RAFFI HOVANNISIAN TAKES PART IN TRANSATLANTIC FORUM IN BRUSSELS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 02 2006
BRUSSELS, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. First Armenian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented Armenia at an international
policy conclave which was convened here from April 28 to 30 under
the auspices of the German Marshall Fund of the United States,
the Federal Government of Belgium, and the Bertelsmann Stiftung
of Germany. According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan
by the Armenian Center for National and International Studies,
entitled “Transatlantic Challenges in a Global Era,” the Brussels
Forum brought together world leaders, public figures, diplomats,
academicians, activists, and renowned journalists in order to
reassess the transatlantic agenda from American, European, and
neighborhood perspectives; to discuss the threats of terrorism and
pandemics across the globe of the 21st Century; to explore global
competition in the public and private sectors; to chart the course
of democracy and geopolitics in wider Europe, the Middle East, and
China; and to contemplate transatlantic energy security, national
identities, and international integration. In his intervention, Raffi
Hovannisian addressed the track record of the transatlantic alliance
and examined its contribution to the transition from Cold War to
European cooperation. He also underscored the imperative correlation
between collective security and shared core values both within the
alliance and for potential partners on its periphery. In particular,
he urged the stringent and equal application to all national actors
of the highest standards of democracy, rule of law, human rights
protection, and genocide prevention and condemnation–irrespective of
their place and role in the international system. Against the backdrop
of contemporary democracy movements and geopolitical developments,
Raffi Hovannisian held informal meetings with Dr. Javier Solana,
Secretary General of the Council of the European Union; NATO Secretary
General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; Romanian President Traian Basescu;
and United States Senators John McCain and Bob Bennett. In the
margins of the conference, Raffi Hovannisian also met with Crown
Prince Philippe of Belgium; Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt;
General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; Chairman
Elmar Brok of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs;
Belgian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel De Gucht;
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay; U.S. Senators George Voinovich
and John Edwards (former); Jordanian Senator Marwan al-Muasher; former
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio; DaimlerChrysler Chairman Dieter
Zetsche; and several others. Hovannisian and his conference colleagues
were received at the Royal Palace by His Highness King Albert of
Belgium. Raffi Hovannisian, who is founder of the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies and the National Citizens’
Initiative, currently chairs the Heritage Party of Armenia.

UNION FOR THE SAKE OF ARMENIA PARTY OFFICES OPEN IN VANADZOR
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
VANADZOR, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 29, offices of the Union for the
Sake of Armenia party opened in Vanadzor. Members of the organizing
body – RA MPs Vahram Baghdasarian, Levon Khachatrian, painter Hrant
Tadevosian, representatives of the party’s youth wing were present
at the opening of the offices. According to Vahram Baghdasarian,
the initiators of party’s foundation were the members of NA National
Deputy MP group who have never belonged to any political force by now
and have now united around a single political idea. As Baghdasarian
affirmed, there is a need of a new word in the political field of
Armenia connected with the rearrangements expected in this field,
which Vahran Baghdasarian and his co-thinkers connect with the coming
parliamentary elections. This is one of the main reasons for founding
the party. A representative meeting of the party took place after the
ceremonies of opening the offices. Numerous supporters and co-thinkers
of the party took part in the meeting.
The same day party’s offices opened in another regions of the country
as well.

HOVHANNES HOVHANNISIAN: KARABAKH PROBLEM CAN BECOME ADJUNCT OF IRANIAN ONE
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The settlement of the Karabakh problem
can become an adjunct of the Iranian nuclear problem. Chairman of
the Liberal Progressive Party of Armenia Hovhannes Hovhannisian
expressed such an opinion at the May 2 meeting at the Hayeli
(Mirror) club. According to him, it is the first time in the
whole process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement when U.S. tries to
find personal solutions. “The activity of U.S. during the recent
year shows that U.S. makes an attempt to speed up the process of
settlement,” the speaker mentioned. According to Hovhannisian, the
“Iranian dossier” served as a spur for the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh problem. According to the speaker, the programs of Armenia’s
and Azerbaijan’s neighbor Iran on creating nuclear weapons indeed
pose a serious danger for the world. Hovhannes Hovhannisian said
that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s recent visit to U.S. and
his meeting with President of that country George Bush show that
U.S. tries to make Azerbaijan a country of the international class,
which will have its influence on the world processes. According to the
speaker, millions of Azeris living in Iran, as well as Azerbaijan’s
own and transit energy resources are a trump for Azerbaijan.

