SERGEI SARKISOV BECOMES WINNER IN BICYCLE RACE TRADITIONAL MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT
Noyan Tapan
Apr 11 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 11, NOYAN TAPAN. 36 sportsmen took part in the
traditional bicycle race tournament dedicated to the memory of Samvel
Gevorgian, a freedom-figher who has perished in Artsakh, holder of
the 1st degree order of Combat Cross. Samvel Gevorgian himself was
a well-known bicyclist: he was a master of sport, a prize-winner of
All-Union and international competitions, the champion of Armenia. On
the first day the participants of the memorial tournament competed
in a race with a separate start. Here the strongest was Sergei
Sarkisov. Edgar Gevorgian, Sevacher Martirosian and Sergei Sarkisov
won in group bicycle races held the next day. The latter took 1st
place in the tournament.
The 20-year-old sport master Sarkisov is from Masis, he is in the
3rd year at Yerevan Physical Culture Institute. Samvel Gevorgian’s
son, well-known boxer Artur Gevorgian, gave the challenge cup of the
tournament to the winner.
Now the strongest bicyclists of Armenia are preparing for participation
in the international competitions to be held in Iran.

TURKS DETAIN SUSPECTED KURDISH MILITANTS
CRI, China
April 12 2006
Police raided several homes around the Turkish capital and detained
20 suspected Kurdish militants alleged to be planning a series of
firebomb attacks, the Anatolia news agency reported Tuesday.
The raids follow some of the worst clashes between security forces
and Kurdish protesters in decades, in which 16 civilians have been
killed in the past week.
Kurdish militants have stepped up their attacks on Turkish security
forces, and several soldiers have been killed by land mines blamed
on Kurdish rebels.
A land mine in the southeastern province of Sirnak injured six
children who were playing in a field, and two of them were said to
be in serious condition, NTV television reported Tuesday.
Land mine casualties are common in Turkey’s southeast, where Kurdish
guerrillas fighting for autonomy commonly use them to attack military
targets. Turkey says it has not planted mines since 1998.
A militant Kurdish group called the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons claimed
responsibility Monday for a bomb found by a bus driver after he had
driven prosecutors and judges to work at two courts in Istanbul.
In a message posted on its Web site, the group said the bomb was
a warning to judges and prosecutors to stop acting against Kurdish
militants. It said it would use such bombs in the future if “judicial
terrorism” against Kurds continued.
“Otherwise, our acts of warning will turn into bloody acts,” the
group said.
The group is believed to be linked to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’
Party, or PKK, which has been fighting for autonomy in the mountainous
southeast since 1984 in a conflict that has killed 37,000 people. The
PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States
and the European Union.
Anti-terrorism police carried out the raids in Ankara early Monday,
Anatolia said. They seized drums filled with gasoline that they
believe would have been used to make firebombs.
Most of those detained were students, the report said.
Meanwhile, a court in Istanbul began hearing a new lawsuit against
the country’s best-known novelist, who was accused of insulting the
Turkish people.
Orhan Pamuk, who gained international acclaim for books including
“Snow,” and “My Name is Red,” is being sued by six lawyers who are
seeking compensation from the writer.
The case against him hinges on comments he made in a Swiss newspaper
last year, stating that “30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were
killed in these lands, and nobody but me dares to talk about it.”
The remarks highlighted two of the most painful episodes in Turkish
history: the massacre of Armenians during World War I – which Turkey
insists was not a planned genocide – and the more recent fighting
with Kurdish guerrillas.
Also Tuesday, a court dropped charges against four Turkish journalists
accused of insulting the country’s courts, but decided to proceed
with the trial of a fifth journalist.
All five were on trial for criticizing a court’s decision last year
to shut down a conference about the mass killings of Armenians by
Turks during the Ottoman Empire.
The lawsuits are considered a test of Turkey’s readiness for membership
in the European Union. Turkey embarked on membership talks in October,
2005.

