Author: Harutyunian Christine

SUN CHILD
First Regional Environmental
FEstival in Armenia
1-15 April 2007 in Dilijan

Our Regulation

The films can be submitted into three film programs of the festival:
Regional Environmental Films, Children Film Program and International Film
Program, out of competition.

We welcome films that mention the problems existing in the local
environment, films presenting the beauty and importance of the nature
surrounding us, the endangered species in the area and the possible steps
aimed to their preservation.

Please present your film on a preview DVD or VHS, together with filled in
Application form and all the required materials by February 15 2007.

The Children’s film program includes 10-15 films from the regions of Armenia
made by children in frames of Environmental-Educational program implemented
by FPWC, and also films from all over the world with no limitation in style
and subject. Authors can be from 7-15 years old.

There will be several prizes given to our young participants, including but
not limited to: 1 grand prize, 2 special mention awards, one award from the
children jury, audience award.

We are waiting for your films on a preview DVD or VHS, together with a
filled out Application form and all the required materials by March 1, 2007.

Join The First Regional Environmental Film Festival in Armenia on 1-15 April
2007 in Dilijan.

We are impatiently waiting for you!

Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Assets in the
Republic of Armenia

Address: # 5 Byron str., 375009
Tel: + 374 10 52-93-40
Fax: + 374 10 56-44-84
<;

CENN INFO
Caucasus Environmental NGO Network (CENN)
Tel:+995 32 75 19 03/04
Fax:+995 32 75 19 05
E-mail: <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected]
URL: <;

ORHAN PAMUK IS EDITOR-IN-CHIEF FOR A DAY AT TURKISH NEWSPAPER

The Guardian, UK
Jan 8 2007

Novelist and Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk devoted the front page of
a major Turkish newspaper on Sunday to the oppression of artists in
his native country, fulfilling an old dream of becoming a professional
journalist, if only for a day.

Pamuk, whose trial last year for the crime of "insulting Turkishness"
received international condemnation, has a degree in journalism but
had never practiced the profession. He was given editorial privileges
for the Sunday edition of the newspaper Radikal.

Pamuk’s cover story criticized the Turkish press and the state for
the suppression of free expression in Turkey. His banner headline
quoted a 1951 article about the Turkish intellectual Nazim Hikmet,
an acclaimed poet and denounced communist who spent many years in
prison in Turkey for his leftist affiliations and later died in exile
in Moscow. His sorrowful exile from his beloved country inspired
many of his best-known poems. The 1951 article had featured Hikmet’s
photograph along with an encouragement for the Turkish public to
recognize him and "spit in his face."

"This expression, which was used beside Nazim Hikmet’s picture,
summarizes the unchanging position of writers and artists in the eyes
of the state and the press," Pamuk’s cover story said.

Pamuk, winner of the Nobel prize in literature last year, was one
of dozens of authors, journalists, publishers and scholars who have
been charged with insulting Turkey, its officials or "Turkishness"
under an infamous article of the Turkish penal code. The charges
against Pamuk were dropped on a technicality in January 2006.

The European Union has demanded that Turkey change its penal code
to ensure freedom of expression, but Turkey has yet to act on those
demands.

In the corner of the front page, Pamuk addressed writers directly in a
friendly, self-effacing column under the headline, "I was a journalist
for Radikal yesterday!" He said the editorship for a day was a way
to realize years of unfulfilled professional dreams, but that he lost
all confidence on the way to work at the newspaper’s offices.

Pamuk remains a divisive figure in Turkey, where nationalists accuse
him of treason for talking about the killings of Armenians and Kurds.

He took credit for all the articles that readers didn’t like, and
gave credit for the articles they did like to the workers of Radikal.

Pamuk’s front page also featured an article about a ceremony for
Orthodox Christmas in Istanbul. It ran under the headline, "One cross,
a thousand police", a reference to security concerns that surround the
Istanbul-based leader of the Orthodox church and Turkey’s dwindling
Greek Orthodox community.

Nationalists, who are deeply suspicious of the Orthodox church’s
goals in predominantly Muslim Turkey, have interrupted the Orthodox
religious ceremony before.

Other articles on Pamuk’s front page dealt with the low percentage
of women in politics in Turkey and reactions to the publication of
video footage of the execution of Saddam Hussein.

