OFFICIAL OPENING OF 4TH INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM "BRIDGE 2007" TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. Official opening of the 4th International Economic Forum "Bridge 2007" will be held on February 17 at 11.00 AM in Tsakhkadzor town.

As the event organizers told ArmInfo, over 300 businessmen from Armenia, Germany, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, as well as the officials, employees of the Ministries and Departments, of branch Unions and Associations will take part in the work of the Economic Forum. The main subject of the Forum is the "Economic Integration under Conditions of Globalization". Moreover, a number of actual political and economic issues will be proposed for consideration at the Round Tables and sectional sessions. The key purpose of the Forum is to discuss the most important political and economic problems, to elaborate a single tactics of actions aimed at achievement of a common purpose, that is, the economic and social progress. The Forum organizers are the Union of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen of RA and the International Integration Assistance Center "MASTER".

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SCREENING OF FILM ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PUT GERMAN PUBLIC INTO STUNNING SILENCE

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. Screening of the film "The Lark Farm" of the brothers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani about the Armenian Genocide for the press representatives in Berlin has put the public into a stunning silence, Reuters reports.

The actress Arsinee Khanjian, who plays a major character in "The Lark Farm", said "Turkey must change its approach to the Armenian genocide but it also has big human rights problems with many other minorities". Ahead of the film's public release, the Taviani brothers said they were unaware of any adverse reaction from Turkey. Berlin's Turkish embassy said it had received no response to the film from Ankara. To note, the Taviani brothers' film about Armenian Genocide, "The Lark Farm", is currently presented at Berlin Film Festival. The film claims to the "Golden Bear" prize.

ARMENIAN FRONTIER GUARDS DETAIN THREE GEORGIAN AZERBAIJANIS WHO CROSSED BORDER TO CUT DOWN TREES FROM THE FOREST

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. The Armenian frontier guards detained three Azerbaijanis, citizens of Georgia, who crossed the border to cut trees from the forest. Two of them entered the territory of Armenia to cut down trees and are presently in Yerevan.

The Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Georgia, Namig Aliyev, informed Trend that they should pay a fine in the amount of $2000 and after this, they will be released.

Another Azerbaijani citizen was detained in the disputable territory of Georgia and Armenia. He also entered this territory to cut down trees and was detained by Armenian frontier guards. The Ambassador said that the Chief of the Border Police of Georgia, Badri Bitsatdze, is involved in this matter and has already held a number of meetings. According to the Ambassador, there is no information on the condition of the Azerbaijanis yet.

ARMENIA RECEIVED GRANT IN AMOUNT OF $2 MLN FOR AVIAN INFLUENZA PREPAREDNESS

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. The Avian and Human Influenza Facility (AHI), a multi-donor financing mechanism administered by the World Bank, announced today that the Republic of Armenia was awarded a grant in the amount of US$2 million for the Avian Influenza Preparedness (AIP) Project. The objective of the Grant program is to support integrated interventions in the animal and human health aspects.

The AHI facility was created with generous commitments by eight donor agencies, including the European Commission as lead initiator and donor, to help the poorest developing countries prepare and implement integrated country action plans designed to reduce the social and economic impact of avian influenza and minimize possible outbreak of a human flu pandemic.

This Grant is in addition to a US$6.25 million IDA credit and a US$0.8 million Japanese Grant approved by the World Bank under the Global Program for Avian and Human Influenza Control and Preparedness (GPAI) for Armenia. The GPAI provides emergency financing to participating countries, in order to contain outbreaks of avian flu through early detection and rapid response measures and to help countries prepare for a possible human influenza pandemic.

Since joining the World Bank in 1992 and IDA in 1993, commitments to Armenia have totaled approximately US $952.25 million for 44 operations.

CONSTRUCTION OF FIRST SECTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA GAS LINE TO BE COMPLETED MARCH 17, 2007

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. Construction of the first 40-km section of Iran-Armenia gas line will be completed on March 17, 2007, Director General of "High-Voltage Power Networks", Saak Abramyan, told ArmInfo.

