JOHN EVANS: THE THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS OF ALL OF US AT US EMBASSY AND MILLIONS OF OUR COMPATRIOTS IN THE US ARE WITH YOU IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 04 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The US embassy in
Armenia published the message of condolence from U.S. Ambassador John
Evans, which reads: “On behalf of the employees of the U.S. Embassy
in Yerevan, I offer condolences to all Armenians, Russians and others
on the tragedy of the Armavia crash in the Black Sea near Sochi. This
terrible event has effects that go far beyond the lives lost in the
crash itself. It also touches the lives of family members, neighbors,
friends and co-workers. And when so many lives are lost together, in
the same moment, the loss is especially grave. The thoughts and prayers
of all of us at the U.S. Embassy and millions of our compatriots in
the United States are with you in these difficult times.”

LARGE FRAGMENTS OF A-320 PLANE FOUND AT BLACK SEA BOTTOM
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 22:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Large fragments of A-320 plane are found at Black
Sea bottom by means of a deep-water device. “The device is controlled
from the board of Captain Beklemischev ship. Exact coordinates will
be determined within a few hours and deep-water special equipment
will be delivered to that place,” said a participant of the search
operation. In his words, all objects found are identified as A-320
fragments. “It is not ruled out that exactly in those parts of
the crashed plane flight recorders are situated,” the source said,
reports RIA Novosti.

INSURANCE COMPANY TO PAY $20 THOUSAND TO FAMILIES OF AIR CRASH VICTIMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 23:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ MIKA Ltd. President and owner of Armavia company
Mikhail Baghdasarov confirmed insurance will be paid to families of
the victims of A-320 plane crash. “The air company annually paid
several million dollars of insurance and now it will pay some $20
thousand to relatives of the air crash victims.”
Mikhail Baghdasarov noted the crashed plane had no problems and enough
fuel. He called to wait for the conclusion of French specialists and
independent experts. In Baghdasarov’s words, the air catastrophe
inflicted rather large financial and moral damage to the company,
reports the Public TV Company of Armenia.

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA EXTENDED CONDOLENCES TO FAMILIES OF PLANE CRASH VICTIMS
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 23:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) has
condolences to all the families and friends of the victims of the
Armavia plane crash in Sochi.
The message of Chairman of AAA Board of Trustees Hirair Hovnanian says,
“On behalf of the Armenian Assembly of America’s leadership, members
and staff, I extend my heartfelt condolences to all the families
and friends of the victims of the Armavia plane crash in Sochi. This
tragedy, in which our fellow compatriots perished, is a great loss
for the entire Armenian nation. You are in our thoughts and prayers.”

UNIDENTIFIED CORPSES OF VICTIMS OF A-320 CRASH TO BE BURIED IN SOCHI
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 00:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Identified corpses of victims of A-320 plane crash
will soon be sent to Armenia, reported Deputy Chair of the Armenian
community of Sochi Hrach Makiyan told journalists Thursday.
Unidentified corpses of victims will be buried in Sochi, Interfax
reports.

GERMAN PRESIDENT CONDOLED WITH ARMENIAN PEOPLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 00:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “I am deeply shocked with news on tragic air crash,
of which a large number of people became victims,” says the message of
German President Horst Koehler to Armenian leader Robert Kocharian. The
message extends condolences on behalf of the German people and the
President in person, “I am asking you to convey my condolences to
relatives of the victims and the mourning people. In our thoughts we
are with you.”
German Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also condoled
with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian on the air catastrophe and death
of people.

NO EQUIPMENT IN SOUTH OF RUSSIA FOR LIFTING FLIGHT RECORDERS
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 00:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Fragments of A-320 plane lie at the depth of 680
meters and there is no equipment in the South of Russia capable to
lift the flight recorders, stated Russian Minister of Transport Igor
Levitin. In his words, “many fragments are discovered at the place,
where the signal of flight recorders is registered. However the depth
is too much – 680 meters. We believe it is the place where the crash
took place. Russia is going to ask other countries for assistance to
lift A-320 plane fragments,” Levitin noted. Today French specialists
by means of special equipment registered the radio signal in the
area, where the plane fell. The flight recorders may be the source
of the signal.

BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS CANNOT BE ONLY AND DECISIVE CAUSE OF CRASH
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 00:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Bad weather conditions cannot be the only and
decisive cause of the crash of A-320 Armenian plane, former chief of
the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia Dmitry Atbashyan
said. In his words, the weather on the night of the catastrophe was
indeed bad. “There are usually several causes of a crash, specifically,
bad visibility, lack of fuel and rain,” he remarked.
Atbashyan also doubted some details of A-320 plane crash. “Seeing a
plane fall into the water 6 km away from the coast is hard at 3-km
visibility. I do not believe this report,” Atbashyan underscored,
reports the Second Channel of Armenia.

RECORD OF CONVERSATION OF PILOT WITH GEORGIAN DISPATCHERS DECODED
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.05.2006 01:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The record of conversation of A-320 airbus pilot
with Georgian dispatchers a few minutes before the crash of the liner
is decoded. The record is not too clear, not everything can be heard,
but it lets concluding that the crew until the last moment did not
rule out opportunity of return to Yerevan.
Dispatcher: “Specify once again. At the moment 340 will be(”
Pilot: “Yes, 340 still. As the airport is ( Closed ( Then it will be
clear what to do.”
Dispatcher: “Rostov wants to know how much fuel you have and reserve.”
Pilot: “We are returning to Yerevan.”
Dispatcher: “Right now or later(”
Pilot: “Now, they have there 150 by 1500 for two hours.”
Dispatcher: “Ok, got you.”

REGIONAL OIL SUMMIT OPENS IN SERBIA’S NOVI SAD
Radio B92 text website, Belgrade
4 May 06
Novi Sad, 4 May: A two-day summit of international oil companies has
begun in Vojvodina. The fuel companies make up the Scout Group for
East and Central Europe. According to a statement from the Serbian
Oil Industry (NIS), companies from 21 countries will be participating
in the summit, including Shell, [Hungary’s] MOL, [Austria’s] OMV
and others.
NIS has announced that some of the most important projects which are
currently being realized by the companies would be presented at the
summit, adding that these meetings would enable Serbia to establish
greater business contacts and more direct forms of cooperation with
these companies.
The Scout Group for East and Central Europe encourages cooperation
and the voluntary exchange of correct and timely information regarding
the research and production of oil in regional countries, and offers
business-related cooperation between members of the group.
The group was founded in 1993 and includes oil companies from Albania,
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic,
Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland,
Romania, Russia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine and
Serbia-Montenegro.