MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
07-04-2006
Minister Oskanian Visits Moscow
Minister Oskanian was in Moscow on a three-day working visit, April 5 – 7.
On the evening of May 5, he met with Igor Ivanov, Secretary of the Security
Council of the Russian Federation. During the meeting, the two discussed the
present status of Armenian-Russian relations and exchanged views on a number
of issues of mutual interest related to regional and international security
and stability.
On April 6, the Minister met with Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian co-chair of the
OSCE Minsk Group, at the Armenian Embassy in Russia.
Later in the day, Minister Oskanian met with Russian businessmen of Armenian
origin. He welcomed their interest and confidence in Armenia’s economy. He
expressed appreciation for the projects that Armenians from all over the
world implement in Armenia, but stressed the need for coordination of this
process. Specifically, he spoke about rural development in Armenia, which he
said will be one of the key items to be discussed at the third
Armenia-Diaspora Forum held on September 18-19.
The businessmen expressed their willingness to participate in these
discussions and undertake some concrete projects. They continued to discuss
prospects for Armenia’s development and Armenia-Diaspora interaction in
various economic fields.
In the afternoon, Minister Oskanian delivered a speech on “Cooperation and
Security in the South Caucasus” at the Carnegie Moscow Center, one of Russia’s
leading research centers for political and social studies. The audience
included representatives of governmental and political circles, as well as
think-tanks and institutions of higher education, diplomatic missions and
Russian and foreign mass media.
In the evening, the Minister met with young Armenians studying at Moscow
State University for International Relations.
Today, the Minister met with the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
From: Baghdasarian

Israeli Ambassador Arthur Lenk: `Israel recognizes Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity’
[ 07 Apr. 2006 17:52 ]
Israeli Ambassador to Azerbaijan Arthur Lenk met with the students of
Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan State University (NSU) during his visit to
Nakhchivan.
The University’s press service told APA that after having familiarized
with the University, the Israeli ambassador delivered a
report-`Israel’s policy of peace’. In his report, Mr.Lenk touched on
Israel’s struggle against the international terrorism, its peaceful
policy and international strategy. The ambassador stressed the
importance of Azerbaijan establishing its diplomatic mission in
Israel. He also underlined the importance of peaceful solution of the
Armenia- Azerbaijan conflict and added that Israel recognizes the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.
Responding to the questions of the students, the diplomat touched on
strategic partnership, dialogue among civilizations as an expression
of friendly relations between Israel and Azerbaijan.
The Israeli ambassador also said he attaches importance on mutual
cooperation in economy, telecommunication, and environment protection
and in educational sphere as well. In the end, Mr.Lenk donated books
titled `Facts about Israel

Karen Avanesian might be forcibly deported from Great Britain to
Baku-07.04.06
Yerevan, April 7. /Mediamax/. Karen Avanesian, 19 might be forcibly
deported from Great Britain to Baku.
Mediamax reports quoting its sources in London that illegal emigrant Karen
Avanesian, who arrived in Great Britain three years ago at the age of 16,
failed to prove his right to have political asylum in this country and the
British authorities decided to deport him.
According to his relatives, coming to Great Britain 3 years ago, Avanesian
attended school and lived on welfare as he had no work permit. Karen has a
mixed family. His Azerbaijani father left the family when his son was a
little boy.
Since Avanesian was born in Nagorno Karabakh which de-jure is considered
to be part of Azerbaijan, the British authorities decided that his
motherland is Azerbaijan and resolved to deport him to Baku. Karen
Avanesian was told that on April 12 he would be taken to London-Moscow
plane. From Russian capital he will be sent to Azerbaijan.
As Mediamax learned, Karen Avanesian is in Tinsley House detention centre
at London Gatwick airport. According to British laws, a person cannot be
deported to a country where he might be tortured. –0–

ARF Bureau representative meets with US ambassador
07.04.2006 17:50
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau
representative Hrant Margarian met on April 7 with US Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans at the US Embassy in Yerevan. The parties
exchanged views over the Armenian processes, relations between the US
and Armenia and the regional developments.
Following the meeting, Margarian said, “I saw it important to directly
present some of our views to the US ambassador. I expressed our
concerns over provoking anti-Armenian sentiment in Iran by Azerbaijan
as well as the escalation of the relations of the United States and
Iran. Armenia has good relations with both the US and Iran and Armenia
prefers to see normal relations between those countries.”