Revealed: Israel plans nuclear strike on Iran
Uzi Mahnaimi, New York and Sarah Baxter, Washington

The Sunday Times
January 07, 2007

ISRAEL has drawn up secret plans to destroy Iran’s uranium enrichment
facilities with tactical nuclear weapons.

Two Israeli air force squadrons are training to blow up an Iranian
facility using low-yield nuclear `bunker-busters’, according to
several Israeli military sources.

The attack would be the first with nuclear weapons since 1945, when
the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The
Israeli weapons would each have a force equivalent to one-fifteenth of
the Hiroshima bomb.

Under the plans, conventional laser-guided bombs would open `tunnels’
into the targets. `Mini-nukes’ would then immediately be fired into a
plant at Natanz, exploding deep underground to reduce the risk of
radioactive fallout.

`As soon as the green light is given, it will be one mission, one
strike and the Iranian nuclear project will be demolished,’ said one
of the sources.

The plans, disclosed to The Sunday Times last week, have been prompted
in part by the Israeli intelligence service Mossad’s assessment that
Iran is on the verge of producing enough enriched uranium to make
nuclear weapons within two years.

Israeli military commanders believe conventional strikes may no longer
be enough to annihilate increasingly well-defended enrichment
facilities. Several have been built beneath at least 70ft of concrete
and rock. However, the nuclear-tipped bunker-busters would be used
only if a conventional attack was ruled out and if the United States
declined to intervene, senior sources said.

Israeli and American officials have met several times to consider
military action. Military analysts said the disclosure of the plans
could be intended to put pressure on Tehran to halt enrichment, cajole
America into action or soften up world opinion in advance of an
Israeli attack.

Some analysts warned that Iranian retaliation for such a strike could
range from disruption of oil supplies to the West to terrorist attacks
against Jewish targets around the world.

Israel has identified three prime targets south of Tehran which are
believed to be involved in Iran’s nuclear programme:

Natanz, where thousands of centrifuges are being installed for uranium
enrichment

A uranium conversion facility near Isfahan where, according to a
statement by an Iranian vice-president last week, 250 tons of gas for
the enrichment process have been stored in tunnels

A heavy water reactor at Arak, which may in future produce enough
plutonium for a bomb Israeli officials believe that destroying all
three sites would delay Iran’s nuclear programme indefinitely and
prevent them from having to live in fear of a `second Holocaust’.

The Israeli government has warned repeatedly that it will never allow
nuclear weapons to be made in Iran, whose president, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad, has declared that `Israel must be wiped off the map’.

Robert Gates, the new US defence secretary, has described military
action against Iran as a `last resort’, leading Israeli officials to
conclude that it will be left to them to strike.

Israeli pilots have flown to Gibraltar in recent weeks to train for
the 2,000-mile round trip to the Iranian targets. Three possible
routes have been mapped out, including one over Turkey.

Air force squadrons based at Hatzerim in the Negev desert and Tel Nof,
south of Tel Aviv, have trained to use Israel’s tactical nuclear
weapons on the mission. The preparations have been overseen by Major
General Eliezer Shkedi, commander of the Israeli air force.

Sources close to the Pentagon said the United States was highly
unlikely to give approval for tactical nuclear weapons to be used. One
source said Israel would have to seek approval `after the event’, as
it did when it crippled Iraq’s nuclear reactor at Osirak with
airstrikes in 1981.

Scientists have calculated that although contamination from the
bunker-busters could be limited, tons of radioactive uranium compounds
would be released.

The Israelis believe that Iran’s retaliation would be constrained by
fear of a second strike if it were to launch its Shehab-3 ballistic
missiles at Israel.

However, American experts warned of repercussions, including
widespread protests that could destabilise parts of the Islamic world
friendly to the West.

Colonel Sam Gardiner, a Pentagon adviser, said Iran could try to close
the Strait of Hormuz, the route for 20% of the world’s oil.

Some sources in Washington said they doubted if Israel would have the
nerve to attack Iran. However, Dr Ephraim Sneh, the deputy Israeli
defence minister, said last month: `The time is approaching when
Israel and the international community will have to decide whether to
take military action against Iran.’