According to him, 3 km of pipelines are left to be laid. As S. Abramyan noted, the works are complicated by weather conditions. Upin completion of construction, the gas lines will undergo a pressure test, after which we shall talk about a full commissioning of the first section of gas line that will allow to integrate the gas-transport systems of Armenia and Iran. The first stage envisages a receipt of 450 mln cub m of gas by Armenia per year with its increase within two years to 2,5 bln cub m. for construction of the first section, the Iranian side has extended a credit of $28,2 mln with in interest rate of Libor+2 and the beginning of its repayment within 5 years after putting the gas line into operation. The share of co- financing by Armenia is 15%. The Project Client is the Armenian "High-Voltage Power Networks" CJSC, the Contractor is the "Sanir" Iranian Company.

To note, the negotiations are presently held about the company to operate the first section of Iran-Armenia gas line. The Russian "Gazprom" has also expressed its interest in the Project. The gas line's construction is a step towards enhancement of safety of Armenia's energy sector, since the Republic will receive an alternative source of a "blue fuel".

TAVIANI BROTHERS' FILM ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PRESENTED AT BERLIN FILM FESTIVAL

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. Taviani brothers' film about the Armenian Genocide "The Lark Farm" promises to be among the most controversial at this year's Berlin Film Festival.

In an interview with SPIEGEL Vittorio Taviani said that each scene was historically verified, even the most gruesome. "We didn't want to hide anything. The slaughtering of the innocent is part of human history. It is the cinema's job to show it -- not just to emphasize dramatic camera angles, but to quietly show it."

Paolo Taviani said that the film isn't just about Turkey in 1915, but also about the present. There have been similar scenes in the Balkans, in Rwanda and in Sudan. "We Italians murdered, and the Germans murdered. The horror can happen any time and any place. Why conceal the Armenian tragedy?"

Asked by SPIEGEL: Isn't there a concern that the film could trigger violent reactions among Turkish nationalists? Paolo Taviani said: "This is not a documentary film. We have no intention of supporting any theories with our films. We relate one page from the history books through the fates of our characters. The truth is always only its own truth. At this point in our lives, we wanted to recount a collective experience through a series of personal fates, each of them unique and distressing in its own right. After all, we tell the story of the impossible love between a young Turk and an Armenian woman. The film ends with a trial in which Youssuf, the Turkish soldier, testifies about the crimes. It is not a film against Turkey. On the contrary, it is a film for everyone in Turkey who confronts history. After all, 100,000 people demonstrated in Istanbul against the murder of Hrant Dink. I am convinced that the film will be shown in Turkish schools within a few years."

UNDERSECRETARY OF US EMBASSY IN ANKARA: "IT SEEMS THAT THE ARMENIAN BILL WILL BE APPROVED"

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. The undersecretary of the US Embassy in Ankara, McEldowney stated that there is a high possibility of the Armenian genocide bill being approved by the House of Representatives, during a lunch she gave to a group of members in the Motherland Party.

Turkish Sabah newspaper reports that the main issue at the lunch was the Armenian bill planned to be discussed in the US House of Representative in April. Members of the Motherland Party stated that the reactions against the USA will rise up in the case the bill is approved. McEldowney said: "this situation should not damage our relationships because we are putting the necessary efforts forth to eliminate the terrorist organization, the PKK. Some events will happen in North Iraq very soon.

ARMENIAN CONTRACT OFFICER KILLED BY AZERI SNIPER SHOT

Yerevan, February 15. ArmInfo. A contract servicemen of the Armenian Armed Forces, a Major Yervand Pashikyan, born in 1958, was killed by an Azeri sniper shot the day before at about 9:30 AM on battle positions in the region of Noyemberyan military garrison. The investigation is underway, the spokesman of RA Defense Ministry, Seyran Shahsuvaryan, told ArmInfo today.

ARMENIAN WRESTLERS FROM RUSSIA'S COMBINED TEAM REFUSE TO LEAVER FOR BAKU TO PARTICIPATE IN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Moscow, February 15. ArmInfo. The Armenian wrestlers form Russia's combined team refuse to leave for Baku to participate in the World Championship in September, 2007.

As the President of Russia's Federation of Sport Wrestling, Mikhail Mamiashvili, told the "Soviet Sport", the Armenian sportsmen flatly refuse to leave for Baku. "However, we have our ways for this problem solution", Mamiashvili said.

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