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PEDAGOGUES AND MINISTER LEAVING THE ORINATS YERKIR
[09:10 pm] 12 May, 2006
98 pedagogues are going to leave the party «Orinats Yerkir». The
directorship of the regional council of pedagogues «Amiryan» will
announce about the decision as well as about its reasons.
We were unable to find out further details. The organization refused
to make public the details about their decision until tomorrow.
This step of the teachers is not strange if we take into account the
fact the RA Minister of Education and Science Sergo Yeritsyan, who was
a famous representative of the `Orinats Yerkir’ party has also
submitted a letter of resignation.

Panorama.am
13:42 13/05/06

CHRONOLOGY OF RADIO CONNECTION OF A-320 AIRLINER
The internet page of civil aviation department has some information of
a radio connection between A-320 personnel and air controllers. The
information is on chronology of events and brief content of the talk.
The Civil Aviation General Department received the information late
May 11 from Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC). According to that,
the following events preceded the tragedy which cost 113 human lives.
The first connection between the air controller and the airliner
personnel was at 21:10:20. The airplane staff entered into connection
at 22:12:20 for the last time. All questions addressed by the air
controller after that time remained unanswered. By 21:17 intensive
discussion was held on weather conditions. The dialogue ends with the
decision to turn the plane back to Yerevan. Soon after the decision
was made, the personnel again addressed a question on weather
conditions. At 21:30:49 the air controller said that visibility is
3600 and based on that the plane staff decided to continue the flight
to Sochi. The next connection with the air controller was at 22:00:45.
The plane was above Gukin at that time.
The air controller authorized landing up to 1800 m and informed about
the actual weather conditions as of 22:00. Then permission was
received to land up to 600 m. At 22:10:45 the plane reported on
opening its wheels. Shortly after the air controller ordered to stop
landing and to raise the plane up to 600 m.
The initial analyses shows that the plane set for the second round
from about 300 m height speeding up to 450 m and later it crashed into
the waters. /Panorama.am/

Panorama.am
13:58 13/05/06

CLEANER BURNS HERSELF IN UNDERGROUND STATION
An emergency case is reported at Garegin Njdeh station of Yerevan
underground today at 7 a.m.. One of metro employees has burned herself
at the station. The ambulance services say that they have received a
call at 7.30 a.m. According to the same source, one of G. Njdeh
station cleaners, 65 year old Emma S., has used fuel to burn
herself. The woman is in very serious conditions now with 3rd level
burns. The fire was put down by people nearby. A criminal case is
initiated on the incident. /Panorama.am/

PanARMENIAN.Net
Propellant Components Processing Enterprise Opened in Armenia
12.05.2006 20:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The last phase of the cooperation program between
the Ministry of Defense with the OSCE for utilization of components of
melange propellant finished in the opening of an enterprise for
processing the toxic substance to produce agricultural fertilizer in
Kaltakhchi village of Lori region of Armenia. When addressing the
opening ceremony Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan noted the
importance of the enterprise for environmental security of the country
and the region. «Today we witnessed productive work of the Armenian
Government with the OSCE,» Sargsyan said.
In his words, US, Germany, Canada, Finland and Russia were most active
in implementation of the program. Sargsyan thanked OSCE Office in
Yerevan head Vladimir Pryakhin and coordinator of melange processing
program Zhanna Kletser.
The Defense Minister underscored that mineral fertilizers produced
while processing will be granted to Armenian farmers for tillage of
badlands.
5200 tons of nitrous fertilizers will be produced from 872 tons of
melange. It is sufficient for 1300 hectares of land. The processing
cycle will complete August 7, 2007.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Norwegian State Secretary Assessed Highly Yerevan-Oslo
Relations

12.05.2006 17:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian met with Kjetil Skogrand, the State
Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Norway, reported RA MFA press office. During the
meeting Mr. Skogrand expressed satisfaction with the
level of the Armenian-Norwegian relations. The parties
also pointed out to the possibility of developing
cooperation within the economic, energy and
environment sections and referred to the cooperation
within international organizations. By the guest’s
request Vartan Oskanian briefed on Armenia’s position
on a number of regional problems including the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement.

PanARMENIAN.Net
RA FM and OSCE Secretary General Discussed Karabakh Settlement
12.05.2006 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin de Brichambau, reported RA MFA
press office.
The Armenian Minister welcomed Mr. Brichambau’s visit to Armenia on
occasion of launching the project for the liquidation of rocket
propellant. For his part the OSCE Secretary General assessed highly
Armenia’s contribution to the European security. The interlocutors
also referred to the projects implemented by the OSCE Yerevan Office
and discussed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.

