HOW A CADBURY OUTRANKS A BLAIR OR A BECKHAM
By Beth Hale
DAILY MAIL (London)
June 5, 2006 Monday
SOCIAL climbers don’t need to keep up with the Joneses any more ñ
it’s the Pakenhams and Cadburys they have to worry about now.
The names are among the most socially exclusive in Britain, along
with others such as Fortescue, Weiner and Wastie.
Researchers have just finished ranking the standing of 25,000 surnames.
And their findings reveal that while parents can give their child a
first name to make them appear more highbrow, there is no escaping
a downmarket surname.
The study shows that former Posh Spice Victoria Adams took a step
down the pecking order when she married footballer David Beckham.
Her maiden name outranks 61 per cent of the population, while Beckham
tops just 29 per cent.
And Elizabeth Hurley’s surname reveals that she is at heart a
middle-class girl made good with 52 per cent of the population having
a more high status name.
Several leading politicians have outshone the more lowly origins of
their surnames.
Blair is outranked by 86 per cent of the population and Brown fares
little better, being exceeded by 72 per cent.
Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett’s family name does better,
coming higher than about half the population. Much has been made of
the higher-class roots of Eton- educated Conservative leader David
Cameron, but still more than half the nation has a higher status name.
As for the Shadow Chancellor George Osborne, only 42 per cent of the
population have a higher ranking name.
The research team at University College London have put their findings
online after studying and cross-referencing 46million census documents.
Members of the public can log on to to
discover the origins of their family name. The 12-month, £45,000
project-examined patterns of population movement, social mobility and
cultural identity. It also tracked the distribution of 25,000 surnames
in the 1998 electoral register and compared it with the 1881 census
to chart how people had moved around the country.
Professor Richard Webber and his team ranked names by using the
electoral roll to calculate their frequency in different postcodes,
taking into account employment levels, educational attainment,
financial data and health statistics for each postcode.
They then took an average status for each name from postal districts
across the country.
It emerged that names of Jewish and Armenian origin are among the
top rank.
The results showed that the top 1 per cent of names are dominated
by a mixture of traditional English names with those of more recent
immigrants.
Some upper-class sounding names such as Grosvenor which is the family
name of the Duke of Westminster have become so well- distributed around
the country that they come nowhere near the top of the status tree.
Professor Webber said: ‘People don’t choose their children’s surnames
but inherit them, so most English names are fairly evenly distributed
between higher and lower status areas.
‘But if you look at names that originated from other countries,
they tend to settle in either high or low status areas.
‘So there are a lot of Jewish and Armenian names at the top, and
Ghanian, Vietnamese and Bangladeshi names at the bottom.’
For many people, first names are a more obvious indicator of social
status.
So if you are looking for a high status title for your daughter,
call her Camilla or Elspeth.
If you have a son, name him Giles or Benedict.
And if appearances are important, then avoid Toyah, Wayne or Dwayne.
Professor Webber said: ‘The difference in class of first names is
much greater than for surnames.’
–Boundary_(ID_sXaph6Gv+EvaOctv7vAd1w) —

BUSH WILL BRING TOGETHER ALIYEV AND KOCHARYAN
by Sokhbet Mamedov
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, 1 June, 2006, p.6
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 5, 2006 Monday
OVERTURE IN THE PROCESS OF SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH PROBLEM IS TAPPED
BY WASHINGTON; A regular meeting of the heads of the two countries
which are in the conflict is planned to take lace at the beginning
of next week in Bucharest, during the summit “The Black Sea is for
partnership and dialog”.
The West doesn’t give up attempts to reconcile Presidents of Azerbaijan
and Armenia, Ilkham Aliyev and Robert Kocharjan, and to get from them
effective steps in settlement of the problem of Karabakh. A regular
meeting of the heads of the two countries which are in the conflict
is planned to take place at the beginning of next week in Bucharest,
during the summit “The Black Sea is for partnership and dialog”. The
fact that both Aliyev and Kocharjan will take part in this event
is confirmed in the process of the visit of the delegation of these
countries – co-chairmen of the Minsk group of OSCE, the corresponding
declarations were made by Head of MIA of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov
and Press-secretary of the President of Armenia Victor Sogomonyan.
