Author: Nargizian David

Universe Today
March 28 2005

Survey Finds Dark Accelerators

Summary – (Mar 28, 2005) A team of European astronomers has found
some unusual objects in the central part of our galaxy which are
emitting very high-energy gamma rays. What’s strange, though, is
these objects are invisible in the optical and X-ray spectra. So what
they are is a complete mystery. Not only that, but these objects are
also quite large; possibly on the order of several light years
across. The observations were done using the High Energy Stereoscopic
System (H.E.S.S.) telescopes in Namibia.

Full Story – In the March 25th 2005 issue of Science Magazine, the
High Energy Stereoscopic System (H.E.S.S.) team of international
astrophysicists, including UK astronomers from the University of
Durham, report results of a first sensitive survey of the central
part of our galaxy in very high energy (VHE) gamma-rays. Included
among the new objects discovered are two ‘dark accelerators’ –
mysterious objects that are emitting energetic particles, yet
apparently have no optical or x-ray counterpart.

This survey reveals a total of eight new sources of VHE gamma-rays in
the disc of our Galaxy, essentially doubling the number known at
these energies. The results have pushed astronomy into a previously
unknown domain, extending our knowledge of the Milky Way in a novel
wavelength regime thereby opening a new window on our galaxy.

Gamma-rays are produced in extreme cosmic particle accelerators such
as supernova explosions and provide a unique view of the high energy
processes at work in the Milky Way. VHE gamma-ray astronomy is still
a young field and H.E.S.S. is conducting the first sensitive survey
at this energy range, finding previously unknown sources.

Particularly stunning is that two of these new sources discovered by
H.E.S.S. have no obvious counterparts in more conventional wavelength
bands such as optical and X-ray astronomy. The discovery of VHE
gamma-rays from such sources suggests that they may be `dark
accelerators’, as Stefan Funk from the Max-Planck Institut in
Heidelberg affirms: “These objects seem to only emit radiation in the
highest energy bands. We had hoped that with a new instrument like
H.E.S.S. we would detect some new sources, but the success we have
now exceeds all our expectations.”

Dr Paula Chadwick of the University of Durham adds “Many of the new
objects seem to be known categories of sources, such as supernova
remnants and pulsar wind nebulae. Data on these objects will help us
to understand particle acceleration in our galaxy in more detail; but
finding these ‘dark accelerators’ was a surprise. With no counterpart
at other wavelengths, they are, for the moment, a complete mystery.”

Cosmic particle accelerators are believed to accelerate charged
particles, such as electrons and ions, by acting on these particles
with strong shock waves. High-energy gamma rays are secondary
products of the cosmic accelerators and are easier to detect because
they travel in straight lines from the source, unlike charged
particles which are deflected by magnetic fields. The cosmic
accelerators are usually visible at other wavelengths as well as VHE
gamma rays.

The H.E.S.S. array is ideal for finding these new VHE gamma ray
objects, because as well as studying objects seen at other
wavelengths that are expected to be sources of very high energy gamma
rays, its wide field of view (ten times the diameter of the Moon)
means that it can survey the sky and discover previously unknown
sources.

Another important discovery is that the new sources appear with a
typical size of the order of a tenth of a degree; the H.E.S.S.
instrument for the first time provides sufficient resolution and
sensitivity to see such structures. Since the objects cluster within
a fraction of a degree from the plane of our Galaxy, they are most
likely located at a significant distance – several 1000 light years
from the sun – which implies that these cosmic particle accelerators
extend over a size of light years.

The results were obtained using the High Energy Stereoscopic System
(H.E.S.S.) telescopes in Namibia, in South-West Africa. This system
of four 13 m diameter telescopes is currently the most sensitive
detector of VHE gamma-rays, radiation a million million times more
energetic than the visible light. These high energy gamma rays are
quite rare – even for relatively strong sources, only about one gamma
ray per month hits a square meter at the top of the earth’s
atmosphere. Also, since they are absorbed in the atmosphere, a direct
detection of a significant number of the rare gamma rays would
require a satellite of huge size. The H.E.S.S. telescopes employ a
trick – they use the atmosphere as detector medium. When gamma rays
are absorbed in the air, they emit short flashes of blue light, named
Cherenkov light, lasting a few billionths of a second. This light is
collected by the H.E.S.S. telescopes with big mirrors and extremely
sensitive cameras and can be used to create images of astronomical
objects as they appear in gamma-rays.

