PHOTO EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO ARMENIAN CULTURAL MONUMENTS IN TURKEY AND NAKHIJEVAN OPENS IN WASHINGTON
Yerevan, April 26. ArmInfo. The photo exhibition of the Armenian
cultural monuments in Turkey and Nakhijevan was held at the
Armenian Embassy to USA, on April 24. The Armenian Organization for
Architectural Researches initiated the photo-exhibition. The Press
Service of RA Foreign Ministry informed ArmInfo about this.
The photo exhibition is aimed to show the world that the Armenian
historical-cultural monuments are being consistently ruined one after
another. Holding speech at the opening ceremony, Tatoul Margarian,
RA Ambassador to USA, highly estimated the research works of the
Armenian historical monuments out of Armenia. He added that the issue
of the monuments’ preservation is a very actual one. In particular,
he pointed out the destruction of the Armenian Middle Age grave yard
in Old Jugha,(Nakhijevan. The exhibition will be on for 10 days. The
representatives of the Armenian Diaspora and many American political
figures have already visited the exhbition.

PRICES FOR INTERNET SERVICES TO FALL BY 10-15% ON AVERAGE FROM MAY 1 IN ARMENIA: FORECAST
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 26 2006
YEREVAN, April 27. /ARKA/. Prices for internet services will fall
approximately by 10-15 on average, the technical director of “Arminco”
company Grigory Sagiyan reported.
According to him, it is due to the price-cutting on average by 25%
made by “ArmenTel” Telecommunication Company for internet services on
15 April. “The prices decreased by 29% for large customers of internet
services, by 20% for medium customers, and by 10% for small customers,”
he said.
ArmenTel Telecommunication Company confirmed the information about the
price-cutting on average by 25%. They pointed out that this decision
was made in keeping with ArmenTel’s commercial policy.

GEORGIA IS OBLIGED NOT TO SELL ROAD GAS PIPELINE FOR 5 YEARS
AZG Armenian Daily
28/04/2006
According to Georgia Millennium Challenge Fund, Georgia is not
allowed to sell the road pipeline for five years. Georgia undertook
this commitment, when receiving financial sources within the
framework of Millennium Challenges Corporation. The Corporation will
allocate $295 million envisaged for four projects. Particularly,
the financial sources are allocated for the construction of
Akhaltskhe-Akhalkalaki-Ninotsminda road, for the reconstruction of the
country’s road gas pipeline and for restoration of its energy system,
for development of infrastructures and agriculture.
It’s noteworthy that in case of selling the road gas pipeline, the
Russian Gazprom is likely to purchase that. Yet, the US authorities
are obviously against this deal. This position may be the most probable
reason for Georgia to undertake the abovementioned commitment.

POSSIBLE MILITARY ACTIONS IN IRAN WILL NEGATIVELY AFFECT THE SITUATION IN ARMENIA
Yerevan, April 27. ArmInfo. Possible military operation against
Iran will directly affect the situation in Armenia and have negative
influence on all the South Caucasus region, said on a press conference
at the ‘Mirror’ club ‘Dashnaktsutiun’ party Bureau member Kiro Manoyan.
Speaking about Turkey’s position in case of a war against Iran,
Mr. Manoyan expressed an opinion that Ankara will stay aside of the
military actions, as it did with Iraq.
In his return Armenian National Movement party member Aram Karapetian
added that Moscow will cease supporting Iran if a war is unleashed. In
that case the situation around Armenia will become hopeless.

LEADER OF NEW TIMES PARTY BELIEVES AUTHORITIES TO BE “IN POLITICAL AGONY”
Yerevan, April 27. ArmInfo. “The acts by the National Security Service
officers with respect to my personal guard and the driver testifies
to the ‘political agony of the authorities,'” Leader of “New Times”
party, political expert Aram Karapetyan said at the discussion club
“Pastark,” Thursday.
Commenting on April 21 detention of his guard and the driver suspected
in illegal possession of arms by the National Security Service
officers, A. Karapetyan said “the officers of the elite subdivision
“Alfa” carried out so poor detention, how they will operate in case
of a real danger”? Moreover, the detained gas pistols have not been
returned so far despite the promises to do it the other day, Karapetyan
said. He expressed regret that the NSS involved a woman-teacher into
the list of its agents. In his words, the alarm about the weapons of
his guard was received just from school.
He believes the involvement of force and elite structures into
political processes inadmissible. It was practiced in backward
and authoritarian states, he said. Probably, the authorities feel
the strengthening external pressure on them in connection with
Karabakh conflict and the developments around Iran and try to show
the world “who is the master of the house.” Armenia has only one
way out. That is, to gain time, which requires a change of power
and a close cooperation with Russia by formation of a Confederative
Union. As regards the party “New Times,” it will organize a rally
and a procession to the Police building demanding the law-enforcement
bodies to stop interfering into political processes, Karapetyan said.