It is interesting that the mission of mediators was reinforced
with Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Karasin,
Under-secretary of state of the USA Daniel Fried and Adviser to the
President of France on international questions Pier Morel. Commenting
upon the results of the meetings, which took place, Elmar Mamedjardov
reported to the journalists that this time mediators had some “new
ideas” concerning settlement of the conflict of Karabakh. Though,
mediators, as well as official figures of Azerbaijan and Armenia
preferred not to plant the details of these proposals.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan mass media states that according to the results
of the meeting in Baku and Yerevan “the mediators were able to find
a way to some compromise”. Special attention is paid to the fact
that the overture in the process of settlement of the conflict is
tapped step by step by Washington, which together with the partners
in the Minsk group of OSCE is intended by any means to solve the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict in 2006. This aim was confirmed in the
felicitation to Ilkham Aliyev concerning the Day of the Republic on
the 28th of May in Azerbaijan by President of the USA George Bush.
(…)
According to the opinion of Baku analysts, “impatience” of President
Bush is a hint to some agreements, which were achieved during the
negotiations in Washington. In Baku, it is not excluded that this
is all about some American preferences in return to signing the main
principles of the peace settlement of the conflict.
The wish of Washington to make the process more intensifying
is accounted for by two reasons. First of all, petrol pipe
Baku/Tbilisi/Dzheikhn has already started operating, and the USA
together with the other countries of the West want to exclude any
opportunity of destabilization of the situation in the region, to
say nothing of starting battle-actions. Secondly, peace in Southern
Caucasia is necessary for the USA taking into consideration the real
perspective of using this region for pressure on Iran.
According to the information, which appeared in press, Baku and Yerevan
were suggested to sign an agreement, which was based on the methodology
“step by step”. It is possible that it will be about stage-by-stage
liberation of the territories which had been occupied around Nagorny
Karabakh, and about return of forced emigrants to the territories of
their former houses, as well as about creation of a system of security,
which will guarantee impossibility of renewal of military actions with
engagement of peacekeeping forces and demilitarization of the region,
restoration of the economic relations and communication between the
sides of the conflict. As far as the status of Nagorny Karabakh is
concerned, the solution of this problem will be delayed.
To what extent the participation of the USA in this process concerning
Karabakh will be effective, only the Azerbaijan-Armenian meeting will
show, which will take place in Bucharest. (…)

MTS TO BE GOING TO PURCHASE 90% STAKE IN LARGEST ARMENIAN GSM-OPERATOR
RIA OREANDA
Economic News
June 5, 2006 Monday
Moscow. OREANDA. The largest Russian cellular company in the CIS –
Mobile Telesystems (MTS) made an application on purchase of 90 %
stake in the largest Armenian GSM-operator ArmenTel from Greek
telecommunication group OTE.
OTE has got 90 percent of shares of ArmenTel at the international
competition in the end of 1997, having received also a monopoly on
granting telecommunication services within 15 years.
According to ACM-Consulting by the beginning of 2006 ArmenTel has been
serving more than 321,000 subscribers. The second cellular operator
of Armenia – VivaCell – serves approximately 300,000.

RUSSIA SNUBS BLACK SEA SUMMIT AIMED AT COOPERATION
Agence France Presse — English
June 5, 2006 Monday 4:29 PM GMT
Nine countries of the Black Sea region promised on Monday to cooperate
more closely in order to foster prosperity and solve the region’s
“frozen conflicts” at a Bucharest summit snubbed by Russia.
Most countries from around the eastern European sea were represented
by presidents or senior ministers, but Moscow sent only its ambassador
to Romania.
Romanian President Traian Basescu spoke of the challenges facing the
region before his counterparts from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia,
Moldova and Ukraine, along with top ministers from Bulgaria, Turkey
and Greece.
The issues ranged from energy security and international crime to the
unresolved conflicts in secessionist regions of former Soviet states.