RA PRESIDENT ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO DEEPENING OF CONTACTS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND KYRGHYZSTAN
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 2, newly appointed Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrghyzstan to Armenia Apas
Jumagulov handed his credentials to RA President Robert Kocharian. As
Noyan Tapan was informed from RA President’s Press Service, Robert
Kocharian attached importance to the necessity to renew the contacts
and to raise the level of awareness about each other between the
two countries mentioning that the possibilities of cooperation will
be completely fulfilled this way. The Ambassador said that there are
good bases for deepening the bilateral contacts mentioning the active
involvement of the Kyrghyz Armenian community in the state system and
in the leading branches of economy among these bases. The sides also
touched upon the political and economic reforms being implemented
in Kyrghyzstan.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER TO LEAVE FOR VILNIUS TO TAKE PART IN CONFERENCE “COMMON THEORY OF COMMON NEIGHBORHOOD”
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 3, RA Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will leave for Vilnius on a two-day visit to take part in the
conference under the title “Common Theory of Common Neighborhood.” As
Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information
Department, leaders and foreign ministers of a number of Baltic,
CIS and East European countries, other high-ranking officials will
take part in the conference. Minister Oskanian will have bilateral
meetings within the framework of the conference.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NA COMMITTEE ON STATE AND LEGAL ISSUES GIVES POSITIVE CONCLUSION TO LEGISLATIVE PACKAGE ENVISAGING AMENDMENTS AND ADDITIONS TO ELECTORAL CODE
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. It will be proposed with the positive
conclusion of the NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Issues
to put the legislative package on making amendments and additions
to the RA Electoral Code on the agendas of the current session
of the parliament and of the regular plenary sittings starting
on May 2. The Committee made a decision about it at the April 28
sitting. The above-mentioned package was worked out by the working
group involving representatives of all the NA factions and the group
and was put into circulation on March 17. Besides the Electoral Code,
the package envisages amendments and additions to the Criminal code
and the law “On Parties” as well. The goal of the latters is to work
out effective mechanisms in the struggle against electoral crimes,
to strengthen the panishment, to raise responsibility of parties in
an electoral process. The worked out package, in essence, is a result
of political agreement. However, the “Ardaroutiun” (Justice) faction
joined the decision with reservations, concerning which the Parliament
will make a decision at the plenary sitting. According to preliminary
statement, in the case of ignoring the faction’s reservations in the
draft to be adopted in the first reading, “Ardaroutiun” will refuse
the co-authorship, taking back the signature. To recap, the faction
objected to the order of forming electoral commissions, particularly to
involvement of judges in them. It also presented proposals of forming
the parliament with 100% proportional electoral order, holding parallel
electronic votion in elections and using mechanism of staining voters’
fingers with ink. It was mentioned at the committee sitting that
conclusions of experts of the Venice Commission of the Council of
Europe and the OSCE Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Office
concerning both above-mentioned package and particularly reservations
of “Ardaroutiun” are also expected soon. After the NA adopts the
package in the first reading, the Standing Committee on State and
Legal Issues intends to initiate enlarged parliament hearings as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MOST PART OF FRUIT TREES OF LORI MARZ FROZEN
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
VANADZOR, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The most part of fruit trees of the
marz of Lori, especially of the region of Alaverdi, was frozen as
a consequence of hard rains of recent days. Volodia Buniatian, the
Chief of the Agriculture and Nature Protection Department of the
Lori Governor’s Office informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent about
it. According to his data, rains will continue till May 10.

GDP GROWS BY 8% IN ARMENIA IN JANUARY-MARCH
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2006, Armenia’s GDP in
market prices made 266 bln 145.5 mln drams (about 591.4 mln USD),
which exceeds the respective index of last year by 8%. According
to the RA National Statistical Service, GDP index-deflator made
99%. Industrial production amounted to 137 bln 928.1 mln drams,
declining by 4.7% on the same period of last year, while production
without diamonds amounted to 137 bln 271.1 mln drams, growing by
1.1%. Gross agricultural output made 40 bln 202.7 mln drams, growing by
3.5% compared with January-March of last year, construction – 27 bln
863.4 mln drams, growing by 25.1%. In January-March 2006, Armenia’s
foreign trade made 606.4 mln USD or by 7% more than in the same
months of last year. The same indices without diamonds made 506.2 mln
USD and 18.4%. Exports amounted to 184.4 mln USD, declining by 5.6%,
exports without diamonds – 138.1 mln USD, increasing by 2.7%. Imports
made 422 mln USD, growing by 13.6%, imports without diamonds – 368
mln USD, growing by 25.6%. Retail trade made 148 bln 281.9mln drams,
increasing by 13.6%, while services – 96 bln 64.5 mln drams, increasing
by 22.1%. Consumer prices index made 99.1% in January-March 2006 on
the same months of last year, index of manufacturers’ production –
92.4%. The average monthly salary made 55.586 thousand drams in Armenia
in the period under review or by 17.6% more than in the same months
of last year. The monetary incomes of the population amounted to 312
bln 792 mln drams, increasing by 16%, monetary expenditures – 326 bln
800.4 mln drams, exceeding by 18.3% the respective index of last year.

ARMENIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION GROWS BY 3.5% IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2006
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-March 2006, the RA gross
agricultural output made 40.2 bln drams (about 89.3 mln USD) in current
prices, which exceeds the index of the same period of last year by
3.5%. As of April 1, 6,763 ha was sown with spring cultured plants
against 3,209 as of the same day of last year, 4,585 ha of which was
sown with grain crops and groats (in 2005 – 900 ha), 1,397 ha – with
potato (1,473 ha), 722 ha – with truck crops (765 ha), and 59 ha was
sown with fodder crops (in 2005 – 66 ha). The production volumes of
main agricultural foodstuffs, except eggs, increased in January-March
2006 compared with the same period of last year. Meat and poultry
production exceeded the index of the same period of 2005 by 2 thousand
tons or 11.3%, milk production – by 5.8 thousand tons or 7.5%. Fish
catch amounted to 261.4 mln drams (131.7 tons) in January-March 2006,
exceeding by 8.4% the respective index of 2005 (in comparable prices).

COOPERATION AGREEMENT SIGNED BETWEEN NATIONAL CENTER FOR ARMENIAN SME DEVELOPMENT AND INECOBANK
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The foundation “National Center for
Development of Armenian Small and Medium Enterprises (SME)” and
Inecobank on April 27 signed a agreement on cooperation. According
to the foundation’s press service, the purpose of the agreement is
to solve the problem of insufficent pledge in providing credits in
Armenian marzes, particularly in remote and border areas, through the
Center’s Credit Guarantees Program. The remote and border areas make up
80-90% of the Armenian regions where this program is being implemented.