RAILWAY COMMUNICATION COUNCIL OF CIS AND BALTIC STATES TO HOLD A SITTING IN ESTONIA
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 11:05
43rd sitting of the Railway Communication Council of CIS and Baltic
states will start today in the capital of Estonia.
The Armenian delegation is headed by Chief of the Railway Agency
Ararat Khrimyan. A number of issues related to the cooperation of
railway agencies of CIS and Baltic states will be discussed.

US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA JOHN EVANS HAILS MCC SIGNING DURING ASSEMBLY’S PAN-ARMENIAN CONFERENCE
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 10:30
US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans hailed the signing of a five-year
$235 million Compact between Armenia and the Millennium Challenge
Corporation during the Armenian Assembly’s National Banquet on March
27 in Washington, DC.
The Ambassador cautioned however that a country that is found eligible
for MCC funding must continue to remain eligible. Evans noted that one
of the criteria is meeting the MCC standard for ruling justly. In his
prepared remarks, the Ambassador urged Conference participants to join
in helping “Armenia achieve democratic elections in 2007 and 2008.”
The National Banquet was part of a major three-day pan-Armenian
Conference hosted by the Assembly, together with the Armenian General
Benevolent Union (AGBU) and the Eastern and Western Dioceses of the
Armenian Church.

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF HUNGARY TO ARMENIA HANDS HIS CREDENTIALS TO ROBERT KOCHARYAN
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 14:10
The newly appointed Ambassador of Hungary to Armenia Arbat Seki handed
his credentials to President Robert Kocharyan.
Congratulating the Ambassador on his appointment, the President
expressed the hope that new steps directed at extension of bilateral
relations will be undertaken during his term in office.
The Parties attached importance to the formation of a necessary legal
field for cooperation and activation of business ties.
The Ambassador also presented the political and economic conditions
in Hungary.

SERGE SARGSYAN: DO NOT POLITICIZE THE ECONOMIC DEALS
ArmRadio.am
11.04.2006 14:31
RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan turned to the privatization of
the 5th energy block of the Hrazdan Thermal Power Plant.the Mimister
said the 5th energy block resembles a three-storey building, only
the basement of which is constructed, and there is nothing else.
“The time will come that we shall bring more convincing arguments
about the value of the 5th energy block and about this deal,” Serge
Sargsyan noted.
According to him, when economic deals are politicized, these become
neither politics nor economy.
The Minister considers that we should consider whether the proposal
is profitable for our country and should not think that the suggestion
is not acceptable, since it comes from Russia.

US CONGRESSMEN KOLBE AND GARRETT IN ARMENIA AS PART OF REGIONAL VISIT
Yerkir
11.04.2006 13:49
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – U.S. Congressman Jim Kolbe, Congressman Scott
Garrett and Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Chief Executive
Officer John J. Danilovich are visiting Armenia April 10-12 as part
of regional travel, US Embassy Press Service told PanARMENIAN.Net.
The focus of the visit is to review government, economic, and
military issues in the South Caucasus. As part of their trip,
Congressman Kolbe, Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee,
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Congressman Garrett, member of
the House Financial Services and Budget Committees and Ambassador
Danilovich will visit MCC and other United States Government-funded
assistance project sites throughout Armenia.
In addition, the delegation will hold meetings with Armenian government
officials including President Robert Kocharian, civil society leaders,
Millennium Challenge Armenia representatives and political and
business leaders.
A number of issues will be discussed during the meetings, including
the U.S. assistance to Armenia, the Millennium Challenge Corporation
Compact with Armenia, U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations, civil society
development and the importance of free and fair elections in Armenia
in 2007 and 2008. These issues are important for Armenia’s continued
eligibility for funding by the Millennium Challenge Corporation.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN SHOWS HOSPITALITY TO CHARLES AZNAVOUR
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President
Robert Kocharian showed hospitality to world-famous singer, public
figure Charles Aznavour on April 10. The eminent singer arrived in
Armenia by the first flight of the French “Air France” company. Warmly
greeting Charles Aznavour, the President of the republic said that he
must certainly visit Armenia at least once or twice during a year,
visit not only Yerevan but marzes as well, get acquainted with
whole Armenia. “I’m glad to see that the life moves forward in the
country,” the eminent singer mentioned. As Noyan Tapan was informed
by the RA President’s Press Office, Robert Kocharian and Charles
Aznavour discussed humanitarian problems, touched upon the process
of programs implemented by the “Aznavour for Armenia” fund and new
initiatives. Robert Kocharian informed that numerous interesting
programs involving different spheres are in process with the French
side at present.