“We want to send a strong message to the world about our willingness
to address the lack of security in the region,” Basescu said in a
speech opening the event.
But Russia’s absence was all the more conspicuous for the fact that
Moscow holds the key to resolving some of the region’s issues.
“No cooperation process in this region would be complete without
Moscow’s participation,” Basescu said, adding that he expected a more
positive response from the Russians later on.
However Russia’s representative did not sign the summit’s joint
declaration, which called for more consultation among the countries in
the region to foster “sustainable development” and “closer cooperation
with the European Union institutions”.
Diplomatic sources said Moscow did not wish to encourage the
initiative which it viewed as a rival to the Organization of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation, founded in 1992 but yet to deliver
any concrete results.
Washington, on the other hand, is very interested in developing ties
with the region and sent to Bucharest Jack Crouch, a former ambassador
to Romania who is now deputy national security advisor to President
George W. Bush.
The Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, Robert Kocharian and Ilham
Aliyev, took advantage of their presence in the Romanian capital
to restart their talks over the tricky issue of Nagorno-Karabakh,
an Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan whose status remains unresolved
since a bloody war in the early 1990s.
But after an initial meeting behind closed doors on Sunday, the
leaders’ positions did not appear to have shifted. Kocharian insisted
on “the Armenian people’s right to autonomy” while Aliyev defended
the need to “respect Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity”.
Terry Davis, the Council of Europe’s secretary-general, also attended
the summit and praised the Black Sea countries for wanting to speed
up regional development. He added that he would “firmly support”
those countries that wanted to join the EU.
“The world is ready to welcome the Black Sea tigers,” he said, but
added that “for them to show their teeth, words are not enough.”
Countries bordering on the Black Sea include Turkey, Bulgaria,
Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and Georgia, as well as the breakaway region
of Abkhazia.

CHESS PIECE: TURIN MOVES
by Bobby Ang
BusinessWorld
June 5, 2006 Monday
2006 Turin Chess Olympiad
Men’s Olympiad
20 May 2006 – 04 June 2006
Top Standings as of Round 11 (of 13)
1. Armenia (Aronian, Akopian, Asrian, Lputian, Sargissian, Minasian),
32.0/44
2-3. China (Bu Xiangzhi, Zhang Zhong, Zhang Pengxiang, Wang Yue,
Ni Hua, Zhao Jun), France (Bacrot, Lautier, And.Sokolov, Fressinet,
Vachier- Lagrave, Bauer) 28.5/44
4-5. Russia (Kramnik, Svidler, Grischuk, Morozevich, Bareev,
Rublevsky), USA (Kamsky, Onischuk, Nakamura, Ibragimov, Kaidanov,
Akobian), 28.0/44
6-9. Czech (Navara, Hracek, Babula, Laznicka, Kalod, Cvek), Ukraine
(Ivanchuk, Volokitin, Karjakin, Eljanov, Moiseenko, Efimenko), Cuba
(Bruzon, Dominguez, Nogueira, Arencibia, Delgado, Quezada), Israel
(Gelfand, Smirin, Sutovsky, Avrukh, Huzman, Mikhalevsky), 27.5/44
10-11. Netherlands (Sokolov, Tiviakov, Van Wely, Nijboer, Van den
Doel, L’Ami), Germany (Naiditsch, Jussupow, Gustafsson, Luther, Lutz,
Graf), 27.0/44
Total of 150 teams participating
Armenia defeated the overachieving Czechs 3-1. Aronian’s spectacular
victory over David Navara is annotated below. They are 3.5 points
ahead of the second placers with two rounds left. Barring a disaster
of cataclysmic proportions we should soon be proclaiming Armenia
as the new no. 1 country of chess. The steady point production of
Aronian (6/9 on top board), Akopian (8/10) and the incredible Gabriel
Sargissian (he played in every round and scored 9/11) seems to indicate
an inevitable advance to the throne.
The way I see it the battle is confined to the silver medals. India
is the second seed but was taken out of medal contention by a 1-3
thumping delivered by the Israelis. Anand, although performing at a
2674 level, can perhaps be considered as a bit of a disappointment.
