1594.9 TONS OF HUMANITARIAN AID BROUGHT TO ARMENIA IN JANUARY-FEBRUARY
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. 1594.9 tons of goods of the total cost
of 4.6 mln U.S. dollars were brought to Armenia as humanitarian aid in
January-February, 2006. To recap, 676.7 tons of goods of 7792.2
thousand dollars were brought to Armenia during the same period of
time of the last year. According to the RA National Statistical
Service, paper and goods of paper made 25.5% of the got aid, textiles
made 18.4%, instruments and apparatus made 17.6%, non-precious metals
and goods made of them made 19.6%.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DAYS OF JAZZ TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA ON APRIL 26-30, ON INITIATIVE OF
U.S. EMBASSY
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The 5th festival “Days of Jazz” will
be held on April 26-30 on the initiative of the U.S. Embassy to the
RA. Concerts of Armenian and American jazz musicians, shows of films
and dancing jazz performances, a competition and an exhibition of
young artists’ works are envisaged within the framework of the
event. According to the information submitted to Noyan Tapan by the
U.S. Embassy, during the festival the Judy Bady Quartet from New York
will have a concert with Armenian prominent jazz musicians.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA POLICE DELEGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN SITTING OF CIS COUNTRIES’
INTERIOR MINISTERS’ COUNCIL TO BE HELD IN DUSHANBE
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian delegation headed by RA
Police Chief Officer Haik Haroutiunian will also participate in the
regular sitting of the Interior Ministers’ Council of the CIS
countries to take place in Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, on
April 21-22. Issues relating to development of future cooperation of
the Interior Ministries of the CIS states will be discussed during the
sitting. At the same time, the “Antiterror-2006” anti-terrorism
military exercises are held in Dushanbe, in which servicemen of
special detachments of the RA Police participate as well. During the
same days, the meeting of the Chairmen of Veterans’ Councils of
Interior Ministries of the CIS member states will take place in
Dushanbe for participating in which R.Babayan, the Chairman of the RA
Police Veterans Council left for Dushanbe in the staff of the RA
Police delegation. The RA Police delegation left for Dushanbe on April
20.

STATE ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA RECOGNIZED WINNER IN
COMPETITION ANNOUNCED BY U.S. CRDF FUND AND NFSAT
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Synthesis and Research of
Polymers” program presented by the State Engineering University of
Armenia (SEUA) was recognized the winner in the grant competition
stated by the U.S. CRDF fund and the National Foundation of Science
and Advanced Technologies (NFSAT). 4 programs were presented from
Armenia in this competition, among them there were works from the
Yerevan State University and other scientific centers. As Yuri
Sargsian, the SEUA acting Rector, RA NAS academician stated at the
April 20 press-conference, the primary goal of this program of total
cost of 300 thousand dollars is creation of a scientific-educational
center functioning on the first line of high technologies, as well as
preparation of a new generation of future scientists. Yuri Sargsian
mentioned that this grant operating by co-financing has been given for
three years the half of which, 150 thousand dollars, the Armenian side
will put in: the RA Ministry of Education and Science will put in 90
thousand dollars, the SEUA – 60 thousand dollars. For founding the
scietific-educational center, the University was given laboratories of
total surface of about 200 sq.m., where new equipment of 180 thousand
dollars to be bought within the framework of the program will be
placed. According to Sevan Davtian, the scientific head of the
program, 15 young scientists, graduate students and mastering students
are involved in implementation of this scientific research. Two of
them have already been sent on business abroad for one month each. 15
young people working in the program will also participate in the
annual “Yenikolopov’s Readings” interntional conference to take place
in Yerevan in October. According to Sevan Davtian, young graduate and
mastering students made the best and most valuable speeches will be
sent on business abroad, to implement scientific works.

