MEETING NEAR THE MUNICIPALITY; FOREIGNERS RECEIVE US, OURS DO NOT

A1plus
| 13:16:04 | 18-04-2005 | Social |

Today the residents of the Yerevan Main and North Avenues organized
a meeting opposite the municipality building. In difference to other
meetings when they demanded meeting with the mayor or another official,
the demonstrants organized this one “just for itself”.

“We do not want to meet Yervand Zakharyan. We just want them to know
how indignant we are. We are sick and tired. We just want to remind
that we exist and we are offended by their ignorance”, says Sedrak
Baghdasaryan, resident of the Buzand street.

He is greatly surprised by the fact that while turning to Embassies
the foreign officials have received them, and our officials either
refuse to receive them or receive with offensive remarks.

IEC OF ARMENIA INTENDS TO RISE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY
SUPPLIED TO GEORGIA BECAUSE OF DECLINE IN USD/AMD EXCHANGE RATE IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, APRIL 18. ARMINFO. The CJSC International Energy Corporation
(IEC) of Armenia intends to rise the price of the electricity supplied
to Georgia, Deputy Director General of IEC Mels Hakobyan informs
ARMINFO’s correspondent. In his words, the recent decline of the USD
exchange rate in the internal market of Armenia made the transaction on
export of Armenian electricity unprofitable. At present, the company
supplies 1.8 mln Kw/h electricity to Georgia for 2.75 cents per 1
kW/h. In the winter period, IEC supplied 2.5 mln kW/h electricity
to Telasi company, which is a buyer of the Armenian electricity. IEC
intends to rise the prices as much as the USD has fallen. At resent
1 USD is purchased in the internal market of Armenia for 430 AMD as
against 478 AMD at the beginning of the year. The company expected
a relevant decision of the Georgian Energy Commission. Hakobyan notes
that electricity supply to Georgia has started since the end of 2004.

CJSC IEC was founded in May 2003 by RJSC UES of Russia holding
for exploitation of Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade of HPPs. The company is
licensed by the Armenian Commission for Public Service to produce
electricity for 15 years and to export it. Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade of
Sevan, Hrazdan, Argelan, Arzni, Kanakaer, Yerevan HPPs is the main
producer of electricity in Armenia. Its capacity is 556 megawatt, which
is some 18% of the total capacity of the power engineering in Armenia.

THE ILLEGAL TO BE LEGALIZED ONCE MORE

A1plus
| 13:07:49 | 18-04-2005 | Social |

A committee consisting of 17 members has been created on the order of
Yerevan mayor Yervand Zakharyan to decide the status of the illegal
buildings in Yerevan. The mayor is factually discontent with the work
of the Committee as on March 1 12 of the members have been replaced
by others. By the way, among those replaced were the head and the
secretary of the Committee.

According to the information of the previous Committee during 2003=2004
17 thousand applications have been introduced to the municipality
about the illegal buildings.

«As you see, the group has worked in rather tense circumstances»,
this was the appreciation of chief advisor of the mayor, head of the
Committee Grigor Melkumyan about the work of the Committee. According
to him, before the changes the mayor created a group supporting the
Committee, with the help of which the 7500 decisions accumulated
during the last 2 years will be given to those who have been waiting
for the mayor’ decision.

–Boundary_(ID_FYfJLz5U24oMd0fALBpOsQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BOTH ADVANTAGES AND DRAWBACKS WERE POINTED OUT