He beat FM Batchuluun (2303) in the second round but then slowed with
seven straight draws.
The Russians are still in contention but have not shown their best –
they have already lost thrice – to the Dutch, French, and Americans.
The last was the most vexing – Grischuk had a mating attack against
Nakamura but blundered grievously several times and it was he who
had to resign.
I am betting on France to take the silver and Russia the bronze. The
Frenchmen would be a most deserving medalist – they have yet to lose
a match and have defeated the Russians and Chinese in their individual
set- to.
The Philippines is still at no. 36 with 25.0/44. We had a chance to
climb up the score chart but a rather heavy loss to the Netherlands
in round 11 kicked us back down the standings. For a chance at a
decent finish we need 30 points, so in the last two rounds we have
to pick up 5 points. We accomplished this two years ago with 2.5-1.5
victories Hungary and Yugoslavia, two powerhouse countries. We’ve done
it before and can still do so now. Picking up from where we left off
last Friday, here is the round- by-round of the Philippines:
Rd 10. Philippines routed Malaysia 3.5-0.5. Paragua, GM Joey and
Dimakiling defeated Mas, Jonathan Chuah, and Nazreen Anas. Eugene Torre
was held to a draw by FM Lim Yee Weng. The Malaysian top board Mas
was coming off a nice upset win over Viktor Korchnoi in the previous
round, but Mark stopped him dead on his tracks. I knew GM Joey would
defeat Jonathan. During the 1999 Asian Team championship the Malaysian
second board requested for and got some private tutorials from Joey,
and his hero- worshipping was bound to prove a stumbling block.
Rd 11. We lost to the Netherlands 1.0-3.0. GM Joey has played perhaps
hundreds of games with Van Wely on the Internet Chess Club, and knew
that he could beat Van Wely, so, even with Black, he essayed a very
sharp line of the Nimzo-Indian. Problem is, he was insufficiently
prepared and did not respond correctly to the Dutchman’s theoretical
novelty. The loss followed quite quickly. Darwin Laylo had the
advantage in the opening vs Nijboer but overreached in his attempts
to win. Nevertheless, he made Nijboer work for the point, only giving
up after the 114th move.
FIDE elections
The incumbent, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov beat Bessel Kok for the FIDE
presidency by a wide margin (96:57). As many of you know Ilyumzhinov is
the President of the Kalmyk Republic, one of the 21 Russian republics,
administrative units with the greatest amount of autonomy within the
Russian Federation.
On the other hand Bessel Kok is a Dutch millionaire currently residing
in Prague. He was the creator of the SWIFT system for transfer of
funds between banks and later on served as the head of the Belgian
commission in charge of telecommunications (BELGACOM).
During their respective campaigns President Ilyumzhinov highlighted
the personal commitment he has made to chess, including injecting
his personal money of more than $20 million for prize funds of
tournaments. Bessel Kok ran on the basis of his proven professional,
managerial and organizational skills.
While the big margin of victory could have surprised some people,
I knew that Ilyumzhinov was unbeatable. Under the FIDE statutes each
member- nation was entitled to one vote, in other words Russia with
156 grandmasters and US Virgin Islands with only three rated players
(take note: I said rated, not titled) are given equal weight come
election time. Everyone knows that the small countries/federations
usually go along with the incumbents.
World Computer Championship
The World Computer Chess Championship (WCCC) was also held in Turin
as a side-event.
Final Top Standings
1. Junior, 9.0/11
2-3. Shredder, Rajlich, 8.5/11
4. Zappa, 7.5/11
5-7. Spike, Diep, Jonny, 6.5/11
8-9. Crafty, Ikarus, 6.0/11
10-12. IsiChess MMX, Delfi 4.6, Chiron, 5.5/11
Total of 18 participants
The heavy favorite to win was Rajlich, which is actually Rybka (its
author is IM Rajlich), the new chess engine that has been making
waves and was highly touted as the strongest ever in chess history.