PanARMENIAN.Net
U.S. Congressmen against Missile Sale to Turkey
12.05.2006 18:10 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Co-Chairpersons of the Hellenic Caucus were
joined by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and George
Radanovich (R-CA) in calling on Congressional leaders to reexamine a
controversial $162 million U.S. missile sale to Turkey, reported
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). In letters addressed to
the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House Armed Services and
International Relations Committees, the four legislators voiced their
“deep concern and opposition to the application currently before your
Committee for the foreign military sale to Turkey of 50 AGM 84K Joint
Standoff Land Attack Missiles – Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and
associated equipment and services.” Noting that Turkey has enforced an
illegal blockade against Armenia for the last twelve years, provides
support to Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh, and refuses to
normalize relations with Armenia, they stressed that, “there are no
safeguards in place to ensure that the transfer of these advanced new
weapons to Turkey will not be used to threaten Armenia.” Commenting on
the presence of more than 40,000 Turkish military troops in the
Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus, the legislators argued that the sale
would “exacerbate the already existing military imbalance over
Cyprus,” and “worsen the uneasy, insecure and disadvantaged position
of the Republic of Cyprus in terms of its defense and weapons
proliferation.”
Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram
Hampariam thanked the Congressmen and remarked that the sale of
missiles to a state that intruded into Cyprus with the American
weapons and conveyed these weapons to Azerbaijan during the conflict
with Nagorno Karabakh doesn’t meet the U.S. interests.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Russia Discusses Possibility of Suspending A-320 Exploitation
12.05.2006 18:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today the Russian State Duma ordered the transport
committee to inquire the RF Ministry of transport about the
possibility of suspending A-320 exploitation until the causes of the
Armavia-owned jet crash are clarified.
To remind, on early May 3 Armavia-owned A-320 crashed into the water
killing all 113 people aboard including 6 children and 8
crewmembers. The jet was conveying 26 Russian citizens, one Ukrainian
citizen and one Georgian citizen; the others were citizens of Armenia.

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ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN, «WE ARE OPPOSITION»
[05:48 pm] 12 May, 2006
more images «I don’t want to remain NA President, I
don’t want to put forward the issue of my confidence,
I was to leave and follow my own course,» NA President
Arthur Baghdasaryan announced during the press
conference today and pointed the course, «We are
opposition».
Will the opposition accept the OYP with outstretched
hands? «I was not accepted with outstretched hands in
the authorities, neither will I be in the opposition»,
the OYP leader said. By the way, he informed that the
text of the written resignation is ready, but
everything till be done according to the RA
regulations on May 22, the first day of the NA
four-day session. He will read the letter during the
first session which will be confirmed within five
days.
CIVILIZED DIVORCE BECAUSE OF THREE DISAGREEMENTS
Arthur Baghdasaryan came to the press conference after
the last concluding session of the coalition where the
sides decided to separate in a civilized way, without
insulting each other. Was it Robert Kocharyan or
Arthur Baghdasaryan who thought of OYP’s leaving the
coalition first? Mr. Baghdasaryan answered that he had
decided what to do and could not blame those
businessmen who left the party as they were oppressed.
He said that he understands those people who `knew
there were disagreements between Robert Kocharyan and
Arthur Baghdasaryan and were to decide which course to
take.’
As for the disagreements, the NA President informed
that there are three types of disagreements between
him and his colleagues from the opposition. The first
group is the inner political one. This includes the
privatization of the nuclear power station and their
attitude towards the 2001-2003 privatization program.
`The OYP has always said that the volumes of
corruption are higher than the combat against it. We
always said that we must combat with actions, not with
words. We also did not accept the privatization
process in Armenia. It was to be held according to the
principles of transparency and equality,’ Arthur
Baghdasaryan said and reminded that he had given names
and addresses which were not taken into account.
The second group of disagreements refers to the
democratic reforms. Arthur Baghdasaryan reminded the
discussions about the Constitutional amendments. `We
are not like those people who say something and do
another thing,’ Mr. Baghdasaryan claimed.
And the third group refers to foreign policy. The NA
President announced that the aim of Armenia is the
integration into the European structures: membership
in EU and close relationships with Russia and the
NATO.
According to Arthur Baghdasaryan, these were the three
main reasons why he resigned. Asked the question if
the reason was the absence of his name in the three
main posts, the NA President answered indirectly,
`Armenia has exhausted all the resources of falsifying
the elections. Now the people must make their choice.’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
May 12 2006
Azeri MP praises UN rights body admission
Baku, May 11, AssA-Irada
Azerbaijan’s recent admission to the newly-established UN Human
Rights Council shows that the UN General Assembly acknowledges that
human rights are being protected and the democratic reforms are
successfully underway in the country, a parliament member has said.
`The membership is another accomplishment we have made,’ said
chairwoman of the permanent parliamentary commission on human rights,
Rabiyyat Aslanova.
Azerbaijan became a member of the UN body following a vote on
Tuesday, receiving 95 votes and beating a number of other countries.
The MP said Azerbaijan will become the first South Caucasus country
to be represented in the Council. `Neighboring states had limited
opportunities to become a member state. It is not by mere chance that
Azerbaijan gained the most votes [among them],’ she said.
Aslanova said that by gaining admission, Baku has acquired an
additional opportunity to convey the essence of the long-standing
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict it faces with Armenia to the
international community.
`Armenia was not admitted to the council due to the blatant
violations of human rights there,’ the MP added.
Also elected to the bureau have been China, Cuba, Russia, Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan, who have been roundly criticized for poor human
rights record. Countries such as Georgia, Armenia, Slovenia and
Hungary have been closed out of the UN list.*