YEREVAN, JULY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of the Public Television and Radio Company and the Public Radio Company reaffirm their wish to continue the cooperation with the Board of Directors of the American Broadcasts and Radio Liberty/Free Europe in favour of the friendship between the Republic of Armenia and the United States of America. This was mentioned in the statement spread by the Council of the Armenian Public Television and Radio Company, which clarifies a number of inaccuracies contained in the July 24 statement made by Radio Liberty/Free Europe. According to this statement, it is the good will of the Public Radio Company that the programs of the Radio Liberty/Free Europe are still broadcast, since there is no contract between the Public Radio Company and the Board of Directors of the American Broadcasts or Radio Liberty/Free Europe at the moment. "Radio Liberty/Free Europe made payments until February, 2007, afterwards the payments ceased irrespective of the fact that bills continued to be introduced every month. At present, the overdue debts for the rebroadcast services supplied to Radio Liberty/Free Europe make 86 thousand U.S. dollars," is said in the statement spread by the Council of the Armenian Public Radio Company. However, Public Radio has not rejected the suggestions of Radio Liberty/Free Europe on making payments, instead it has introduced a number of notifications claiming to immediately pay off the overdue sums. On July 6, 2007, however, the Council of the Armenian Public Radio Company made a decision to stop the transmission of the programs of foreign and local broadcasting companies on the frequencies of the Public Radio and Public Television since August 9, taking into consideration the general international experience of the activities of public radio and television companies. This was notified to three broadcasting companies in a decent way: Radio Liberty/Free Europe, "MIR" radio and television company, and "Tsayg" television company, which were advised to make arrangements until August 9. In response to this notification, Radio Liberty/Free Europe has made a request to prolong that term. The Public Radio Company has accepted the above-mentioned suggestion. The Council of the Armenian Public Radio Company has discussed the possibility of rebroadcasting the programs of Radio Liberty/Free Europe through the "Ar Radio" intercontinental radio company on the basis of the discussions, which were conducted with the delegation of the Board of Directors of the American Broadcasts a week ago. The Public Radio should reduce its broadcasting hours through the FM network of the "AR Radio" in order to make such a transmission technically possible. Thus, these hours will be given to Radio Liberty/Free Europe. According to the statement, Public Radio and the "AR Radio" made a preliminary arrangement concerning certain technical issues and a message was sent to Mr. Garry Tetcher, the Head of the Board of Directors of American Broadcasting on July 24, informing him about these developments. On July 25 the Board of Directors of American Broadcasting introduced the draft of the contract of the offered services concerning the rebroadcast of the programs of Radio Liberty/Free Europe through the "AR Radio" intercontinental radio company and the sides were in the final stage of the negotiations concerning the above-mentioned draft, when Radio Liberty/Free Europe spread its statement.

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