Zappa, being the defending champion, also was regarded as a favorite.
Shredder, of course, had won the championship so many times that no
one would have been surprised if it came out on top.
Instead, the hyper-aggressive Junior program rolled to victory with
7 wins and 4 draws. Junior is an Israeli program written by Amir
Ban and Shay Bushinsky. It started off its career as a positional
engine with a boa constrictor style, but starting the 6th edition
they made a conscious effort to move it towards aggressive play by
giving greater weight to mobility, piece activity and opponent’s king
safety factors. The result is games like this:
Junior – Uragano 3D [B33]
14th WCh Comp Turin (10), 31.05.2006
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d6 6.N1c3 a6 7.Na3 Nf6
8.Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Nc4 Nd4 11.Nd5 Bg4 12.Qxg4 Nxc2+ 13.Kd1
Nxa1 14.Ncb6 Rb8 15.Bd3 Bg5 16.h4 Bh6 17.Ke2 Nb3 18.axb3 0-0 19.Bc4
Kh8 20.g3 Qe8 21.Rd1 Rd8 22.Qh5 Qc6 23.Kf1 Qc5 24.Kg2 Qc6 25.Qg4
Qe8 26.h5 f6 27.b4 Qf7 28.Qf5 Qe8 29.Bb3 Qf7 30.Rd3 g6 31.hxg6 hxg6
32.Qh3 Qh7 33.Rd1 Rf7 34.Rh1 f5 35.exf5 Rxf5 36.Ne7 Kg7 37.Nxf5+
gxf5 38.Qh4 Re8 39.Nd5 1-0
Count on me to buy the latest Deep Junior version from Chessbase!
And now what you have been waiting for, our featured game. I was
watching this online and can attest to the general gasp of disbelief
when Aronian …. oh, just play it over – worth your while!
Aronian, Levon (2756) _ Navara, David (2658) [E17]
37th Olympiad Turin ITA (11), 02.06.2006
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Be7 6.Nc3 Ne4 7.Bd2 f5 8.Qc2
A move order trick. Normal is 8.d5 first and after 8…Bf6 then
9.Qc2. Navara did not think it made any difference. Wrong.
8…Bf6?! 9.Ne5!
With White not having played d4-d5 the long diagonal is still open
and Black’s knight on e4 is pinned against his bishop on b7.
9…d5 10.cxd5 Nxc3?
It is understandable that Black wanted to get rid of the long diagonal
pin, but now he gives Aronian an opening. To be fair, I was watching
the game online on the Internet Chess Club and no one there, including
several GMs and IMs, noticed anything amiss.
11.Nf7!!
Now that everybody notices 11…Kxf7 is impossible because of 12.dxe6+
Kxe6 13.Bxb7.
11…Qd7?
In the comfort of our study we notice that Black’s only move here is
11…Qc8! to defend the b7-bishop. Navara, of course, has just been
shocked by 11.Nf7 and is not in a good frame of mind.
12.Bxc3
With chagrin Black discovers that since the bishop on b7 is still
vulnerable, the white knight remains taboo.
12…Bxd5 13.Bxd5 Qxd5 14.e4! fxe4 15.Nxh8 Nc6 16.0-0 Ke7 17.Rae1
Rxh8 18.Rxe4 Rd8 19.Rfe1 Rd6 20.Rf4 g6 21.h4 Rd7
Protecting the c7 pawn before capturing on d4, otherwise the white
queen can take Qxc7 with check.
22.h5 Bxd4 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Qxg6 Ne5 25.Qf6+
Black either loses his queen via 25…Kd6 26.Rxd4 or his king if
25…Ke8 26.Qf8. 1-0.

ARMENIANS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST MOSCOW KILLINGS
Agence France Presse — English
June 5, 2006 Monday 2:22 PM GMT
Around 100 people demonstrated outside the Russian embassy to Armenia
on Monday demanding an end to a string of racist killings in Moscow
of people of Armenian origin.
Activists at the demonstration led by the Armenian Helsinki Committee
waved placards marked “Stop fascism” and handed over a message for
the Russian ambassador saying that racist groups were acting “under
the protection of Russian state structures”.