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECT SIGNED
Lragir.am
07 April 06
On April 7 Minister of Finance and Economy of Armenia Vardan
Khachatryan and Roger Robinson, the head of the Yerevan office of the
World Bank, signed the Renewable Energy Project, confirmed by the
World Bank.
The total funds of the program are 8 million U.S. dollars, including
the 5 million dollar loan of USAID and the 3 million dollar grant of
the Global Environmental Foundation. The program will be co-funded by
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development with 7 million
U.S. dollars and Gafeschyan Foundation with 3 million U.S. dollars.
The conditions of USAID are the same: due for repayment in 40 years
and a grace period of 10 years.

GASPROM CORRECTS A MISTAKE OR HIDES INFORMATION
Lragir.am
07 April 06
The rumors on transferring the Meghri-Kajaran 40-km section of the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline to Gasprom are controversial. In addition,
theseare controversial though they come from the same source.
On April 6 Gasprom placed a news release on the website of the company
on signing of an agreement by Armenia and Russia, which includes
arrangementson the fifth generating unit of the Thermal Power Plant of
Hrazdan and the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, particularly, on the
transfer of both to Gasprom. The rumors about the Thermal Power Plant
have been officially confirmed by the government of Armenia, but there
is not an official word about the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline. Moreover,
the Armenian minister of energy Armen Movsisyan announced that the
construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline is not over, it is not a
business to have shares that could be transferred to Russia.
Gasprom also refuted the information on the pipeline that Gasprom had
spread. More exactly, the information placed on the company’s website
on April 6 was edited, and the lines on the Iran-Armenia pipeline were
taken out. This form of refuting is interesting. In fact, Gasprom does
not refute the information on the pipeline, but clears it several
hours after placing it on the website. Thus, either Gasprom can write
anything about Armenia and clear it whenever it wants, or there is
nothing to apologize for. It turns out, however, that the information
was true but could not be published. Or it was convenient to publish
it for several hours only.
Considering the importance of the issue, these several hours were
enough to arouse public interest. It is another issue who wanted to
have this information known. If the government, particularly the
minister of energy were to refute the information, there was no point
in making it known to public. It means the leadership of Armenia would
not like a scandal, whereas Gasprom forced the government of Armenia
into a difficult situation. It means Armenia should have demanded
explanation from the Russian company if the information was false. Or
they should have asked Gasprom to take out the information, at least,
for some time. And on this level a request is not taken for granted.
On the other hand, considering that the Armenian society has a
negative attitude towards the transfer of the gas pipeline, and the
attitude towards the transfer of the fifth generating unit of the
Thermal Power Plant is also negative, the Armenian government may have
tried to do a little juggling.
The point is that by spreading information about the gas pipeline, the
government, in fact, enabled itself to refute the information about
the sale of the gas pipeline. It may improve the government’s
reputation in the country for a period. It may also ease the tension
caused by the sale of the fifth generating unit. In other words, the
society may forgive the sale of the generating unit if the gas
pipeline is kept. These are mere suggestions, but it is a suggestion
too that they managed to keep the gas pipeline. So far only the
information about the pipeline was kept.