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
16 April 05

Nevertheless, summing up the work of the City Hall in the first quarter
of the year, the mayor of Stepanakert Edward Aghabekian evaluated it as
positive During the press conference on April 12 the mayor presented
the work of the City Hall. He promised to remain faithful to the
tradition and publish the work done and to do not forgetting about the
drawbacks. During the press conference Edward Aghabekian dwelled upon
a series of important problems. COMMUNITY BUDGET According to him,
there was a decline in the community budget revenues from disposal
of inventory. In the first quarter of the past year the revenues of
the community budget from disposal of inventory totaled 3 million
drams; this year the revenues decreased by 50 per cent. Nevertheless,
according to the mayor, this is not a low rate and does not impact
the community budget receipts. According to Mr. Aghabekian, those
spheres where disposal of inventory results in improvement of work
efficiency should absolutely be privatized. In reference to the
community budget adoption and execution Edward Aghabekian informed
that the growth of community owned receipts is estimated by 23.4 per
cent against 2004, which will total 27.2 million drams on a yearly
basis. The mayor of Stepanakert noticed that this volume of growth
is estimated for the first time in the last 3-4 years. As to the
results of the last quarter, there was a 6.2 per cent growth in the
community-owned receipts. At the same time he said that three months
is not a long period to make far-reaching estimations but it is enough
to make estimations of certain things. TAX REVENUES One of the major
problems is that the institution of cadastre is not fully formed.
According to the mayor, if in 2004 the tax service collected 605
thousand drams from natural persons, this year more than 3 million
drams of tax revenues is estimated. He added that this year the tax
on property was not heavy for anyone. As to the public taxes, in the
first quarter of 2004 public tax collection totaled 4.3 million drams,
whereas in the same period of the current year collected public taxes
totaled 2.9 million. In the same period the payments of land rental
was 1.312 million drams against 340 thousand in the first quarter
of the past year. DECISIONS In the past three months the City Hall
adopted 14 decisions. He singled out the decision that every year
since 2005 at 12 o’clock on April 24 two minutes of silence will be
kept in the community in the memory of the victims of genocide in
1915. The mayor of Stepanakert also mentioned that as distinct from
other spheres funding of cultural events was funded by 100 per cent.
CHRISTINE MNATSAKANIAN. 16-04-2005

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO ITALY: ARMENIA READY TO COOPERATE IN ALL DIRECTIONS WITH NATO DEFENSE COLLEGE

YEREVAN, APRIL 18. ARMINFO. Armenian Ambassador to Italy Ruben
Shugarayn expressed Armenia’s readiness to cooperate with NATO Defense
College in the course of his meeting with Director of the Defense
College Lt.General Vankersbick.

The Press and Information Department of the Armenian Foreign Ministry
informs ARMINFO today that the sides discussed the issues related
to establishment of contacts of military educational establishments
of Armenia and NATO Defense College, as well as the prospects of
Shugaryan’s delivering lectures at the College on the processes in
the South Caucasus. Lt.General Vankersbick, who took his post in
March 2005, expressed interest in development of cooperation with
the Armenian party. He stated that his College closely cooperated
with strategic and defense educational establishments of NATO member-
and partner-states. General gave a high assessment of participation
of Armenia’s representatives in various measures taken by the
College. Then Shugaryan informed General of the present level of
relations Armenia-NATO, pointing out that Armenia did not yield
to the neighboring Georgia and Azerbaijan as to the involvement in
NATO programs.

To note, NATO Defense College is the only educational establishment
of NATO in Rome, whereto high-ranking militaries and diplomats
direct themselves intending to take leading posts at NATO
headquarters. Starting from 1991, the College began admitting
representatives of NATO partner-states as well.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN APP TO BE SUSPENDED FOR PLANNED PREVENTIVE REPAIR
AND REFUELING ON SEPTEMBER 15 2005

YEREVAN, APRIL 18, ARMINFO. On September 15 2005 the Armenian APP will
be suspended for planned preventive repair and refueling, Director
General of CJSC “Armenian APP” Gagik Markosyan informs ARMINFO.

He says that the plant will be suspended for 45 days. The EU will
allocate 4 mln EUR for implementation of the project on upgrading the
safety of the plant. On these funds, the APP is to create a system
of automatic chemical control for the first time, as well as to take
a number of other measures. Jointly with the US Energy Department,
a serious work will be carried out to upgrade the safety of the plant,
and the Russian party pledging to provide the necessary fuel to it.

To note, in 2004, the Armenian APP increase electricity generation
by 26% or to 2.4 bln kW/h. This indicator is planned to reach 2.528
bln kW/h in 2005 at the expense of reduction of the suspension term
from the usual 65 to 45 days.

STRUGGLE BECAUSE OF SOCIAL CARDS

A1plus
| 12:09:18 | 18-04-2005 | Social |

A number of citizens of Yerevan and Vanadzor have applied to the
RA Social Security Minister with an open letter. The main demand of
the people who have denounced social cards is that the Minister must
publicly apologize for the offensive remarks he made on February 9,
2005 about those people who have denounced social cards.

The second demand expressed in the open letter is «to cease to
illegally «introduce» different points in laws as if making the
social cards obligatory».

The citizens have once again informed the Minister with the letter
that because of him many old and disabled people who have earned
their old-age pensions during tens of years are now deprived of them.

By the way, on February 15, 2005 the citizens had sent a similar
letter with the same demands to the Minister. But they have not
received the answer by now.