Six people of Armenian origin have been killed in racially motivated
attacks in Moscow this year, the activists said.
“There is an ideological vacuum in Russia at the moment due to the
failure of democratic principles and values,” said the Helsinki
Committee’s chairman, Avetik Ishkhanian. “Several forces are trying
to fill this vacuum with nationalist ideology and they need to be
stopped”.
This Caucasus country has had close ties with Russia since the Soviet
Union’s 1991 collapse but they have been strained in recent months,
partly due to attacks on Armenians in Russia.
In the latest such attack a 19-year-old was stabbed to death on a train
on May 25 by a group of young people who shouted “Glory to Russia”,
a lawyer representing members of the Armenian community said.
Another activist, Arsen Kharatian, said it was time to re-evalute
the commonly held belief that Russians could do no wrong.
“It’s necessary to free ourselves of the stereotype of the Russian
who one can’t speak out against … Both Russia and Armenia should
fight at state level against racism,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FITCH ASSIGNS ARMENIA FOREIGN, LOCAL CURRENCY RATINGS OF ‘BB-‘
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 6:38 PM MSK
Fitch assigned the Republic of Armenia foreign and local currency
Issuer Default ratings (“IDR”) of ‘BB-‘ (BB minus) with a Stable
Outlook, the agency said in a press release.
At the same time Fitch has assigned a Short-term rating of ‘B’ and
a Country Ceiling of ‘BB-‘ (BB minus), the release says.
“Armenia’s sovereign credit ratings are supported by prudent
macroeconomic policies and a declining public and external debt
burden that compares favorably with rated peers,” said David Riley,
Managing Director of Fitch’s Sovereigns Group.
Impressive economic performance has been underpinned by a robust and
coherent macroeconomic policy framework and wide-ranging structural
reforms that have enhanced the capacity of the economy to absorb
adverse shocks.
Armenia’s public finances are a rating strength. Fiscal deficits have
been contained at below 3% of GDP since 2002 and are forecast to remain
so, aiding a continued reduction in the general government debt burden,
which at 21% of GDP in 2005 already compares well with its rated peers.
The Central Bank of Armenia (“CBA”) has a demonstrated commitment
to low inflation – which has averaged 3.3% per year since 2000 –
and a flexible exchange rate regime, helping to insulate the economy
from adverse external price shocks. Moderate fiscal and external
financing needs are comfortably met with concessional loans from
the international financial institutions (“IFIs”), and external debt
servicing costs are correspondingly low and below those of peers.
Nonetheless, the importance of maintaining prudent fiscal and
monetary policies and building confidence in the CBA’s new inflation
targeting regime and economic stability are underscored by low levels
of monetization and financial intermediation that, combined with high
dollarization, continue to render the economy vulnerable to shocks.
With income per capita rising rapidly, official financing flows will
become less concessional and the government will need to broaden its
financing sources, including by developing the domestic government bond
market. Substantial inflows of remittances – estimated at around $750
million (15% of GDP) – help narrow the domestic savings-investment
gap and are an important source of external finance, but they are
also potentially susceptible to exogenous shocks.
And while the scorecard in terms of economic reform and liberalization
since independence is impressive, further measures to strengthen
governance and the still relatively immature political system, as
well as reduce the high level of corruption, would enhance long-term
investment and growth prospects.
Despite strong economic growth, Armenia’s ratings are constrained
by its low per capita income, which stood at just $1,500 in 2005
compared to the ‘BB’ group median of $2,500. Armenia subsequently
has a lower debt tolerance than wealthier economies. The government
also faces the challenge of increasing its tax take as social and
infrastructure spending needs rise over the short-to medium-term. At
just 14% of GDP, the government’s tax base is among the lowest of all
sovereigns rated by Fitch and constrains overall revenue generation,
in turn limiting fiscal flexibility.