PRESS RELEASE
The Heritage Party
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Tel.: (+374 – 10) 58.08.77, 52.22.38
Fax: (+374 – 10) 54.38.97
Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
Website:
April 7, 2006
HERITAGE PARTY HOLDS EMERGENCY CONFERENCE
Yerevan–The Heritage Party today convened a special meeting of members and
supporters at the auditorium of the Writers’ Union of Armenia. Throughout
the event, the party faithful analyzed the latest political developments and
deliberated on future courses of action.
The conference opened with Hasmik Harutiunian’s rendition of Armenia’s
national anthem, “Mer Hairenik.”
Heritage’s political secretary Vardan Khachatrian welcomed the capacity
audience with opening remarks. “We are determined to fight until victory,
and our collective resolve will prevail despite the repression and political
persecutions by the ruling administration,” he said.
Raffi K. Hovannisian, chairman of the Heritage Party, was then invited to
take the floor. In a powerful keynote address, he explored recent political
developments and proposed measures toward resolving the adverse effects of
the myopic domestic and foreign policies of the sitting presidency.
Making an assessment of current realities, Hovannisian revealed the “theater
of the absurd” which has come to grip the country’s social and political
life. “The real perpetrators are accusing the innocent, the politically
purchased are preaching ethics, and patriotism is once more being tainted by
criminal hands,” he said. Convinced that the divide of estrangement between
the people and the rulers of the day further deepened following the
outrageously falsified constitutional “referendum” last November,
Hovannisian asserted that the incumbent ruling clique, which “has turned our
Homeland into their bonanza,” is no longer capable of perceiving
contemporary challenges and surmounting them with strategic leadership and
in the national interest.
Raffi Hovannisian concluded with his and the Heritage Party’s common vision
for the Motherland, a future incompatible with the terrible truths currently
reigning within all spheres of national life. “The parochial maintenance of
petty power cannot remain the defining line of our identity, our
civilization, and our statesmanship,” he noted, calling for a determined
struggle to restore our nationwide unity, civic society, public trust, and
the conduct of free, fair, and dignified elections.
In his talk, Academician Rafael Ghazarian made an appeal to tolerate no
longer the immorality and perversion of the ruling circles. Brute force must
be met by popular strength, he maintained. “That strength is the body
politic which must stand firm against the infringements of the criminal
gang. That strength is in rediscovering our past unity.”
Also noteworthy were interventions by renowned actors Vladimir Abajian and
Yervand Manarian, Heritage board member Anahit Bakhshian, head of the party’
s Vanadzor division Garnik Sahakian, former Goris mayor Samvel Harutiunian,
and many others who called upon the public to unite and bring the country
out of the current crisis. They also drew attention to the fact that
democracy, freedom, and the rule of law are an imperative for Armenia.
In the collective view of Heritage Party members, the main obstacle standing
in the way of the country’s democratic progress is the ineffective domestic
and external policy of the current administration. And the way out of this
predicament, in their firm belief, is the rapid formation of new and
legitimate authorities.
In his closing remarks, Raffi Hovannisian underscored yet again that
“temporary obstacles cannot and must not block the party’s way, which today
continues its national quest with even greater responsibility and pride.”
Founded in 2002, Heritage has regional divisions throughout the land. Its
central headquarters are located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan
375010, Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10) 580.877, fax at (374-10)
543.897, and email at [email protected]

USA wants to see defence minister next Armenian leader – agency
Iravunk, Yerevan
7 Apr 06
Text of report by Armenian newspaper Iravunk on 7 April According to
our source, efforts are under way to bolster the positions of Defence
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan and the American authorities are behind this
plan. The White House sees him as a politician who is capable of
resolving the issues that worry the USA, in particular the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict. But, as the source says, Serzh Sarkisyan is
nowadays more concerned about the deterioration of his relations with
Russia and with his former patron [Russian Defence Minister] Sergey
Ivanov.
It cannot be ruled out that the USA will assume the role of a mediator
and try to strengthen and deepen Sarkisyan’s relations with Moscow.
Incidentally, a reduction in the price of the Russian gas may become a
way to boost Serzh Sarkisyan’s authority.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russia to control Armenia’s gas

BBC NEWS:
ss/4888012.stm
2006/04/07 14:21:58 GMT
Russia’s Gazprom is to take control of Armenian pipelines and a power
station in exchange for setting gas prices at half of European levels
until 2009.
The move is part of wider plans by the Russian monopoly to seize
access to gas supplies among former Soviet republics.
Russia said it would raise gas prices to $110 per 1,000 cubic metres,
almost double what is it now, but far cheaper than European rates.
Armenia relies on Russia for gas but wants to import gas from
elsewhere.