ARMENIAN ORGANIZATIONS COUNCIL OF JAVAKHK TO HAVE FEW REPRESENTATIVES IN COUNCIL ATTACHED TO GEORGIAN OMBUDSMAN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 27 2006
AKHALKALAK, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
Public Organizations’ Council of Samtskhe-Javakhk addressed to the
National Minorities’ Council attached to the Georgian Ombudsman with a
proposal of membership. According to the “A-Info” agency, the Council
made such a decision arising of the principles of the National
Minorities’ Council’s Declaration. According to the preliminary
agreement and arising of the circumstance of having more than 20
public organizations in its staff, the Samthskhe-Javakhk Armenian
Public Organizations’ Council will have few representatives in the
National Minorities’ Council attached to the Georgian Ombudsman.

NKR FOREIGN TRADE GROWS BY 15.2% IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, the gross domestic
product (GDP) of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) made 51.4 bln
drams. The gross agricultural output made 21.1 bln drams, exceeding
the previous year’s index by 5.6%. The volume of construction work
done at the expense of all sources of financing amounted to 12.6 bln
drams, increasing by 37.8% on 2004. In the year under review, the
NKR foreign trade made 133.1 mln USD (a 15.2% growth compared with
2004). Last year the retail commodity turnover reached 42.7 bln drams
in the NKR, the paid services to the population – 5.4 bln drams. In
January-December 2005, the average exchange rate of one US dollar
made 457.8 drams (in 2004 – 532.1 drams) in the NKR, that of 1 euro –
570.7 drams (in 2004 – 660.7 drams).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INCOMES OF NKR POPULATION INCREASE BY 20.3% IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, the monetary incomes
of the population of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) made 51.8
bln drams, increasing by 20.3% on the previous year, while monetary
exenditures amounted to 49.2 bln drams. The average monthly salary of
an employee made 51,127 drams against 41,170 drams in 2004. In 2005,
the average pension made 13,440 drams, growing by 30% on the previous
year. More than 3,400 jobs were created in various branches of the
republic’s economy in 2005. In January-December 2005, the average
exchange rate of one US dollar made 457.8 drams (in 2004 – 532.1
drams), that of one euro – 570.7 drams (in 2004 – 660.7 drams).

NKR STATE BUDGET REVENUES EXCEED PROGRAMMED INDEX BY 1.3% IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006
STEPANAKERT, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, the actual revenues of
the NKR state budget made 6,570.1 mln drams against the envisaged
own revenues of 6,485 mln drams, that is, the programmed index was
fulfilled by 101.3%, which exceeds the index of the same period of the
previous year by 1,979.9 mln drams. The tax revenues made 5,010.3 mln
drams against the envisaged index of 4,660 mln drams. The state budget
expenditures amounted to 20 bln 246 mln drams in 2005, which makes up
94.5% of the envisaged index (21,424.6 mln drams). In January-December
2005, the average exchange rate of one US dollar made 457.8 drams
(in 2004 – 532.1 drams), that of one euro – 570.7 drams (in 2004 –
660.7 drams).

CONTINUOUS PRECIPITATIONS AND TEMPERATURE CLOSE TO ZERO NOT HARMFUL TO CULTURED PLANTS
Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The recent precipitations and a
temperature close to 0 degrees are not harmful to cultured plants
and will not have a negative impact on the harvest. Head of the Plant
Cultivation and Protection Department of the RA Ministry of Agriculture
Garnik Petrosian stated this on April 27. According to him, on the
night of December 27 the temperature fell to zero degrees in Ararat
valley, but it will not cause damage to the cultured plants. He noted
that the low temperature currently registered in the mountainous
zones of Armenia is harmless as well, because the period of active
vegetation of plants has not yet begun there. No damage was caused to
the areas sown with autumn wheat, and the areas under potato crops. The
department head underlined the snow did not damage the cultured
plants in the foothills at 1,300-1,500 m above sea level. G. Petrosian
said that with the current temperature ranging from 0 to 10 degrees,
heavy precipitations may not cause cultured plants to rot.