A further important rating consideration is the country’s challenging
geopolitical situation, notably with respect to the absence of a
permanent resolution on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh and the
normalization of relations with Turkey. Fitch judges the risk
of renewed violent conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia over
Nagorno-Karabakh to be low over the near to medium term. Nonetheless,
the absence of a permanent political resolution continues to pose a
threat to regional stability over the long term.
In Fitch’s judgment substantive changes in economic policies are
unlikely, despite national assembly and presidential elections in
2007 and 2008, respectively. Improving the business environment and
raising domestic savings and investment, including the development
of local capital markets that would enhance the government’s domestic
financing capability, would be positive for Armenia’s ratings.
Negative economic or political shocks, including increased tensions
over Nagorno-Karabakh or the results of forthcoming elections, would
bring negative pressure to bear on the ratings.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANOTHER TRAIN WITH VEHICLES TO SET OFF FROM GEORGIA ON TUESDAY – OFFICIAL
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 4:58 PM MSK
Another train with weapons and materiel of the Russian base being
withdrawn from Georgia is ready for dispatch to Russia, Colonel
Vladimir Kuparadze, deputy commander of the Russian forces in
Transcaucasia, told Interfax-Military News Agency by phone from
Tbilisi on Monday.
“The train with 10 T-72 tanks and other military hardware of the
Russian 62nd base deployed in Akhalkalaki will depart from the
railway station of Tsalka early on Tuesday and will head for Russia
via Azerbaijan,” he said.
This will be the sixth train: three dispatched earlier carried the
equipment of the 62nd base, and two more that departed from Batumi,
where the 12th base is deployed, were sent to Armenia to replenish
the Russian 102nd base there.
Kuparadze said that a column of 20 wheeled vehicles would be sent to
Gyumri, where the 102nd base is headquartered, on Thursday.
“Another 40 wheeled vehicles will be sent to Gyumri from Batumi by
train also on Thursday,” he noted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAGORNO-KARABAKH SEIZED CHANCE AT SELF-DETERMINATION — KOCHARIAN
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 6:30 PM MSK
Armenian President Robert Kocharian believes that Nagorno-Karabakh
has virtually realized its right to self-determination.
“The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have realized in practice their
right to self-determination in full conformity with international
norms,” Kocharian said in his speech at the Black Sea summit forum
“For Dialogue and Partnership in Bucharest, the presidential press
service told Interfax on Monday.
“For 15 years, the republic of Nagorno-Karabakh has been asserting its
right to independence by its own achievements in building statehood,”
the Armenian president said, adding that a whole generation of
Nagorno-Karabakh residents associated themselves with this statehood.
He called for efforts to promote Karabakh’s integration into the
international community.
Armenian and Azeri Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev met
in Bucharest on June 4 to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.
The first part of their meeting, also attended by the Armenian and
Azeri foreign ministers and international mediators from Russia,
France and the United States, lasted about an hour, Armenian Public
Television reported later in the day.
After that, Kocharian and Aliyev talked in private for three hours.
They refused to comment on the results of the talk.

WORLD BANK TO PROVIDE ARMENIA WITH $6.25 MLN TO FIGHT BIRD FLU
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 1:20 PM MSK
The World Bank board of directors has approved providing Armenia
with a $6.25 million loan to implement a program to fight bird flu,
Roger Robinson, director of the World Bank’s Yerevan office, said at
a Monday press conference.
The loan will be provided on standard International Development
Association terms for 40 years at an annual 0.75% with a grace period
on payment for the first ten years.
The program is aimed at minimizing the risks of poultry coming down
with the disease, Robinson said.
If the bird flu virus is discovered in Armenia, a fund will be set
up to compensate damages for $750,000. These resources can be used
by small farmers that do not have more than 200,000 chickens. They
will also need to contribute a minimum amount to the fund. Large farms
that raise poultry and eggs will have to provide for their own safety
measures and will not receive compensation, Robinson said.
The credit resources will also be targeted at upgrading three
laboratories in the country and some of the resources will be used
to provide information to the public.
Japan is also providing a grant of $804,000 to Armenia.
The World Bank has provided Armenia with loans totaling $927.25
million since 1993.