‘Market monopolised’
Gazprom would be able to control part of a 40km (25 mile) long
pipeline, bringing gas from Iran to Armenia, following this new
arrangement.
The agreement would also allow Russia to export electricity from the
Razdan-5 gas fired power plant.
Armenia is strategically important to Russia in the Caucasus and hosts
a Russian military base there.
Some critics say Russia is using its energy position an economic and
political tool.
“Without any doubt, having the energy market monopolised by one owner
is bad for any economy” said economist Alexander Agadzhanov.
Regional hikes
Gazprom has been trying to raise prices among its neighbours but has
met with fierce opposition.
Attempts by Gazprom to hike gas prices from $50 to $230 per 1,000
cubic metres was rejected by Ukraine.
Gazprom subsequently cut supplies to Ukraine on 1 January 2006 due to
the failure to reach an agreement, worsening relations with the
country.
More recently Gazprom said Belarus, must pay three times more for its
gas supplies in the future.
A close ally of Russia, Belarus was the only ex-Soviet republic not to
experience Russian gas prices last year.
Russia aims to charge $250 per 1,000 cubic metres to all its former
Soviet neighbours in the longer term, matching European levels.
But such a move is likely to cripple countries whose economies rely
heavily on cheap gas prices.

`THE NK CONFLICT ISN’T SETTLED IN A PROFITABLE WAY FOR US’
– the NA deputy Shavarsh Kocharian thinks.

Aravot.am
06 April 06
The Parliament has livened up in the problem of NK conflict
settlement; in most probability the legislative body will be
responsible for its settlement.
Responsibility is indeed a difficult thing and the ruling powers will
try to share that responsibility among each other. But it is still
difficult to say what will happen but the initiation of the NA
commission of foreign issues to get addition standpoint of the NA
groups make us think in this way. The NDP leader Shavarsh Kocharian
was the first to answer to the chief of the commission of the NA
foreign issues Armen Rustamian’ proposal. Shavarsh Kocharian explained
his position in the following way; «There is only a declaration
on the NK conflict made by the parliament in 2001 the meaning of which
is that the parliamentary political powers must adopt such a
settlement of the conflict by which Karabakh mustn’t be the part of
Azerbaijan. But today such attitudes and position can’t be enough
because there isn’t any aspect there. And for settling the problem you
should have a clear formulated aspect in which we’ll need for inside
and outside for the political powers not to have discrepant
approaches. And it is obvious that there are such things. It is too
important first of all for propaganda and for strengthening our
positions and in the international structures as well. We also welcome
the hearings on the NK conflict organized last year and the proposal
made to the political powers by the commission; to produce certain
approaches on the NK conflict settlement.’
Shavarsh Kocharian explained the activation of the parliament in the
following way; «I think this process is late indeed, because
the position of the parliament should be specified. But the
declaration adopted in 2001 didn’t say anything new. There is a lack
of aspect approach. And those officials who speak of Karabakh as the
inseparable part of Armenia, they indeed pour water into Azerbaijani’s
mill because The goal of Azerbaijanis was just it; to change the
essence of the problem turning it into territorial quarrel between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. And they took advantage of the circumstance
that the authorities of Armenia chose that way.’
Shavarsh Kocharian thinks that they should have an aspect approach for
a long time after which it will be very effective to use the
possibilities of Diaspora and realize normal lobby activities.’
Shavarsh Tocharian doesn’t consider real the conversations that 2006
year is the best period of settling the problem; `I have already said
about it even when the cochairmen were speaking of the problem very
positively, I don’t consider that term real for a very simple
reason. The NK President Arkady Ghukasian has described the situation
very exactly, till Azerbaijan avoids of negotiating with Karabakh the
conflict can’t be settled. And the next, the international structures
want to get rid of disturbing circumstances including the NK
problem. And that’s why they make new proposals and that’s why Prague
process was quite different from the former ones because they tried
for the first time to mention both the model of territorial integrity
and the model of self-determination.’
Margaret Yesayan