WHOSE FACTS ARE TRUE?
Lragir.am
13 april 06
The idea that was most often repeated during the parliamentary debates
on the report on performance of the 2001-2003 program of privatization
was the great difference between the value of the company and the price
at which it was sold. For instance, Orbita Factory was assessed at
3 billion but sold for 116 million. Hours after the debates on this
issue the minister of trade and economy Karen Chshmarityan replied
to similar accusations made during the debates on April 10-12.
The minister, as well as the head of the Department for Management
of State Property Karineh Kirakosyan delivered a small lecture on the
topic of value and price, then said, “Orbita was assessed at 3 million
drams and sold at 750 million.” Plus, the company owed debts of 320
million, 220 million other liabilities, salary debt, and products of
550 million produced for the Near East, which, however, the company
had been unable to sell due to the embargo.
Before the privatization 30 people were employed in Orbita who were
paid 15 thousand drams monthly, after the privatization 150 people
work here and get 60 thousand drams, says Karen Chshmarityan. And such
allegations may have a negative impact on the investment environment
in Armenia, he believes. It should be noted that the allegations
of the members of parliament are based on the facts that another
representative of the Executive, the head of the Department for
Management of State Property Karineh Kirakosyan had provided. The
latter characterized Victor Dallakyan’s allegation that the minister
of trade and economic development Karen Chshmarityan owns several
buildings in the center of Yerevan as “irresponsible.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN MINISTER, US DELEGATION DISCUSS AID PROGRAMME, REGIONAL ISSUES
Noyan Tapan news agency
12 Apr 06
Yerevan, 12 April: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan today
received US Congressman Jim Kolbe (Arizona’s Eighth Congressional
District, Republican), a member of the House Financial Services and
Budget Committees, Scott Garrett (New Jersy’s Fifth Congressional
District, Republican), and Millennium Challenge Corporation Chief
Executive Officer, ambassador John Danilovich.
The congressmen are in Armenia as part of their regional tour.
They discussed Armenian-American relations, in particular, the
implementation of an agreement with the Millennium Challenge Programme
(MMC) and the opening of an office in Yerevan, the development of a
free economic system in the country and the strengthening of democracy,
and also some other issues of mutual interest, the Armenian Foreign
Ministry press service told Noyan Tapan.
The sides also noted the importance of openness and transparency for
the public when it comes to funds given to Armenia within the framework
of the Millennium Challenge Corporation as well as the importance of
the Armenian government’s adherence to democratic principles.
The sides also discussed regional issues, Armenian-Iranian and
Armenian-Turkish relations.
Minister Oskanyan briefed on the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict after the Rambouillet meeting.

‘HOLY FIRE’ EASTER RITUAL CASTS LIGHT ON GREEK ORTHODOX BATTLES IN JERUSALEM
Brian Murphy
AP Worldstream
Apr 13, 2006
ATHENS, Greece _ For Orthodox Christians, one of the most stirring
images of the Easter season is a burning candle being carried from the
site in Jerusalem where tradition says Jesus was crucified and buried.
The “holy fire” is passed among worshippers outside the Church of
the Holy Sepulcher and is taken aboard special flights to Athens and
other cities _ connecting many of the 200 million Orthodox worldwide
to their spiritual roots.
But in recent years, it also has illuminated the messier passions
of the Holy Land: religious rivalries among the Orthodox and the
building-by-building competition between Israelis and Palestinians
in some parts of Jerusalem.
Greek and Armenian clergymen have exchanged blows over who would
be the first to bring out the flame. Last year, Israeli police held
back Palestinians outraged by alleged deals to lease Greek Orthodox
properties to Jewish investors in Jerusalem’s Old City.
The upcoming ceremony on April 22 _ the eve of Orthodox Easter _
has elements for even higher drama. The land scandal has splintered
the Greek Orthodox, one of the caretakers of the Holy Sepulcher shrine.