ARMENIA’S REGIONAL LIBRARIES NOT REPLENISHED WITH NEW LITERATURE
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 12 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. Armenia’s regional libraries are not
replenished with new literature, Director of the Yerevan Library
after Isahakyan Asmik Karapetyan told a press conference.
According to her, implementation of the law on free provision of one
copy of the entire new printed output of the country for republican
libraries can solve the problem with the replenishment of all large
and small libraries with literature.
“Up to now the law was practically not observed, and the process of
supplying libraries with new books is very improper,” she pointed
out and added that libraries tried to bridge the information gap on
their own.
Karapetyan reported that as part of the library week, representatives
of the Armenian Library Association granted some regional and rural
libraries modern literature. Besides, the government’s approach to
library employees and libraries, according to her, is characterized
by adoption of the law on celebrating the day of the librarian.
Since October 7, 2004, the day of the librarian has been officially
celebrated. The law “On Free Compulsory Provision of Document Copy”
was adopted in November 2005.
“The National Library Week” was held in Armenia on 3-10 April. The
activity has been held for the fifth time on the initiative of the
“Armenian Library Association”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA IS READY TO TAKE ACTIVE PART IN WORK PROCESS OF EUROCONTROL ORGANIZATION
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 12 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to take active part in work
process of Eurocontrol organization, occupied in air transportations,
as the Head of the Chief Department of the RA Civil Aviation Artyom
Movsesyan stated during the session of the Council of the organization
in Brussels.
According to the Press and Information Department of the RA Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, during his speech Movsesyan pointed out importance
of this organization.
Armenian delegation became member of the Eurocontrol in March 2006
and for the first time took part in the session of the organization’s
council as a full member. Membership in Eurocontrol will enable to
bring Armenian aviation on one level with European standards, secure
increase of qualification of Armenian pilots, which corresponds to
the policy of Armenia’s integration into European structures.
Eurocontrol is one of the most important European organizations in
the sphere of security of air communication. The main aim of the
organization is developing pan-European system of air transport
control.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CORRECTS DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO LAW “ON ENERGY”
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
Yerevan, April 11. /ARKA/. The RA Government has introduced corrections
into the draft amendments to the RA Law “On energy”, which stipulates
the abolition of government monopoly of nuclear energy, Speaker of
the RA National Assembly Artur Baghdasaryan stated in Parliament.
According to him, the draft amendments stipulate that the Armenian
nuclear-power plant (NPP) located in Metsamor will remain the
Government’s property and is not liable to privatization.
Among other important corrections is the issues related to the
construction of a new NPP in Armenia must be regulated by a special
law.
“This is a serious political arrangement,” Baghdasaryan said.
On March 1, 2006, the RA parliament postponed the voting on
the bill on abolition of government monopoly of nuclear power
because of disagreements. The opposition factions, as well as the
coalition-forming “Law Governed Country” faction voted against
the bill.
On March 16, the Parliament held a hearing of the issue of Armenia’s
energy security. During the hearing, RA Minister of Energy Armen
Movsisyan re-submitted the justifications of amendments to the law.
According to the RA Government, Armenia cannot afford the
construction of a new NPP. Therefore, the construction requires
foreign investments.