–Boundary_(ID_PCV4DaTmHhampDZiDdvjgA)–
From: Baghdasarian

“ARMENIA IS A COMMITTED PARTNER IN THE VITAL WORK OF COMBATING TERROR”

A1plus
| 16:37:51 | 18-04-2005 | Official |

On Friday, April 15, Mr. Armen Barseghyan was taken to the United
States from Armenia to face charges for his alleged involvement in
a plot to smuggle arms into the U.S.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office said, on Saturday,
that Mr. Barseghyan will appear in court this week, along with 20
other defendants that have been indicted in connection with this case.

This case highlights the cooperation on law enforcement issues which
is developing between the U.S. and the Republic of Armenia.

The Embassy commends the continued professionalism of the Armenian
authorities who have been instrumental in supporting this ongoing
investigation. In particular, the Embassy expresses their appreciation
for the support of the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Armenia
and the direct engagement of the Director of Armenia’s National
Security Service. Suspects were apprehended before any weapons were
transferred from Armenia.

It is mentioned in the announcement of the Embassy that “The United
States and the Republic of Armenia are working together to stop the
proliferation of weapons. Armenia is a committed partner in the vital
work of combating terror”.

THE COUNTRY CANNOT DEVELOP BY PRIVATE TRANSFERS

A1plus
| 16:57:33 | 18-04-2005 | Social |

Today, at the Marriott-Armenia Hotel in Yerevan the Millennium
Project’s “Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve
the Millennium Development Goals” report was launched. UN Resident
Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Lise Grande,
presented the report to representatives of the Government, diplomatic
corps, civil society and the mass media.

The UN Millennium Project is an independent advisory body commissioned
by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to develop a global plan for
achieving the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. The
Project is directed by Prof. Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University.

In September 2005, a high-level summit of the UN General Assembly
will discuss the findings and recommendations of this report. The
world will face a historic chance at this meeting for making the
necessary global policy breakthrough, which is needed to help the
poorest countries achieve the Goals. The Millennium Project’s report
provides a detailed blueprint for making this happen.

One of the key findings of the report is that MDGs are achievable by
2015, even for the poorest countries of the world. But the report
confirms that we are on a threshold where we no longer can afford
any further delays in introducing swift policy actions for achieving
the Goals.

Ms. Grande noted in her speech: “As an outcome of today’s presentation,
it is important that the work already being done in Armenia to reach
the MDGs is accelerated. By more directly aligning the country’s
Poverty Reduction Strategy with the MDGs and localising targets for
each of the eight MDG goals, we can together make sure that no one
in Armenia is left behind.”

At the event, a presentation by Mr. Tigran Khachatryan, Deputy Minister
of Finance of Armenia on the status of PRSP monitoring also took place.

WORLD PRESS FLOODED IN PUBLICATIONS ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

AZG Armenian Daily #069, 19/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

Reporters of the international authoritative mass media arrive in
Armenia to highlight the commemoration of 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide. Some of them have already send materials to their
newspapers on the massacres of 1,5 million Armenians committed by the
Ottoman Turkey in the years of the World War I. The leading French,
German, Swiss, Argentinean and other mass media have already covered
the Genocide issue.

The Associated Press has published three large articles on the Armenian
Genocide on April 14. Michael Eckel, reporter, entitled his article
“Armenians Go on Struggling for Recognition of Genocide Even After
90 Years since the Great Genocide.” Eckel told the story of 102 years
old Giulina Mousoyan.

“Armenia used to be a large kingdom that stretched from the Black Sea
to the Caspian, but it was divided in 1915. A part of it was given
to Russia, while the second one was seized by the Ottoman Turkey,”
the AP wrote, telling about the sufferings of the Armenians on their
way to exile and in the Der el-Zor desert.

Luis Mickaelser, another reporter of the Associated Press, wrote from
Ankara about the fight the Turks unfolded against Orhan Pamuk who
dared to openly inform his compatriots that 1 million of Armenians
were killed in the years of the World War I.

“Recently, PM Erdogan and Gul, Turkish foreign minister, touched upon
the issue, obviously hoping that they can hinder the international
recognition of the genocide. Erdogan said that all countries should
open their archives for the researchers, so that the latter can study
whether the events were a genocide or not. Meanwhile, Gul characterized
the statements of the genocide as slander,” Mickaelser wrote and
added:” The Turks fear that the Armenians can use the statements on
the genocide for compensation demanding money or the lost lands.”

Joseph Poghosian prepared the third publication for the AP from
Lebanon. He met with the people that moved to Bekay valley and Egypt
after the heroic battle by the Musa Mountain.

By Tatoul Hakobian