IranMania News, Iran
Jan 7 2007

Facilities for Iran gas supply to Armenia ready

Sunday, January 07, 2007 – ©2005 IranMania.com

LONDON, January 7 (IranMania) – Iran has installed facilities
required for export of natural gas to Armenia near the Aras River,
which borders the two countries, said the official in charge of
implementing the project.

Mohammad Reza Lorzadeh, told ILNA that Armenia is not yet prepared to
receive the gas, stressing that the Iranian side has made all
arrangements for the project to get started.

`The Armenian side has asked for a meeting in late March to discuss
the gas export project as well as Armenia’s power exports to Iran,`
he said.
He said the Iranian side has fulfilled its commitments on the
construction of the pipeline and export of gas to Armenia, adding
that Iran is ready to begin gas supply to the former Soviet nation at
anytime.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Yerevan last month
that the inauguration of the pipeline for importing gas from Iran has
been postponed due to technical reasons.

The minister said at a press conference that the project was due to
be launched in late December, adding that the pipeline is ready and
will have to undergo certain technical tests before being made
operational.

Oskanian said the Iranian party has announced that it is planning to
launch the project by March.

He said it would be most logical to transfer the management of the
project to Russia’s Gazprom Company.

The minister added, however, that a final decision has yet to be made
in this respect.

Armenian energy officials have blamed bad weather for the
postponement of the project.

Armenian sources have announced that the country will be importing
2.5 bln cubic meters of gas annually from Iran as of 2008.

Armenpress

ARMENIAN IT SECTOR EXPANDS TO $84 MILLION

YEREVAN, JANUARY 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenian
economists estimate that the share of information
technology industry in the overall GDP in 2006 will
constitute 2 percent. Armenia IT sector which experts
say is the most advanced in the region, has expanded
to $83.7 million in 2006, but nevertheless it is
beginning to experience a shortage of skilled labor.
Vahagn Movsisian, head of the Armenian Development
Agency (ADA), says some 150 companies, 105 are local
ones, are working actively in this sector. In 2006
such IT giants as Microsoft, Ericsson and Sonics
entered the Armenian market, while Intel launched a
workshop here for assembling of laptops.
He said Armenian IT companies have to shift from
chips designing to software designing. He said
negotiations with IBM will continue in 2007 in an
effort to bring this company to Armenia.

The Fresno Bee (California)
December 30, 2006 Saturday

Seven keys to Orthodox holy days: For Eastern Christians, Christmas
is far from over.

by Ron Orozco, The Fresno Bee, Calif.

Dec. 30–Many churches have completed their Christmas celebrations.
But the holy season continues in Orthodox churches.

For example, Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church in Fresno will
celebrate Armenian Christmas on Friday and next Saturday. The
celebrations mark the birth and Baptism of Jesus.

St. Paul Armenian Church in Fresno will hold similar services on
Friday and next Saturday for the Feast of the Nativity and Theophany.
The latter concentrates on Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River as his
manifestation as the son of God.

Although St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Fresno celebrated
Christmas on Dec. 25, the same day as Western churches, it also will
hold "Little Christmas" services with Pre-Epiphany on Friday and
Epiphany next Saturday. The services focus on Jesus’ baptism.

And St. Peter The Apostle Serbian Orthodox Church in Fresno will
celebrate Christmas on Jan. 7 and commemorate Pre-Theophany on Jan.
18 and Theophany on Jan. 19. The services also concentrate on the
baptism of Jesus.

Regardless of the kind of celebration, the Orthodox holy season is
both a spiritual and communal time, when liturgical symbolism helps
congregants to focus on their beliefs and when congregants just enjoy
being in the company of others with similar beliefs.

The Bee asked seven questions of local clergy members — the Revs.
Vahan Gosdanian of Holy Trinity, Arshen Aivazian of St. Paul, George
Gligich of St. Peter and Jim Pappas of St. George — to better
understand the celebrations at their churches.

Question: How are the dates picked for your celebrations?

Holy Trinity and St. Paul: All churches, historically, celebrated
Jesus’ birth on Jan. 6. In the fourth century, however, Rome changed
the date to Dec. 25 to override a pagan feast. In Armenia,
worshippers didn’t make the change. Thus, local Armenians have
remained faithful to the traditions of their forefathers by keeping
Jan. 6 as Christmas.

