“BOOK EXPO AMERICA” EXHIBITION-SALE TO START IN WASHINGTON
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 11:20
“Book Expo America” exhibition-sale of books will start today in
Washington. The Armenian national association of publishers will
also participate in the event. About 120 Armenian books, including
publication about the Armenian Genocide will be presented.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SEMIFINAL OF THE “EUROVISION-2006” TO BE HELD IN ATHENS
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 12:11
The semifinal of the “Eurovision-2006″ song contest will be held today
at the Olympic Stadium of Athens, meant for 18 spectators. Armenia
will be represented by best singer of the year Andre, who will present
a song titled ” Without your love.”

AMBASSADOR OF KUWAIT HANDED CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 13:35
Today the newly appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Kuwait to
Armenia Majdi Ahmad Ebrahim Al-Daffi (seat in Tehran) handed his
credentials to RA Presidnet Robert Kocharyan.
The President underlined the necessity of expanding the relations with
Arab countries, thus emphasizing the role of Kuwait in this context.
Turning to the relations between the two countries, the interlocutors
noted that there is considerable potential for collaboration. They
attached importance to immediate business contacts and exchange of
information in the de velopment of economic ties.
The Ambassador thoroughly presented the situation in Kuwait and the
regional developments.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SENATORS SARBANES AND BOXER QUESTION US AMBASSADOR DESIGNATE TO AZERBAIJAN
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 14:30
US Ambassador Designate to Azerbaijan Anne Derse responded to questions
by Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Paul Sarbanes on a series
of US policy concerns focusing on Azerbaijan’s belligerent attitude
toward Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, as well as the Administration’s
budget request, which would break military assistance parity to Armenia
and Azerbaijan, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
In response to a question by Senator Sarbanes expressing concern about
the Bush Administration’s Fiscal Year 2007 budget request which would
provide over 40% more military assistance to Azerbaijan than Armenia,
Ambassador Designate Derse defended the decision, stating that “we
do not believe that the slight differences in military assistance
. . . undermine prospects for peace or send the wrong message.”
In response to Senator Sarbanes’ question on efforts toward regional
economic integration in the Caucasus, Derse noted that the “opening
of the border between Turkey and Armenia would contribute to the
economies of both countries,” but made no reference to the 18-year
Azerbaijani blockade of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh. Derse did,
however, make specific mention of recent efforts to build a railway
line connecting Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, stating “because the
proposed railway would bypass Armenia, and thus not be beneficial
to regional integration, we have no plans to support such a railway
financially.
Derse noted that “the future status of Nagorno Karabakh is a matter
of negotiations between the parties.” She stressed that both the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been forewarned that “any
attempt at a military solution to the conflict would only deepen its
tragic impact.”

ARMAVIA LEASES AN A-319 PLANE
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 14:45
The collection of airplanes of Armavia Air Company was supplemented
today with an A-319 airbus, press service of the company informs.
According to the source, the A-319, manufactured in 2004, was taken
on lease in Tulus. It passed technical examination in Mexico and was
exploited for a year by an American Air Company. The plane has 134
seats, 8 of which are of business class, the rest are of economic
class. Currently the Company possesses two A-319 planes, one A-320
and two Yak-42 jets.

KOSOVO CONFLICT SETTLEMENT TO BECOME PRECEDENT FOR POST-SOVIET PEACE PROCESSES
Yerevan, May 17. ArmInfo. If Kosovo is given self-determination, one
will hardly be able to convince Transdniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and Nagorny Karabakh that they are unrecognized states of second rate –
as such a decision on Kosovo will in fact mean secession of territory
and violation of territorial integrity, says Russian political expert
Andranik Migranyan.
The Russian president and FM have repeatedly said that if the West
tears Kosovo away from Serbia this solution may become a precedent
for other conflicts in other regions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER IS NOT SO SERIOUS AND INDEPENDENT FIGURE FOR HIS RESIGNATION TO CAUSE INTERNAL POLITICAL CRISIS
Yerevan, May 17. ArmInfo. “The Armenian Parliament speaker Arthur
Baghdasaryan is not so serious and independent figure for his
appointment or resignation to cause any internal political crisis”,
a well-known Russian political scientist, professor of MSIIR,
a chairman of the Russian Commission of Public Chamber Andranik
Migranyan told ArmInfo.
Migranyan considered the event so miserable that “it is even awkward
to comment it”. “Well, a man is appointed and resigned “, he said
and expressed an opinion that the information about A. Baghdasaryan’s
expected resignation glided in the Armenian political life.

FRENCH BILL ON ARMENIAN DEATHS WORRIES TURKEY
By Martin Arnold in Paris and Vincent Boland in Ankara
FT
May 18 2006 03:00
France’s relations with Turkey will come under strain today if the
parliament in Paris approves a bill that would make it a crime to
deny the killing of Armenians by Ottoman troops in 1915 was genocide.
Turkish academics have warned that if the opposition proposal becomes
law, it would be “disastrous” for the democratic movement in Turkey.
It could also cause economic disruption, with business leaders warning
that French products could be boycotted in Turkey.
Ankara recalled its ambassador to Paris briefly last week “for
consultations” in protest at today’s vote. It also pulled back its
ambassador to Ottawa, following comments by the Canadian prime minister
that appeared to express support for Armenia’s view that the killings
were genocide.
The Armenian issue is particularly sensitive in France because of
its 450,000-strong Armenian community.
Armenians claim up to 1.5m people died in 1915-18. Turkey denies
genocide, and admits only that hundreds of thousands of both Armenians
and Turks died, largely due to civil war and famine.
Halil Berktay, one of the first Turkish historians to break the taboo
on Armenia, said in yesterday’s Le Monde that the effects of thenew
French law would be “disastrous”.
He warned that Ankara could retaliate with a law criminalising
recognition of the genocide. “There is a strong nationalist,
anti-European wave in Turkey at the moment.” he said.
The French bill would punish denial of the genocide with one year in
prison or a â~B¬45,000 fine, matching the penalty for denial of the
Jewish Holocaust.
–Boundary_(ID_9tXsPrq1HXyN27JPc3rkdg) —

CSTO TO DISCUSS THE CREATION OF A COMMITTE OF HEADS OF GENERAL STAFFS OF ARMED FORCES
ArmRadio.am
18.05.2006 10:53
During today’s sitting of the Heads of General Staffs of Armed Forces
of Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states
issues related to some power structures within the organization will
be discussed. The issue of creation of a Committe of Heads of CSTO
General Staffs is also on the agenda of the sitting.

NEW GROUP OF OLIGARCHS TO BE CREATED IN THE NA
A1+
[07:58 pm] 17 May, 2006
A possible variant
The deputies who left Orinats Yerkir will create a new group.
10 ex members of the party meet from time to time to discuss the
mechanisms of their further activity.
Deputy Mekhak Mkhitaryan claimed that only those deputies who left
the Orinats Yerkir participate in the discussions. The creation of a
new group or membership in one of the existing groups are themes of
their discussions.
The ex member of the OYP considered the creation of a new group the
most probable variant. He promised to give final information tomorrow
or the day after tomorrow.