Orthodox leaders last May ousted the church’s Jerusalem-based
patriarch, Irineos I, after reports of deals for several prime
buildings near Jaffa Gate. The church’s mostly Palestinian Christian
congregation denounced it as another attempt to weaken the Arab
presence in east Jerusalem _ which Palestinians insist must be the
capital of any future state.
Irineos, however, has not gone quietly. He has refused to recognize
his dismissal and still commands a band of loyalists. Israel, too,
has not given its formal backing to the new patriarch, Theofilos III,
who says he opposes the reported leases. Traditionally, the Greek
patriarch needs three-way approval that includes Jordan and the
Palestinians, which have given the nod to Theofilos.
The patriarchate dispute is now before Israel’s Supreme Court.
In Greece, meanwhile, investigators are digging deeper into a possible
espionage affair involving Irineos’ selection as patriarch in 2001.
The probe centers on whether a convicted drug trafficker, Apostolos
Vavilis, was sent on secret missions to lobby for Irineos, who was the
choice of Greek officials and clerics at the time. Vavilis _ whose
aliases included Apostolos Pavlos, or Apostle Paul _ was extradited
from Italy on April 6 to face charges including “revealing state
secrets” to foreign agents. He was returned to Greece wearing the
black robes of an Orthodox priest, although he is not ordained.
The official who allegedly negotiated the leases, church financial
officer Nikos Papadimas, remains a fugitive.
It’s possible Irineos could attempt to directly challenge Theofilos’
authority at the flame ceremony, but that would constitute an almost
irreparable rupture in the church. More likely is a noisy showdown
of taunts and name-calling between the rival groups. Israeli security
was heightened last year because of showdowns.
“Father Irineos is the legal patriarch,” said a supporter, a clergyman
also called Irineos. The former patriarch could not be reached for
comment.
Archbishop Aristarchos, who handles security for the patriarchate,
said there are “rumors” Irineos could make an appearance but “there
is no way that the previous patriarch will come to the ceremony as
the patriarch.”
“Only Theofilos III will come to the ceremony as the patriarch,”
Aristarchos said. “I hope and I wish that there will not be any
unpleasant episodes.”
The Orthodox ritual of the “holy fire,” performed alone by a
patriarch in the tomb of Jesus, dates back at least 1,200 years, and a
“miraculous” fire is mentioned in earlier texts. The precise details of
the lighting are a closely guarded secret, but some faithful consider
it an annual miracle.
It also illustrates another of the intricate protocols that govern
the site, which is administered by Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic
and Roman Catholic clerics. The Coptic, Ethiopian Orthodox and Syriac
Orthodox churches also have duties to maintain specific areas. Under
a pact going back to 16th century Ottoman rule, two Muslim families
share duties as the sole gatekeepers.
For some, the tensions this Easter also help drive home demands to
end Greek control of the Jerusalem patriarchate and its 40,000-member
flock.
The Greek clerics leading the church “are foreigners who don’t work
for the best interests of the Palestinian Christians,” said Dimitri
Diliani, who leads of a coalition of Palestinians Christians that plans
to bring more than 1,500 faithful to the flame ceremony. “They have
been irresponsible in handling the property of Palestinian Christians
and have been involved in ‘Judaizing’ Jerusalem.”
But Daniel Rossing, who heads a Jerusalem-based group that promotes
inter-religious dialogue, said it’s difficult to make such sweeping
changes to religious traditions in Jerusalem, which has deep
significance for Jews, Christians and Muslims.
“Any event in Jerusalem, like the Greek church troubles, cannot
just be looked at as a local squabble,” he said. “It affects all of
Christianity because of the universal nature of Jerusalem.”
___
Associated Press reporter Laura Resnick in Jerusalem contributed to
this report.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HEARINGS ON THE KARABAKH ISSUE TO BE HELD AT NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ArmRadio.am
13.04.2006 14:47
April 21 hearings on “Karabakh Issue: Prospects for Resolution ”
will be held at the National Assembly of Nagorno-Karabakh. Head of
the RA NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Armen Rustamyan,
a number of political scientists and experts of Armenia have been
invited to participate in the hearings.
