POMEGRANATE: WINE TASTES JUST LIKE ITS FRUITY COLOR
By Peggy Grodinsky, Staff
The Houston Chronicle
June 7, 2006 Wednesday
2 Star Edition
Wine lovers occasionally use the term “pomegranate” to describe the
flavor or color of red wines. Now there’s a wine that’s actually
made from the fruit. You can find a bottle for $9 at Central Market,
where a shelf label touts its antioxidant benefits. Add to that
the much ballyhooed claims that red wine is good for you (now being
re-examined), and you’ve got “double bang for your buck,” says the
store’s wine and beer manager, Martin Korson.
The wine, from Armenia, is sweet, fruity and pleasant, perfect for
a novice drinker. “I like this in a wine-cooler, back-in-high-school
kind of way,” one taster commented. Chronicle wine guru Mike Lonsford
suggested pairing it with smoked turkey and cranberry sauce – or
using it in a wine spritzer. “Well-chilled,” he added.

WHY DID A-320 CRASH: G. YEGHIAZARYAN VERDICTS
Panorama.am
16:24 10/06/06
Speaking on A-320 airliner’s crash near Sochi on May 3, former
deputy Gurgen Yeghiazaryan said that one of the possible reasons
was insecurity of the airliner and another reason may have served
Armavia’s financial situation. “Our planes should have the best ever
security service in the world because we sell the tickets at the
highest possible price,” he said. “If you sell the most expensive
tickets and fill in the most expensive fuel – TS 1, then you must
have the best conditions for the passengers. However, we all know
what food is served on board and what is the level of service. By
saying financial situation I mean fuel,” he said. In the words of the
former deputy, fuel is very expensive in Yerevan whereas in Sochi it
may be purchased 20-25% down the price. So, there is a temptation to
buy cheap fuel there.
He said that Sochi airport is one of the best in terms of security
as Russian president Putin arrives there at least twice in a
year. G. Yeghiazaryan also thinks that the pilot was experienced
enough and the crash could not happen because of his professional
fault.

DO RUSSIAN CITIZENS INHABIT SOUTH OSETIA?
Panorama.am
15:54 10/06/06
“We should think of every Armenian living in Akhalkalak and Akhaltskha
now,” Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former deputy and former deputy head of
national security service says. He messaged his concern that soon
the Georgian authorities will populate Javakhk, where less and less
Armenians are left, with Turk-Mskhetsis and our northern rout will
stay without Armenian residential areas.
He thinks it normal the recent developments with Russian-Georgian
relations, saying that each country should do what is more
expedient. “If you do not want my Russian basis in your country, I will
not want your wine to be sold on my territory.” He also thinks that
Russia may recognize the independence of South Ossia since “99.9 %
of the residents in Ossia have become Russian citizens. Tomorrow,
Russia may say that it is defending the interests of its
co-citizens.”

WHEN WILL “CALVES” GET UP?
Panorama.am
15:22 10/06/06
Gurgen Yeghiazaryan, former head of national security state department
is ready to cooperate with all forces that are against Robert Kocharian
and his administration.
Yeghiazaryan said he may cooperate even with the Republicans if they
act against Kocharyan. The only person that Yeghiazaryan will never
cooperate with is defense minister Serze Sargsyan “because the two
are the same person,” he said.
G. Yeghiazaryan said that Armenia is an amazing country. It is only
here that gold is not profitable.
It is only here that the whole energy system is given to another
country and it is only here that the authorities steal the work of
our nationals working abroad by artificially devaluating dollar. “We
listen and stand all this like calves,” he said hoping that “the calf
will get up one day.”

RUSSIA NOT INTERESTED IN LOSING ARMENIANS’ FRIENDSHIP
Panorama.am
15:39 10/06/06
Gurgen Eghiazaryan, former deputy head of National Security State
Department shared his concern today on Russian national security
services, saying that there are some forces that want to destroy the
country from within.
“A 19 year old young man was stabbed to death in the center of
Moscow. They make two short reports and finish with that. There
are some forces that work against not only Armenians but also other
nationals,” Yeghiazaryan said, saying the ethnic conflicts can be
fatal for a country like Russia where so many nationalities live and
there will be a day “when Russia will cease to exist,” he said.
Speaking on the scandal around Levon Chakhmakhchyan, member of Russian
Federation Council, supposedly involved in corruption, Yeghiazaryan
said that the mass media has speeded up the case picturing him as
a convict even when he is not yet charged. However, he also thinks
“Russian authorities are not interested in losing their best friend
in South Caucasus.”

ROLAND WEGENER: COE READY TO ASSIST ARMENIA IN IMPLEMENTING REFORMS
ArmRadio.am
10.06.2006 15:03
The Council of Europe is ready to do its best to assist the Government
of Armenia in holding reforms, Head of Ago Group, Germany’s Permanent
Representative to the Council of Europe Roland Wegener stated at
a news conference in Yerevan. In his words, it will be necessary
to spend two years to make the country’s legislation comply with
the reformed Constitution. “This job is hard, however compulsory. We
discussed the matter with Armenian President Robert Kocharian and the
Minister of Justice David Harutyunyan. Changes should be made in the
judicial legislation, Law on Police, Criminal and Civil Codes, Law
on the City of Yerevan. However, the most important task is changes
in the Electoral Code, without which democratic elections in the
parliament in 2007 will not be possible,” Wegener said.

FOREIGN MINISTER MRS. MICHELINE CALMY-REY IN ARMENIA ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT
ArmRadio.am
12.06.2006 10:26
Deputy Chairman of the Federal Council of the Confederation of
Switzerland, Foreign Minister Mrs. Micheline Calmy-Rey is in Armenia
on an official visit.
Today she will be received by her Armenian opposite number Vardan
Oskanyan.
After the meeting the parties will sign a convention on excluding
double income and property taxation. The Foreign Ministers will give
a joint press conference.

DELEGATION HEADED BY RA DEFENSE MINISTER TO LEAVE FOR BELGIUM
ArmRadio.am
12.06.2006 10:41
Delegation headed by RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will leave
today on an official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium. The Minister is
scheduled to meet his counterpart and Head of Defense Staff of Belgium.
In Brussels Serge Sargsyan will participate in the sitting of the
North-Atlantic Council, where the process of accomplishment of
Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Actions Plan is to be discussed.

REGULAR FOUR-DAY SITTINGS TO START AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ArmRadio.am
12.06.2006 11:00
Regular four-day sittings will start today at the National Assembly. 43
questions and 8 international agreements are included in the agenda.

INFANT MORTALITY IN ARMENIA REDUCED WITH 44 PERCENT
ArmRadio.am
12.06.2006 11:40
According to UNICEF data, infant mortality in Armenia decreased
with 44 percent. Among former USSR countries, only Estonia is ahead,
registering 50 percent reduction.
Head of Mother and Child Care Department of RA Ministry of Health
Karine Saribekyan noted for comparison that the indicator reduced
with five percent in Georgia and 11 percent in Azerbaijan. In some
countries infant mortality has even increased.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress