shushi that can be perceived, for the town is ruined, and
the population is quickly dropping instead of growing. Nevertheless,
it is interesting to know what needs to be perceived. It turns out
that there is little to perceive.
“Shushi is not the case when we must implement separate programs
there. A long-term policy, an urbanist program must be worked out,
because Shushi is a town, it does not have agricultural potential,
and we need to find peculiar solutions there. There are cities,
such as San Diego, for instance, if I am not mistaken, which have
ethnographic elements,” says Naira Melkumyan. She says they have
been seeking for such interesting solutions for over two years,
and Diasporan specialists on urban development have been involved.
“We must carry out a complex policy. A policy which is not developing
a town or a district but it drags the entire region, if I can say
so. I think the development of Shushi also needs the support of
private business,” says the executive director of Armenia Fund.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+ DEPENDS ON AUTHORITIES
Lragir.am
5 May 06
Jean Louis Laurent, CoE Political Director, speaking about the benefits
of Armenia’s membership to the CoE and fulfilment of undertaken
commitments, he noticed that Armenia has freedom of speech problems,
particularly, in the areas of regulatory agencies and licensing. Jean
Louis Laurent specified that he meant the question of the TV company
A1+, and emphasized the importance of commitment of the authorities
to prevention of political interventions of regulatory agencies.

NOT TO REACH STRASBOURG TRIBUNAL
Lragir.am
5 May 06
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis finds that
the revised Constitution of Armenia “opens a new era in key areas
of political life of Armenia. It will help the country to progress
on its path towards modern democracy.” What progress can there be
without a test? “2007 will see another crucial test for democracy in
Armenia. The forthcoming legislative elections should be free and fair
in order to bring the necessary legitimacy to the National Assembly.”
Jean Louis Laurent, Political Director of the Council of Europe,
who arrived in Yerevan to participate in the conference “Council of
Europe and Armenia: 5 Years of Membership”, told how an Armenian
official regretted that there is not a decision of the Strasbourg
Court of Human Rights on Armenia yet, adding that such a decision
would become a milestone on the path towards democratic reforms. He
stated, however, that there is no need to wait for court rulings,
and preventive measures can be taken.

INFLATION IS DETERMINED BY THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE
Lragir.am
5 May 06
The president of the Central Bank of Armenia told the reporter of
Lragir.am May 5 that sustaining a 3 percent inflation projected for
2006 is quite realistic. “Our estimations show that it is realistic
to sustain a 3 percent inflation determined by monetary factors by
the end of this year. Especially that the growth of the price of
gas was softer than it had been expected,” said Tigran Sargsyan. He
mentioned that the rate of inflation will greatly depend on the state
of agriculture, the rate of growth in this sector.
“For the fluctuations of the price of agricultural products has an
essential effect on the level of prices, and it will determine the
rate of inflation this year,” said Tigran Sargsyan.

GHUKASYAN AND BERNARD FASSIER DID NOT MEET
Lragir.am
5 May 06
President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukasyan was not able to
meet with the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier,
who visited Yerevan on May 3 and May 4. He arrived in the region to
introduce the findings of the May 2 consultation of the Mink Group
co-chairs in Moscow to the conflict sides. They failed to inform the
president of Karabakh, although Arkady Ghukasyan said Fassier was
likely to meet with him, and expressed this likelihood through his
representatives. “Fassier’s representatives contacted me. Fassier
wanted to meet with me too, but since I could not, I arrived in
Yerevan yesterday. He asked me to arrive in the morning to meet with
him. Since I was told late, I would not reach there in the morning,
and later it was impossible to meet because he was going to leave in
the afternoon. Our meeting failed, though my representatives discussed
certain questions with his representatives,” said NKR President Arkady
Ghukasyan on May 5.
He reasserted that he cannot see a near prospect of resolution of the
problem. Arkady Ghukasyan says from time to time he gets information
on settlement of the issue in July, but it is only information.
“You know that it is the continuation of the same year 2006.
Nothing should be denied. God willing, we will soon reach the
compromise that all the sides need, but no one can say whether it will
be in July, August or February,” says Arkady Ghukasyan. He thinks that
the process is complicated and has many sides, the sides have different
standpoints which are difficult to combine, thinks Arkady Ghukasyan.

