NATO ENVOY PRAISES ARMENIA’S PROGRESS IN PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME
Arminfo
22 May 06
Yerevan, 22 May: Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan
met the special representative of the NATO secretary-general for the
South Caucasus, Robert Simmons, today, a source in the press service
of the Armenian Foreign Ministry has said.
Summing up the outcome of working meetings of representatives of NATO
and members of inter-agency commissions for the implementation of the
Individual Partnership Action Plan [IPAP] programme on 18-19 May,
Simmons highly appreciated the implementation of the plan and said
that Armenia had made considerable progress in the implementation of
the provisions of the programme within a short time.
Kirakosyan said that cooperation with NATO and Armenia’s participation
in the IPAP programme and the Partnership for Peace programme are an
important element of the country’s security system.
He also stressed the importance of expanding political dialogue with
NATO, carrying out relevant reforms in the defence system and devising
a national security conception.
The sides also stressed the importance of informing the wider
public of NATO’s purposes and policies, especially of cooperation
between Armenia and NATO. The deputy foreign minister touched on the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and the current status
of Armenian-Turkish relations.
[Passage omitted: Simmons took part in IPAP implementation commission
meeting]

“GRAND” INSURANCE COMPANY STARTED RECEPTION OF DOCUMENTS
ArmRadio.am
24.05.2006 15:00
Today the “Grand” insurance company has started reception of documents
for paying the insurance sums to the families of the victims of
the A-320 plane crash. Director of the Company Artak Antonyan told
“Radiolur” that documents of 30 people have been already submitted. The
reimbursement sum has not been determined so far, but the company
will pay up to US$20 000 for every victim.
Payment of the sums will start from June 18.
To note, planes of “Armavia” Company crashed in the Black Sea and
burnt at Brussels airport were also insured at “Grand” Company. Artak
Antonyan did not inform about the volume and terms of paying these
insurance sums.
For receiving the insurance sums, families of the air crash victims
can call 51-28-24 or 093 40 09 14 (cell).

ARMENIAN POLICEMEN TAKE PART IN 10TH INTERNATIONAL ALL ROUND EVENTS “ANTI-CRIMINAL 2006” IN ST.PETERSBURG
Yerevan, May 23. ArmInfo. Armenian policemen are taking part in the
two-day 10th international all-round events “Anti-Criminal 2006”
in St.Petersburg.
The press service of the Armenian police reports that attending the
event are Byelorussian special purpose militiamen, Finnish air rangers,
Russian policemen. The participants are competing in shooting, running,
driving, hand-to-hand fighting and are showing their knowledge of
police rules. The key prize is 100,000 RUR.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO IS ONE OF THE WARRANTEES OF ARMENIA’S SECURITY
Yerevan, May 23. ArmInfo. NATO may assist normalization of relations
between Armenia and Turkey, reports the parliamentary press center
the words of Robert Simmons, Special Representative of NATO Secretary
General in South Caucasus and Central Asia, who met today with the
Vice-Speaker of the National Assembly of Armenia Tigran Torosian.
In his return Mr. Torosian noted that NATO is also one of the
warrantees of Armenia’s security, therefore cooperation between Armenia
and NATO and NATO Parliament Assembly will proceeded, irrespective
of political shifts in eth ruling coalition of Armenia.
Tigran Torosian informed the Special Representative that a special
Commission under President Robert Kocharian is created in order to
enhance the cooperation between Armenia and Europe.
Both the sides emphasized the elections of 2007-2008 and their
correspondence to European standards, as well as the necessity to
extend the IPAP of Armenia. Robert Simmons stressed the importance
of the Parliament and democracy in cooperating with NATO. He added
that the Parliament can play a major part in realizing the IPAP,
which first of all aims protection of democratical values.

BROTHER OF ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER AND “IRAVUNK” NEWSPAPER CORRESPONDENT SQUABBLE
Yerevan, May 23. ArmInfo. The brother of Armenian Defense Minister,
MP Alexander Sargsyan and “Iravunk” newspaper correspondent Taguhi
Tovmasyan squabbled at the Armenian National Assembly over the article
published in the newspaper. The publication says that A. Sargsyan
joined a quarrel with the drunk at a restaurant in Yerevan.
The parliamentarian attacked the journalist in the corridor of the
Armenian parliament demanding the source of her information otherwise
she would face problems. However, asked if he threatens her, A.
Sargsyan said that he just warns. The correspondent proposed the
parliamentarian to refute the information in the newspaper or to
apply to the Court against her, In response, A. Sargsyan called the
newspaper nothingness and its correspondents complete nonentities,
stating that he will not “stoop to” write a refutation. In response
to another journalist’s attempt to support T. Tovmasyan, A. Sargsyan
called him too young to speak.

CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF OF ARMED FORCES OF UKRAINE HERE ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT
ArmRadio.am
24.05.2006 15:10
The delegation headed by Chief of General Staff of Armed Forces of
Ukraine, Colonel-General Sergey Kirichenko arrived today in Armenia on
a two-day official visit. Kirichenko had a meeting with his Armenian
counterpart Colonel-General Mickael Harutyunyan. Members of the
delegation will visit the memorial to the victims of the Armenian
Genocide and the mine-clearing center. Later the guests will visit
the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan.
The Ukrainian delegation will be received also by the Catholicos
of All Armenian Garegin II. In the evening the Chiefs of General
Staffs of Armed Forces of the two countries will sign a memorandum
on cooperation. Mickael Harutyunyan and Sergey Kirichenko told the
journalists they are going to share the experience gained.
“We are pleased with the warmth, hospitality and friendliness we saw
here in Armenia today. We are confident that today’s work will yield
great results.
Your experience of participating in peacekeeping missions will be
especially useful for us,” Sergey Kirichenko said.

VARTAN OSKANIAN AND SERGE SARGSYAN TO REPRESENT ARMENIA AT NATO PA SESSION
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.05.2006 12:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan will represent Armenia at the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly session starting in Brussels June 14, RA Deputy FM Arman
Kirakossian stated a news conference yesterday. He also informed that
the issues referring to the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action
Plan (IPAP) will be considered during the session.

AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS MIGHT MEET WITHIN SUMMIT IN BUCHAREST ON 4-6 JUNE
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 23 2006
“We had many discussions on the Nagorno Garabagh conflict during
Romanian presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Foreign
Minister.
We also discussed mutual steps taken by Azerbaijani and Armenian
authorities in the framework of the Committee of Ministers,” Romanian
Foreign Minister Mikhai-Razvan Ungureanu, who turned over presidency to
Russia, told APA’s Europe bureau while responding to the question “What
improvements have been achieved in settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh
conflict during Romanian presidency of the Committee of Ministers?”
Stating that there are hopes for achieving common result that will
satisfy both parties, Romanian Foreign Minister stressed that there
is good chance for the next meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents.
“Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia will have a chance to meet in
the summit-“Black Sea for dialogue and partnership” scheduled for
June 4-6 this year in Bucharest. I hope the heads of state will
have an opportunity to have talks within the summit. It is very
important now from the aspect of political dialogue. On the other
hand, this meeting can be important in removing the existing tension
and can demonstrate possibility of next political dialogue capacity,”
Mr.Ungureanu said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SOME 20 AZERBAIJANIS KILLED IN RALLY IN TABRIZ
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.05.2006 13:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ May 22, in Tabriz, Azerbaijanis organized a rally
and tried to seize the former premises of Milli Mejlis, presently
the government House of Tabriz. The rally participants were crying
out slogans like “Azeri people will not tolerate sufferings”,
“Chehraganly, the hero of Azerbaijan”, “Karabakh is ours and will
be ours”. The police dispersed the rally. As result, some 20 people
were killed and 100 were injured. The hospital where the injured were
taken is surrounded by the police. To prevent a repetition guardsmen
assaulted a hostel and detained some 100 people, reported Day.az.
It should be noted that the rallies in Tabriz and other town of
northern Iran were held in protest against offensive caricatures
of Azeris posted in Iran daily. According to Lenta.ru, the Iranian
government closed Iran daily and accused the journalists of publishing
provocative materials.

ARMENIA DENIES A-320 CRASHED OVER LACK OF FUEL
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.05.2006 13:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian General Department of Civil Aviation
(GDCA) denies lack of fuel as a version of A-320 jet crash. Besides the
GDCA requests to refrain from untimely disputing over various versions
of the crash. “The record box has not been decoded yet. It’s premature
to sound any versions of the crash. We refrain from any comments and
advise the others to do the same,” Spokesperson Gayane Davtyan said.
At that Gayane Davtyan said the Armenian General Department of Civil
Aviation and Armavia reiterated that A-320 had over 10 tons of fuel
what was sufficient for a 4-hour flight. The plane was in the air an
hour and 24 minutes, reported RIA Novosti.
To remind, Armavia-owned A-320 crashed into the Black Sea early on May
3 killing all of 113 people aboard, including 8 crewmembers. Yesterday
some Russian media reported that the tragedy happened over lack
of fuel.
From: Baghdasarian