St. Peter: For Christmas and Theophany, the dates are based on the
Julian calendar. Every year, they are the same dates.

St. George: They are based on the Gregorian calendar — Dec. 25 for
Christmas, Jan. 6 for Epiphany.

What is the significance of water in your services?

St. Peter: On Theophany, water is blessed as a reminder of Jesus’
baptism and when the Holy Spirit "came down," Gligich says.
Congregants fill jars or bottles with the water that is blessed. They
take it home with them to use it on special occasions.

St. Paul: At a Blessing of Water service, Aivazian dips a cross into
water to commemorate Jesus’ baptism. It is the cross that blesses the
water that people can drink and take home with them.

St. George: Pappas not only dips a cross, which is wrapped in green
branches, into water; he also blesses congregants by tossing the
water off the cross toward them. Pappas also tosses the water onto
parts of the church.

Holy Trinity: Congregants can drink cups with holy water or take them
home as a reminder of Jesus’ baptism through water.

What role does light or a candle play at your services?

Holy Trinity: On Christmas Eve, Holy Badarak service ends with nearly
20 choir members using lit candles to light congregants’ candles. It
symbolizes that Jesus is born and that he is the light.

St. Paul: The main altar is decorated with 12 candlesticks,
representing each of Jesus’ apostles. The candlesticks also symbolize
the heart of Christians, who can show light through the grace of God.

St. Peter: Upon entering the church, congregants light candles and
offer prayers to God. The candles represent the light of Christ, who
illuminates all people.

St. George: Three lit candles connected to a mini-font represent the
Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

What does the color of your vestments symbolize?

St. Peter: Gligich switches from wearing red for Advent before
Christmas to gold for Christmas and Theophany. The latter represents
a bright, celebratory color.

St. George: Pappas wears red because it is still considered
Christmastime.

Holy Trinity: Gosdanian wears white to symbolize purity. He says,
"When Jesus was being baptized, the white dove came down."

St. Paul: Aivazian also wears white, which symbolizes the virgin
birth and purity.

How does food mark your holy season?

Holy Trinity: After the Christmas Eve service ends, congregants break
a 40-day fasting period by eating dinner together. The meal consists
of salmon and lentil soup, which are prepared by Gosdanian’s wife,
Sossy, and rice pilaf, which is made by Anoush Yaralian, widow of
former Holy Trinity priest the Rev. Kourken Yaralian.

St. Paul: In the privacy of their homes, worshippers break their
fasting period on Christmas Eve with a traditional meal of yogurt
soup with barley and mint.

St. Peter: On Christmas Day, Slavic foods such as pork and sausages
are eaten to break a fasting period. There is no fasting for the next
12 days until the eve of Theophany, which is a strict fasting time.

St. George: After breaking a fasting period on Dec. 25, congregants
return to fasting on the day before Epiphany. Also, on Jan. 7,
congregants enjoy eating basilopita or St. Basil’s bread.

What is the best way to participate in your activities?

St. Paul: Aivazian advises congregants to come to services on Jan. 6
with only the celebration of Christ’s birth in mind.

Holy Trinity: Sing Christmas songs with the choir, Gosdanian says.
For those who don’t speak Armenian, some songs also are sung in
English.

St. Peter: Be sure to bring bottles and containers to be filled with
the blessed holy water, Gligich says.

St. George: Pappas recommends that congregants pray, spend time with
family members, attend church services and do things that enliven
their sense of God.

If you’re not a church member, can you go to the events?

St. Paul and Holy Trinity: Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to be
Armenian to attend.

St. Peter and St. George: All services are open to the commun- ity.

The reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (559)
441-6304.

THE BUREAU OF SPEAKERS TO INFORM AMERICAN ARMENIANS ABOUT THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
27.12.2006 15:44

To increase the awareness of Americans about the Armenian Genocide
a number of Amerivcan Armenian activists intend to found a "Bureau
of Speakers."

Participants of the initiative will visit US universities and schools
to discuss issues of recognition and prevention of genocide.

The Armenian Assembly of America informs that the Bureau will be
created in the framework of the "Journey for Humanity" the participants
of which walked three thousand miles to inform the society about the
Armenian Genocide and other crimes against humanity. Armenian activist
intend to write a book about their journey and to shoot a documentary.