ARMENIAN FM MEETS WITH SYRIAN LEADERS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan held
meetings with Syrian top officials on April 8-9, 2006. The sides
discussed Armenian-Syrian relations and regional problems.
On April 8, 2006, in Damascus, Minister Oskanyan and his Syrian
counterpart Ualid Mualim discussed bilateral relations and regional
issues. The sides addressed issues of cooperation within international
organizations, the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, situation in Iraq
and relations with Turkey.
At Oskanyan’s the meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Asadthe
the sides discussed regional issues. Minister Osakanyan presented
the current stage of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, pointing out
Syria’s role in the Middle East. In his turn, the Syrian President
expressed his satisfaction with the Armenian-Syrian relations,
pointing out the importance of consolidating economic relations.
On Sunday, in Aleppo, Minister Oskanyan took part in the celebrations
of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and
of the 75th anniversary of the Armenian Youth Association.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS BILL ON LIBRARIES
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
Yerevan, April 11. /ARKA/. The RA Parliament intends to consider a bill
“On libraries”, Deputy Director of the RA National Library, Secretary
of the Armenian Library Association Rafik Ghazaryan told reporters,
summing up the results of the national library week.
According to him, the adoption of this law will facilitate legal
protection of libraries and librarians.
“Mechanisms of applying the law for consolidating the public’s
relations with libraries need to be elaborated as well,” he said.
According to Ghazaryan, over 1,000 libraries operating in Armenia now
are unable to properly perform their functions because of the lack
of new acquisitions, poor material and technical base, and lack of
professional personnel.
Ghazaryan pointed out that over 200 events were organized throughout
Armenia as part of the library week both for librarians and for
large sections of the population. “Arrangements like this arouse more
interest in libraries,” he said.
In this context, Director of the RA National Library, Chairman of
the Armenian Library Association David Sargsyan stressed that the
role of public libraries is ensuring appropriate development of the
young generation and maintaining a high cultural and scientific level
of society.
He pointed out the assistance rendered by the RA Foreign Office, local
government bodies, “Antares Holding” Ltd and “Second-hand Bookseller”
Ltd and the Armenian Fund of Culture.
The National Library Week was held in Armenia on April 3-10, 2006.
This is the 5th library week organized on the initiative of the
Armenian Library Association.

RUSSELL-JOHNSTON THINKS OF WAR IN NK WITH “GREAT DISPLEASURE”
Today, Azerbaijan
April 11 2006
Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Nagorno Karabakh Lord
Russell-Johnston has announced he thinks of a possibility of renewing
military operation in the conflict zone “with great displeasure”.
As REGNUM reports, Lord Russell-Johnston noted: “Establishing committee
on Nagorno Karabakh in the PACE does not mean that we are trying to
be full-fledged mediator at the negotiations.”
“The OSCE Minsk Group has been occupied with it for over ten years,
and I do not think the Council of Europe could substitute it. Our
goal is to render assistance to OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,” he said.
Speaking on plans of the committee, Lord Russell-Johnston did not
rule out that its members would visit Armenia and Azerbaijan this
year. “We are also considering possibility of staging meeting of
Armenian and Azerbaijani MPs, however, it is too early to speak on
specific actions,” he said.
URL:

FRENCH OSCE MG CO-CHAIR TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA IN APRIL 12
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. French Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group
Bernard Facier will arrive in Armenia in April 12, 2006, according
to the Press Secretary of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hamlet
Gasparyan.
In his words, his visits envisage meetings with the RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian as well as with other officials. Gasparyan emphasized
that details of the visit will be announced later.
On April 12 Facier arrived in Azerbaijan, where issues of finding
ways of settling Karabakh conflict were intended to be discussed.

ARMENIA RANKS 1ST IN WORLD FOR SHARE OF DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN GDP
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. Armenia ranks 1st in the world for the
share of direct foreign investments in the country’s GDP, Director of
the research center “Economy and Values” Manuk Erginyan told reporters.
“According to the latest data, the share of DFI in the total amount
of the country’s GDP was 4.31%,” Erginyan pointed out during the
presentation “Role of Diaspora in Attracting Direct Foreign Investments
in Armenia”, held in Yerevan. According to him, China ranks 2nd in
this list – 3.78% of the GDP, then comes Israel – 3.52%, India –
0.71% and Philippines – 0.4% rank 4th and 5th respectively.
According to Erginyan, the Armenian Diaspora in this context should be
considered as an exclusive asset in the development of the National
economy. “Besides, the Diaspora is not only a source of private
transfers of the DFI, but also a source of political support, and a
means of propaganda of the Armenian culture in the West,” he said.
The Armenian Diaspora numbers about 6mln people in the world, while
Armenia’s population is about 3.2mln. The largest Armenian communities
are located in Russia, USA, France, Iran and Lebanon.
The research “Role of Diaspora in Attracting Direct Foreign Investments
in Armenia” was held by the research center “Economy and Values” with
the support of the Yerevan office of the Caucasus Research Resource
Center, which is one of “Eurasia Foundation” programs.