UKRAINE PROPOSED ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS TO MEET ON ITS TERRITORY
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 15:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukraine proposed the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents to meet on its territory to continue the talks on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Boris
Tarasyuk said after the meeting with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian. He
also underscored that the commodity turnover between Ukraine and
Armenia on 2005 made $118 million, thus increasing 40% against
the index of 2004. Our trade relations are dynamically developing
and we are expecting a growth in the commodity turnover in 2006,”
Tarasyuk said.

MINSK GROUP US CO-CHAIR ARRIVED IN GEORGIA
A1+
[12:28 pm] 19 June, 2006
Today Matthew Bryza, the new US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk group
will visit Georgia in order to meet President of Abkhazia Sergey
Bagapsha and Foreign Minister Sergey Shamba. Nevertheless, this visit
has nothing to do with the new appointment of Matthew Bryza as the
ceremony will take place on June 22.
The visit to Georgia is made as deputy assistant of the US State
Secretary. By the way, Bryza visited our region at the beginning of
June. As soon as he takes his new post, he intends to visit Yerevan
and Baku alone.

LOSS OF WATER IN GYUMRI
A1+
[12:08 pm] 19 June, 2006
The damages of water pipes in Gyumri have become more and more frequent
recently. They are mainly the result of worn-out pipes. As a result
of the damage in district N209 15 liters of water is lost per second.
The damages are very difficult to eliminate in this district.
Years ago when the district was founded the central heating system
and the water pipelines where constructed together. No it is very
difficult to find them as the pipes are deep under the earth. The
absence of necessary equipment also makes the issue rather problematic.
There is a similar problem in Mush district. Works are carried out
in order to repair the pipelines.
TV Company “Tsayg”, Gyumri

“RECORD BOXES” REVEALED ALL THE SECRETS
A1+
[12:58 pm] 19 June, 2006
Today the International Aviation Committee officially announced that
the deciphering of the record boxes of the Armenian plane A-320 which
crashed in the Black Sea on May 3 has been concluded. The records of
the plane and those of the airport have also been compared.
One of the record boxes contains information about the last eight
flights if the plane made from April 30 to May 3. The total duration
of the record is about 26 hours. The duration of the lat record is
1 hour and 26 minutes.
The deciphering revealed that the plane did not deconstruct in the
water and the engines worked till the very last moment when the
plane crashed with the water. It was also confirmed that the plane
had enough fuel. Agency “Itar-Tass informed that the autopilot system
was switched off.
At present the Committee analyses the records. At the end of the
investigation a conclusion will be made about the reason of the
crash. The International Aviation Committee does not give any details
about the conclusion.

“ELECTORAL CODE” WILL BE DISCUSSED
A1+
[03:00 pm] 19 June, 2006
Today a consultation took place with NA President Tigran Torosyan and
the Parliamentary factions and groupings about the discussion of the
“Electoral Code”. Representatives of all the factions participated in
the consultation except the United Labor Party – Galoust Sahakyan from
the Republican Party, Hrayr Karapetyan from the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation, Mkrtich Minasyan from the People’s Deputy, Hovhannes
Margaryan from the Orinats Yerkir, Alexan Minasyan from the National
Unity and Grigor Haroutyunyan from “Justice”?
The consultation was very short. Mainly technical issues were discussed
and an agreement was reached to finish the discussions in the Committee
during the summer months in order to discuss the amendments to the
Electoral Code in the Parliament in September.
The next meeting of the Committee will take place on Thursday when
the content of the Code will be discussed.

IMF FORECASTS MORE THAN 10% GROWTH OF ECONOMY IN ARMENIA IN 2006-2007
Panorama.am
14:38 19/06/06
More than 10% growth of economy will be observed in Armenia in
2006-2007, Rodrigo de Rato, IMF Director-Manager told a press
conference in Yerevan.
In his words, IMF underestimated the pace of economic development in
Armenia while forecasting GDP growth of 6-8%. Being without natural
resources, Armenia reached high economic indicators which testifies
about the effectiveness of its economy. “Compared to other regional
countries Armenia is developing much faster,” he stressed.
In the opinion of IMF Director-Manager, growth of more than 10% and
low level of inflation are indicators which can serve as basis for
further stable growth of the Armenian economy.
Rodrigo de Rato also noted that the reforms implemented in the country
are directed to bringing the legislation of Armenia in compliance
with EU standards which makes it possible for the country to compete
in the world.
GDP growth of 13.9% was reported in Armenia in 2005 against 10.1%
in 2004.

THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE CREDIT OF 5 MLN EURO TO ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:39 19/06/06
The government of the Netherlands will provide Armenia with a credit
of 5 mln Euro on preferential terms by the end of this year if the
country does not turn down its planned economic indicators, Agnes van
Arden, minister on development of cooperation of the Netherlands told
a press conference in Yerevan.
In her words, the funds will be directed to enlarged business ties
between the entrepreneurs of both countries and mutual attraction of
investment. She noted that joint ventures are highly preferable with
subsequent new employment opportunities.
It should be noted that in 2005 the Netherlands has provided Armenia
with a credit of 4.7 mln Euro. The funds were directed to fund
management in state sector, democratic development and establishment
of civil society.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DROUGHT STARTED ACROSS ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:41 19/06/06
Drought started across the regions of Armenia, Zarui Petrosyan,
department head at the Armenian hydremeteorological service told
Panorama.am. In her words, at the moment the level of temperature
of air is above 4-6 degree. There will be no precipitations in the
country until the end of the month with June 22 and 23 the hottest.
The drought was a complete surprise for the ministry of agriculture. In
the words of the department head on relations with the ministry
Vahag Martirosyan drought was not anticipated at the beginning of
the year. Such a disaster covering the republic was reported only 5
years ago. The ministry of agriculture refutes to forecast the damage.

HOT WEATHER AND ITS EFFECTS
Panorama.am
14:53 19/06/06
Forests and green zones continue to burn due to hot weather. Rescue
services report that during the last three days 35 cases of fire were
reported with 14 serious ones.
On June 17 and 18 fire started in grape yards near military policy
on Isakov Avenue in Yerevan, in the forest near Nork-Marash 17
street, biological part, areas close to Malatia Sebastia community
administration office and Erebuni museum and in Dalma parks.
On June 18, at 22.05 fired started near the TV tower in Yerevan. A
rescue team left for the place of emergency followed by two other
fire brigades.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED THE OSCE REPRESENTATIVE ON FREEDOM OF THE MEDIA
ArmRadio.am
19.06.2006 16:43
RA President Robert Kocharyan received today the OSCE Representative
on Freedom of the Media Miklos Haraszti.
The President assessed the cooperation with the OSCE in different
directions as effective. Attaching importance to the freedom of media,
he said that free press has its decisive mission in carrying out public
control and presenting the real situation in the country. At the same
time, according to Robert Kocharyan, the freedom of press should be
regulated so that the rights of the individual are strictly respected.
The interlocutors exchanged opinions about formation of the free
press, the press as a major obstacle for development of business and
the necessity of state media. In the President’s words, Armenia is
still in a transition period, and in many cases the peculiarities of
this period are characteristic of the country.