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SOUTH CAUCASES MEETS IN YEREVAN WITH NKR PRESIDENT
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Ambassador Piter
Semneby, the newly appointed Special Representative of the European
Union to South Caucasus met with NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian
on April 8 in Yerevan. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR
Permament Representation to the RA, during the taken place detailed
conversation, the sides presented their approaches connected with the
last developments of the peaceful settlement process of the Karabakh
problem and the possible activization of the role of the European
Union in that context. The NKR President emphasized the importance of
keeping and strengthening the cease-fire regime and again re-affirmed
the necessity of the direct participation of the Karabakh side in
the negotiation process.

VARTAN OSKANIAN HAS MEETINGS WITH SYRIAN PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 10 2006
DAMASCUS, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The delegation
headed by RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian arrived on a working
visit to the Arab Republic of Syria on April 8. In Damascus, on
April 8, Minister Oskanian met with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid
al-Moualem. During that meeting, the two spoke at length about
bilateral as well as regional matters. They specifically focused on
cooperation in international forums, educational and economic exchange,
as well as institutional cooperation. They also spoke at length about
the Nagorno Karabakh negotiation process, Armenia-Turkey relations, as
well as the situation in Iraq and other matters in both regions. As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press amd
Information Department, earlier in the day, Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad also received the Armenian delegation. Minister Oskanian
informed him about political and economic developments within Armenia
and in the region. President Assad expressed his appreciation at the
traditionally warm relations between Armenians and Syrians and said
that should serve as a foundation for deepening ties, especially
in the economic sphere. The Minister’s Damascus visit concluded
with a reception at the embassy, attended by representatives of
community organizations and religious leaders. On Sunday, the Minister
participated in Aleppo in the 100th anniversary celebration of the
Armenian General Benevolent Union and the 75th anniversary celebration
of the Armenian Youth Association.

LARISA ALAVERDIAN ALSO TO TAKE PART IN DISCUSSION OF OMBUDSMAN’S REPORT AT PARLIAMENT
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A regular 4-day session of RA National
Assembly started on April 10. The MPs had not managed yet to approve
the agenda at the end of the first sitting. According to the draft
agenda, 35 issues and 6 international agreements are subject to
discussion. The annual report on the Ombudsman’s activity in 2005
in RA and on violation of human rights and basic freedoms in the
country is also among the issues. As NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
declared from the tribune, in accordance with already adopted decision,
former RA Ombudsperson Larisa Alaverdian will be also invited to the
discussion of the issue and will make a speech. Current RA Ombudsman
Armen Haroutiunian also made such a proposal. The parliament declined
Ardarutiun (Justice) faction Secretary Viktor Dallakian’s proposal
about making a decision to record the above-mentioned discussion and
to show it on the Public Television the next day in order to provide
publicity. Only 28 MPs were for the proposal and 14 MPs abstained
from voting.

CHANGES ENVISAGED IN STAFF OF NA UNITED LABOR PARTY FACTION
Noyan Tapan
Apr 10 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Member of RA NA United Labor Party
faction Levon Poghosian has officially applied to RA NA Speaker
in connection with prematurely resigning his MP commissions. RA NA
Speaker Artur Baghdasarian informed about it at the April 10 plenary
sitting of the parliament. L.Poghosian grounded his decision by the
circumstance that the amended Constitution contains a ban on being
engaged in entrepreneurial activity while he is the Chairman of the
joint-stock board of the Mshak CJSC and will assume the post of the
company’s Director General after resigning the MP commissions. The
above-mentioned company is engaged in projecting, producing and
exporting high technologic equipments. As L.Poghosian informed the
journalists, the plant producing ceramical chips built in the Chinese
city of Nanjing at the end of 2004 uses many equipments produced
by Mshak. Poghosian informed that parallel with the entrepreneurial
activity he will continue his political activity remaining a member of
party’s board. According to Gurgen Arsenian, Chairman of the faction
and the party, it will be decided at the party board’s coming sitting,
which candidate of MP on the proportional list will replace Levon
Poghosian at the parliament.