AZERBAIJANI MFA: TURKEY SENT NO NOTE TO AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 27 2006

"Turkey sent no note to Azerbaijan concerning the nonadmission of
the pianist Burak Bedikyan, Turkish citizen of Armenian origin",
MFA information policy department Chief Tahir Tagizade told APA.

He called this information groundless. Burak Bedikyan, coming to
Baku with Turkish singer Sertab Erener on Dec 19, was not admitted
and deported from the airport. Turkish media spread information that
Turkish government sent a note to Azerbaijan concerning the issue.

Azerbaijani ambassador to Turkey Zakir Hashimov also rejected the
information. Burak Bedikyan thanked the Turkish Ministry of Foreign
Affairs for immediate reaction to the issue.

NO ALTERNATIVE FOR THE PROJECT OF A SECOND ATOMIC POWER PLANT IN ARMENIA
By Aghavni Harutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/12/2006

MAGATE and USAID Assist Working Out the Technical and Economic Sides
of the project

Armenian Minister of Power Engineering Armen Movsisian started his
yesterday interview by congratulating the energy sphere workers
in connection with their professional holiday. As one of ten most
important events in the energy sphere of Armenia he pointed out the
enhancement of the security system of the Armenian Atomic Power Plant
and the MAGATE conference dedicated to the project of construction
of a new nuclear power plant in Armenia. The minister stated that is
commonly accepted that the only alternative power source in Armenia
may become a second nuclear power plant.

Mr. Movsisian said that an agreement about constructing a new power
plant has been made with MAGATE and USAID. He said that Armenia
at resent cannot afford the construction, therefore a corresponding
legislation on the project’s crediting has been also adopted. According
to the Minister, the construction of the new power plant will take
7-8 years.

Mr. Movsisian also emphasized the trilateral meeting of the Power
Engineering Minister’s of Armenia, Georgia and Iran and their agreement
about common exploitation of energy infrastructures, communications
and other issues. He assured that this agreement will give Armenia the
opportunity of playing an important role in the regional crossroad
of energy communications. Mr. Movsisian said that the participant
the decision to include also Russia in the next talks.

The Power Engineering Minister of Armenia also informed that $160
cost re-equipment project of the Yerevan Hydro Power plant will be
finished by the end of 2008. The effectively of the Hrazdan Heat
Power Plant will be also increased after the re-equipment provided
for by the agreement with Gazprom.

Nevertheless the minister said that the electricity fees in Armenia
will not be lowered, as all the enhancements were made due to credits
from foreign states, which are still to be repaid.

70% of energy supply in Armenia, which is at present provided by
nuclear and heat source, will son be party covered by the sphere
of recoverable energy industry – more hydro power plats will be
constructed and joined to the currently functioning 50 and their
gross output will reach 500 million kilowatt per hour. Progress in
the wind and geothermic energy is also expected.

The Minister reported that Armenia at present does not supply
electricity to Georgia, but the latter has already made a request,
particularities of which are already under consideration.

In connection with the privatization of the NAIRIT factory,
Armen Movsisian said that an agreement with 3 main rubber consumer
enterprises of Armenia has been achieved. He said that import export
of Armenian rubber to USA and Europe has been established. $120 million
will be put up for the technical re-equipment of eth NAIRIT factory.

Orhan Pamuk Welcomed with Placard "There Was No Armenian Genocide"

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2006 17:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A conference titled "Orhan Pamuk and Literature"
was held Sabanci University, Istanbul, December 21. It had been the
first meeting of Orhan Pamuk with Turkish readers since he received
the Nobel Prize, Milliyet reports.

During the conference two students raised a placard which said
"There was no Armenian Genocide". While Pamuk was calmly looking at
them the audience gave a sharp reaction and the students had to live
the conference.

To remind, in an interview with a Swiss newspaper Pamuk said that
30 thousand Kurds and 1 million Armenians were slaughtered in Turkey
during World War I. Later, when receiving the Peace Award in Frankfurt
he said, "I repeat, 30 thousand Kurds and 1 million Armenians were
slaughtered in our state. I am consistent in my utterances."