RA GOVERNMENT PROPOSES TO CHANGE NAMES OF 52 SETTLEMENTS
YEREVAN, APRIL 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The draft concerning making amendments
and additions to the RA law “On RA Administrative-Territorial Division”
was approved at the April 21 sitting of the RA Government. The draft
was worked out to liquidate foreign, inharmonious and repeated names
of settlements. The decision proposes to involve the Verin Giratagh
community of the marz of Syunik in the community of Lernadzor as a
rural settlement, and the Pirlu (Verin Geghavank) and Kyurut (Karut)
communities in the community of Geghi as a rural settlement. Taking
into account the wish of inhabitation of the Ayrum community of the
marz of Tavush, the positive opinion of interested state bodies as
well as the fact that Ayrum is practically an urban settlement with
corresponding infrastructures and has no lands of agricultural
meaning, it is proposed the give Ayrum status of an urban community.
As Manuk Vardanian, the Chairman of the State Committee of the Real
Estate Cadastre attached to the RA Government, informed journalists
after the sitting, about 60% of 40 thousand settlements, valleys,
channels, mountains of the republic are not Armenian. Names of in
total, 52 settlements are at present proposed to change. M.Vardanian
mentioned that 38 of them have a Turkish name. And names of 5
settlements will be changed at the inhabitation’s request, the main
part of which is Kurds. The process of changing the names is envisaged
to finish till late this year. According to M.Vardanian, it was also
decided to name after public, political, scientific and cultural
figures only in 10 years after their death.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL SECURITY SERVICE RELEASES GUARD AND DRIVER OF “NEW TIMES”
PARTY LEADER
Yerevan, April 21. ArmInfo. The guard and the driver of the “New
Times” opposition party leader Aram Karapetyan taken today to the
National Security Service of Armenia have been just
released. A. Karapetyan told ArmInfo.
As Aram Karapetyan told ArmInfo, today at 12:55 PM, 12 people,
including 8 with masks, by three cars of “VAZ-2106” mark blocked the
path of the “New Times” party’s two cars of “GAZ-3110” mark near the
Erebuni Community’s Police department. According to Karapetyan, the
people in masks aimed their submachine guns at him and his assistants,
then with shouts “we shall shoot, go out of cars”, they roughly pulled
the driver and the Head of Karapetyan’s personal guard out of car,
beat them on heads and laid them on the asphalt facedown.
The driver harmed his leg. Then they took off their gas guns, “put
them into handcuffs”, made them change their cars and drove away in an
unknown direction. Several officers drove away by both “GAZ-3110” cars
of the “New Times” party. The people in masks recorded the detention
with 4 cameras. According to Karapetyan, he reached his office by
taxi. He told that he had immediately contacted the deputy Head of the
RA Police, lieutenant-general Hovhannes Varyan, who allowed
Karapetyan’s officers to hold gas guns, but he informed that the
Police bears no relation to today’s action. Later, Karapetyan
clarified that his driver and the guards were taken to Armenia’s
National Security Service.
The Head of the Armenian NSS’s press-office Artsvin Baghramyan
confirmed in the talk with ArmInfo’s correspondent that the detainees
were in the NSS. According to him, the officers of the NSS acted
according to the law, thus, responding the incoming alarms that “the
“NT” party members walk about the city with guns”. “We shall clarify
where the arms are from. If their documents are OK, the detainees will
be surely set free”, Baghramyan said.
A. Karapetyan says 4 of the 6 bodyguards, who have been released, are
undergoing medical examination for the bodily harms received while
detained. The “gas guns” are still at the NSS. However, NSS apologized
to A. Karapetyan and his guard, the leader says. Besides, both the
cars were returned, one “fully ruined”. A. Karapetyan says he has been
shadowed for the last 10 months. The names of 14 members of the party,
who are agents of NSS and Police and “joined the party with a special
purpose”, will be made public shortly.

UKRPROMBANK BUYS 35% OF ARMINVETSBANK SHARES
Yerevan, April 21. ArmInfo. UkrPromBank, Ukraine, officially announced
today about purchasing 35% of ArmInvestBank shares, Armenia.
The UkrPromBank report states that the purchase was made by its own
means. It aims entering the Armenian banking market. The report says
nothing of the amount of the deal nor of any perspectives of
UkrPromBank on the international market.
‘Kommersant’ newspaper, Ukraine, reports that UkrPromBank will realize
a part of its operations through the Armenian financial
structure. ‘Armenia is traditionally used for schemes of capital
withdrawal and avoiding taxes,’ said a director of a major bank,
preferring to remain incognito.
According to the information of the Association of Ukrainian Banks, as
for March 1, 2006, UkrPromBank was the 12-th in the Ukrainian banks
ranking list by assets (4,24 billion grivna) and 9-th by funds (652,48
million grivna). According to ArmInfo (Agency of Rating, Marketing and
Information), authorized capital stock of ArmInvestBank are $5,3
million (14-th place), assets – $21 million (13-th place). As for
December 31, 2006, 35% of its shares belonged to Grigor Sukiasian,
15,6% to Unibank, the rest (49,4%) to other shareholders, each owning
less that 10%.