In his talk with “Radiolur” correspondent Tatul Hakobyan, President
of the NKR NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Vahram
Atanesyan said that this is the second time such hearings are
organized. According to Atanesyan, the forces represented in NKR
Parliament will try to evaluate the negotiation process since the
establishment of the cease-fire and to decide upon the future deeds.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT DENIES ALLEGATIONS THAT ARMENIAN GRAVESTONES WERE DESTROYED
AP Worldstream
Apr 13, 2006
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev on Thursday vehemently denied
allegations that gravestones in a centuries-old Armenian cemetery in
western Azerbaijan had been destroyed.
Armenians have accused Azerbaijani forces of systematically breaking
up and disposing of the intricately carved crosses, called khatchkars,
some of which date back to the sixth century, at the Djulfa cemetery
in the Nakhichevan region of Azerbaijan, near the Iranian border.
“This is an absolute lie, slanderous information, a provocation,”
Aliev said in a speech in the western city of Sheki. “All historic
monuments are preserved in Azerbaijan.”
He accused ethnic Armenian forces in the disputed enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh, which is on Azerbaijani territory, of destroying
mosques and Muslim cemeteries.
“The most valuable museum displays were stolen and taken to Armenia,
and all the rest destroyed,” Aliev said.
At least 30,000 people were killed and 1 million made refugees in
the six-year war over Nagorno-Karabakh, which was ended by a shaky
cease-fire in 1994.

OPPOSITION SAYS BASE AGREEMENT WILL LEGALIZE RUSSIAN SPY PRESENCE IN GEORGIA
Imedi TV, Tbilisi
13 Apr 06
[Presenter] The Democratic Front has welcomed the start of the process
for the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia, but has
objections to a number of clauses in the agreement. They say that the
creation of a joint Georgian-Russian antiterrorist centre will impede
NATO membership. The opposition also thinks the Georgian-Russian
agreement on the transit of Russian military equipment to Armenia
through Georgia is unacceptable. Koba Davitashvili says that the
Georgian government is only interested in PR and is not taking real
steps to have the bases withdrawn.
[Davit Zurabishvili, MP] The withdrawal of the Russian bases is
absolutely essential, it is an urgent matter. However, this should be
a complete withdrawal. A Russian contingent should not be present in
a country which has ambitions of joining NATO and the EU. Therefore,
we are particularly concerned about several points in this agreement,
specifically the one on the establishment of a joint Georgian-Russian
so-called antiterrorist centre on the site of the Russian military
base in Batumi.
[Ivliane Khaindrava, MP] Why is the Batumi base going to be the site
of this centre? Why is it necessary to set up a Russian-Georgian
antiterrorist base or centre in Ajaria so close to the border with
Turkey, a NATO member? Why does Georgia need Russia’s GRU [Russian
Defence Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate] to have a formalized
spy station [Georgian: rezidentura] in the country? To what extent
does this match our country’s rapid progress towards NATO?
[Davitashvili] Russia is now free to use us as a transit country on
the way to Armenia as much as it wants, like never before, not even
in Shevardnadze’s time. They have refused inspections of the Gudauta
military base [in Abkhazia] which has not been withdrawn. This was
all signed so that in 2008 they can stage a PR stunt about the bases
being withdrawn. I would once again like to call on the government
to stop its obsession with PR. In reality this document is useless
and I call on members of the majority to refrain from ratifying it.

GEORGIAN AUTHORITIES DISMISS OPPOSITION CRITICISM OF RUSSIAN BASES ACCORDS
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
13 Apr 06
[Presenter] We are now going live to parliament to speak to our
correspondent Vako Avaliani. Vako, is the opposition planning to end
its boycott [of parliamentary proceedings in order to take part in
the ratification of the agreement on the closure of Russian bases]?