THERE WILL NOT BE A SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF ONE COUNTRY
Lragir.am
5 May 06
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan declined to comment on the causes of
crash of A320 of Armavia Airlines May 5. He advised the news reporters
to wait for the official statement. “To prevent allegations, this is
a case when a wrong version would cause a psychological shock in our
fellow countrymen, the relatives and friends of the victims. Let us
wait some more days to draw the right conclusion, because there can
be superficial suppositions, but a technical examination may show
that the real causes were different.
This is a very subtle issue,” said the prime minister of Armenia.
He said it is not necessary to involve the Georgian side in the
investigation yet. The prime minister thinks that the materials
provided by the Georgian dispatchers is enough. “In other words,
their direct engagement in the investigation, it is the problem of two
states. We needed those documents, 95 percent of all that process,
we have, the Georgian side has provided, and we are grateful to the
Georgian government. I think if such necessity arises in the future,
our Attorney General will take that step, but first it is necessary
to examine the materials at hand, alanyze, and take the next step if
there is necessity,” says Andranik Margaryan.
The prime minister emphasizes that both the Russian and Georgian sides
respond effectively to all the requests of Armenia. Andranik Margaryan
says there is a satisfactory level of cooperation and good will to
find out the cause of the accident. The prime minister reminds about
the French too, who are also interested in finding out the real cause
of the disaster. “They are interested in displaying the advantages
or safety of their airplane, therefore there will be an objective
assessment, not merely a subjective assessment of a sinle country,”
stated Andranik Margaryan.

SERGEY SHOYGU: WE DO EVERYTHING TO PREVENT REOCCURENCE OF SIMILAR TRAGEDIES IN FUTURE
ArmRadio.am
05.05.2006 16:05
RF Minister of Emergency Situations Sergey Shoygu anticipates
positive outcome of the search for the black boxes of the crashed
“A-320” plane. According to Russian sources, the Minister said this
today after the selective consultations at the Ministry. Sergey Shoygu
affirms that the serious difficulties connected with the search for the
black boxes are associated with the relief, accumulation of sulphuric
acid and existence of planktons, which considerably restricts the
visibility. According to Shoygu, the signals of the radio beacons do
not mean that the black boxes will be found, since these are located
as deep as 680 meters under water, and the search area makes 15 sq. m.
“The submarine brought to the place of the tragedy allows to anticipate
positive results. It is extremely important to reveal the exact reason
of the disaster to prevent reoccurrence of similar tragedies in the
future. We do everything for the sake of this,” Russian Minister of
Emergency Situations said.

KYRGYZ LEADER SENDS CONDOLENCES OVER ARMENIAN AIR CRASH
AKIpress news agency website, Bishkek
5 May 06
Bishkek, 5 May: Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has sent telegrams
of condolences to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Russian
President Vladimir Putin in connection with the death of Armenian and
Russian citizens in the crash of the Armenian airliner [on 3 May],
the president’s press service reported on 4 May.
In the telegrams, the Kyrgyz president asked them to convey his
profound sympathy to the bereaved.

BODIES OF PLANE CRASH VICTIMS TRANSPORTED TO ARMENIA
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
5 May 06
The bodies of 26 passengers from the Armenian airliner that crashed
in the Black Sea have been transported to Yerevan on a special flight
from Sochi, Armenian Public TV reported on 5 May.
The bodies were taken from the airport to a forensic medical
examination morgue, the report said.
One more flight from Sochi is expected in Yerevan in the evening of
5 May, the report said.

ECO SUMMIT OPENS IN AZERI CAPITAL
ANS Radio, Baku
5 May 06
The ninth summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization [ECO]
opened at 0900 [0400 gmt] in Baku today. Over 300 guests are taking
part in the summit chaired by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. The
participants will sign a declaration that reflects all the issues
to be discussed during the summit. An article on conflicts has been
included in the declaration at Azerbaijan’s proposal. That is damages
caused to the Azerbaijani economy as a result of Armenian aggression
and the impact of conflicts on regional ties will be discussed.
[Passage omitted: more details about issues mentioned in declaration]