FILM “ARARAT” BY ATOM EGOYAN TO BE ON RUSSIAN PUBLIC TELEVISION ON DAY
OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION
Yerevan, April 21. ArmInfo. “Ararat” by Atom Egoyan, a film telling
about the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, will be on the Russian
Public Television on the night of April 24. Vigen Sargsyan, Assistant
of Armenian President, said at a press conference, Friday.
The film is demonstrated on the occasion of the Year of Armenia in
Russia to pay homage to the victims of the massacre, V. Sargsyan
said. The Armenian communities in all the regions of Russia will
traditionally commemorate those killed at the beginning of the 20th
century on April 24. He said Russia is the very country where
“Genocide is called Genocide” in conformity with a relevant decision
by State Duma and no other synonyms are search.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEAD OF GUARD AND DRIVER OF “NEW TIMES” OPPOSITIONAL PARTY LEADER
TAKEN TO ARMENIA’S NSS
Yerevan, April 21. ArmInfo. The Head of the guard and the driver of
the “New Times” oppositional party leader Aram Karapetyan were taken
today to the National Security Service of Armenia in handcuffs.
As Aram Karapetyan told ArmInfo, today at 12:55 PM, 12 masked people
by three cars of “VAZ-2106” mark blocked the path of the “New Times”
party’s two cars of “GAZ-3110” mark near the Erebuni Community’s
Police department. According to Karapetyan, the people in masks aimed
their submachine guns at him and his assistants, then with shouts “we
shall shoot, go out of cars”, they roughly pulled the driver and the
Head of Karapetyan’s personal guard out of car, beat them on heads and
laid them on the asphalt by face down. The driver harmed his leg. Then
they took off their gas guns, “put into handcuffs”, made them change
their cars and drove away in an unknown direction. Several people sat
down in both “GAZ-3110” cars of the “New Times” party and also drove
away. According to Karapetyan, he reached his office by taxi. He told
that he had immediately contacted the deputy Head of the RA Police,
lieutenant-general Hovhannes Varyan, who allowed Karapetyan’s officers
to hold gas guns, but he informed that the Police bears no relation to
today’s action. Later, Karapetyan clarified that his driver and the
Head of the Guard are taken to the Armenia’s National Security
Service.
The Head of the Armenian NSS’s press-office Artsvin Baghramyan
confirmed in the talk with the ArmInfo correspondent that the
apprehendede persons are in the NSS. According to him, the officers of
the NSS acted according to the law, thus, responding the incoming
signals, according to which “the “NT” party members walk about the
city with guns”. “We shall clarify where the arms are from. If their
documents are OK, the apprehended persons will be surely set free”,
Baghramyan said.

From: [email protected]
Subject: Karabakh Is a Milestone Of International Law
KARABAKH IS A MILESTONE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Lragir.am
21 April 06

On April 21 Stepanakert kicked off parliamentary hearings on the topic
`The Karabakh Issue: Prospects of Settlement.’ The parliamentary
delegation of Armenia, headed by MP Armen Rustamyan, Chair of the
Committee of External Relations, arrived in Karabakh.
NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan is not taking part in the hearings. In
response to the question of Member of Parliament Gegham Baghdasaryan
why Arkady Ghukasyan was not participating in the hearing, Chair of
the Committee of External Relations of the National Assembly of NKR
Vahram Atanesyan said the president was at the final conference of the
military exercise. Foreign Minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan’s
schedule was tight, and knowing this, they had not invited him.
Speaker Ashot Ghulyan said parliamentary debates on the Karabakh issue
are becoming more active. The first success in similar debates was
reported in Bishkek. He mentioned that all the political forces have
the same opinion.
Addressing the participants, NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrosyan
commended the first parliamentary hearing on the Karabakh issue and
mentioned that the NKR parliament must develop a definite standpoint
on the issue that is directly related to its own future. He emphasized
that the essence of the conflict over Karabakh is that human rights
are not respected. Azerbaijan has constantly attempted to move this
essence to other planes which give rise to conflicts. `If in a
conflict human rights are neglected, it leads to a clash of
interests,’ said the foreign minister. Georgy Petrosyan thinks the
core reason of the present state of things is the following: the
international community, fearing war, refused to recognize the results
of the referendum on the independence of NKR. `It bolstered up the
intention of Azerbaijan to settle an issue of rights through military
means,’ said Georgy Petrosyan. The NKR foreign minister said Karabakh
must blame the international community for such an immoral
approach. It is necessary, for presently proposals are offered at
negotiations which consider the consequences of the war and not
rights, and are restoring the situation to a former status
quo. Instead, guided by their own standards of democracy, the West
should have considered the right of the people of NKR. The West
refuses to recognize the results of the referendum, speaks about a
humanitarian disaster, economic decline in the region, threats of war
voiced by Azerbaijan. As an attempt to overcome this situation, the
foreign minister thinks the mediators should propose the parties to
reassert their commitment to maintaining peace. `At that time it will
become known who uses what arguments,’ he said.
Assessing the present situation, the minister mentioned that Armenia
had to or was forced to become engaged in the talks. The international
community forces Armenia to make concessions, because Azerbaijan is
threatening to wage a war. `The standpoint of Karabakh is clear. We
would not adopt a decision that would contradict to the common will of
people. Every decision must solve all the problems of people who
suffered from the war. Azerbaijan must be recognized as an aggressor,
also against its own people.’ As to the NKR-Armenia relations, the
foreign minister thinks we are two brotherly sovereign states which
can act independently.
In response to Member of Parliament Hmayak Hovanisyan, Georgy
Petrosyan said the president of Armenia informs NKR president Arkady
Ghukasyan about the details of the talks, and for his part, Arkady
Ghukasyan informs the NKR foreign minister. `It does not mean that we
agree to everything, this has an advisory nature,’ said Georgy
Petrosyan. Besides, he also disclosed a secret ` the negotiations are
no longer confidential. `What they are now publishing is true,’ said
Georgy Petrosyan.