[Correspondent] No, the opposition is not planning to end its
boycott. Democratic Front faction MPs are now holding a news conference
to highlight the negative aspects of the agreement on the closure of
the bases. For example, the opposition has a suspicion that Georgia
and Russia will sign an agreement on an antiterrorist centre and
that this centre will be stationed in Gonio, next to the Turkish,
that is NATO, border. No Russian armed units should be allowed to be
deployed near the Turkish border, the opposition says.
[Davit Zurabishvili, opposition Democratic Front MP] Of course,
these are historic documents and we have stated our position. I do
not think there is any risk of this issue being voted down. Naturally,
the opposition supports the troop withdrawal but we also have serious
criticisms, for example over the antiterrorist centre. We believe
that perhaps it should not even be ratified in this form and these
principles should be reviewed.
[Correspondent] The establishment of an antiterrorist centre was also
discussed in the debating chamber because members of the parliamentary
majority are aware of these criticisms by the opposition. An
explanation was provided by the deputy foreign minister [Merab
Antadze]. He said that Article 20 of the agreement, which deals with
the antiterrorist centre, merely speaks of the need to start talks.
[Mikheil Machavariani, deputy speaker addressing parliament] The
sides will start preparing an agreement. There is no obligation here.
This is just an expression of will to start it. That is why I do
not want anyone to get nervous. The Georgian government and the
parliamentary majority will not take any decision that is not in the
Georgian national interest.
[Antadze] An undertaking to start talks does not by any means signify
the establishment of an antiterrorist centre.
[Correspondent] Parliament has also examined the provision in the
agreement concerning the transit of Russian military cargo through
Georgia to Armenia where Russia has a military base. This has been
agreed for a five-year period, but, in any case, if Russia breaks this
provision or if the transit of some cargo damages Georgian interests,
Georgia has a right to declare it void by giving six months’ notice.

PLANNING CONFERENCE ON RESCUER-2006 EXERCISE TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2006 19:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The final planning conference on the Rescuer-2006
exercise will be held in Yerevan April 19-21, RA Defense Minister’s
Spokesman, Col. Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net. 250
participants from 12 countries will take part in the exercises.
Rescuer 2006 exercises are of command and staff nature and are aimed
at organizing and comparing the work of the military and medical
department of the Armenian MOD with the Rescue Service of Armenia,
as well as expansion of cooperation opportunities with NATO partner
states.

ARMENIA AND RUSSIA DIDN’T DISCUSS IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE SELLING
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2006 19:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia did not convey any sectors of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Russia, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan stated. “The issue of the abuilding Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
was not discussed during the talks on the 5th unit of the Hrazdan
Heat Power Plant,” Margaryan said. At that he remarked he will not
demand Gazprom to refute information on the purchase of one of the
pipeline sectors. For his part Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan said
141 km of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline will remain the property of
the republic, reported RosBisinessConsulting reported.

ROMANIAN FM HOPES FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IN 2006
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.04.2006 19:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “I hope following a few meetings between ministers
of exterior of Azerbaijan and Armenia within the framework of Prague
process and negotiations held in Warsaw and Kazan in 2005, as well
as in Rambouillet, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be resolved,”
Romanian Foreign Minister Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu and chairman of
Council of Europe Committee of Ministers said in his written response
of April 12 to the questions raised by members of Azeri parliament
Ganira Pashayeva and Rafael Huseynov.
The letter says in part, “Heads of states shared their opinions
regarding the unresolved conflicts at the third meeting in
Warsaw. The CoE Committee of Ministers has come to decision to pay
special attention to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. This position has
undergone no changes since Azerbaijan and Armenia joined the CoE. The
societies of both countries, including members of parliament, have
their responsibilities in this respect. Using the language of threats
is it impossible to come to a positive solution,” the Romanian Minister
writes. He opines that neither the CoE nor Committee of Ministers
is authorized to interfere into the negotiations or the conflict
resolution, as this is responsibility of OSCE Minsk Group. However,
the CoE may provide some assistance in development of cooperation
between the two countries, in particular, resolution 1690 approved
by Ministers Committee in September 2005, which states a number of
such initiatives, reported Trend.