The H.E.S.S. telescopes represent several years of construction
effort by an international team of more than 100 scientists and
engineers from Germany, France, the UK, Ireland, the Czech Republic,
Armenia, South Africa and the host country Namibia. The instrument
was inaugurated in September 2004 by the Namibian Prime Minister,
Theo-Ben Guirab, and its first data have already resulted in a number
of important discoveries, including the first astronomical image of a
supernova shock wave at the highest gamma-ray energies.

Original Source: PPARC News Release

ARMENIA TO JOIN BOLONIA AGREEMENT IN MAY

YEREVAN, MARCH 24, NOYAN TAPAN. In May Armenia will sign the
Bolonia agreement and will join the educational zone of 50 European
countries. Sergo Yeritsian, RA Minister of Education and Science,
declared this at the March 23 meeting in the Culture Faculty of
Yerevan Pedagogical University after Kh.Abovian. He gave assurance
that joining the European educational processes Armenia doesn’t
step aside from the national traditions as the teaching of all the
subjects in the country’s higher schools is based on the national
grounds. Sergo Yeritsian also mentioned that all the higher schools
of the country will pass to the bimodal method of education in the
future. It is only applied in 3 higher schools at present, Yerevan
State University, Armenian Engineering University and Armenian
Agricultural Academy. Besides, cardinal reforms in the sphere of
comprehensive education began, which will provide the fluent passage of
school-leavers from schools to higher schools. It was mentioned that
according to the Bolonia agreement, in 2010 the country’s educational
reforms at all levels are to finish. Besides, Armenia also ratified the
Lisbon convention, according to which the diplomas of Armenian higher
schools will be recognized in all European countries. Hovik Hoveyan,
RA Minister of Culture, accompanying Sergo Yeritsian, represented
the situation in the regional art and music schools. In particular,
it was mentioned that only 174 out of 232 schools transferred to the
communities in 1996 work. According to the Minister, in the future
the Ministry is to work out mechanisms of return of the cultural
institutions to the management of the Ministry of Culture.

CONSOLIDATION OF LAND PLOTS WILL LEAD TO POVERTY GROWTH IN RURAL
AREAS, CESTRAD EXPERTS STATES

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. There is currently a tendency towards
consolidation of agricultural land plots in Armenia, the outcomes
of which are hard to foresee. Prof. Max Spur, an expert of the Hague
Institute of Social Research (CESTRAD), stated this on March 25. In
his analytical essay, “Land Reforms, Rural Poverty and Inequality:
Social Approaches of Land Policy”, he notes that the completion of the
land privatization process will promote development of the land market
and stimulate the process of land consolidation. At the same time he
points out that economically vital farms will emerge as a result of
this. However, according to M. Spur, later this will also lead to
poverty growth, bringing about a rapid consolidation of land plots
in the hands of small groups. It was indicated that the differences
have already grown – the farms with land plots of 15-500 ha sell their
produce completely, those with 1.5-5 ha – 50% of their harvest, while
extremely vulnerable close farms – up to 20%. If in 1998 agricultural
lands of 268 ha were sold in Armenia, in 2003 this figure made 3,312
ha. Yet, as the research shows, although the number of land sales has
increased, over the last 6 years only 2% of the private agricultural
land plots was sold. According to M. Spur, in 2003, the poor made up
31.8% and the extreme poor – 24.4% of the population of the Armenian
cities. This index made 40.7% and 6.8% in rural areas. According to the
RA President’s Chief Advisor Vahram Narsisian, the analytical essay
was prepared on the initiative of the UNDP and contains proposals
that can be used for developing a land policy strategy in the future.

Russia to do all it can to help Nagorno-Karabakh settlement-Putin

ITAR-TASS News Agency
March 25, 2005 Friday

YEREVAN, March 25 — Russia will do all it can to help settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, President Vladimir Putin said.

He said at the ceremony of opening a Year of Russia in Armenia on
Friday that Russia and Armenia “are interested in stabilisation of
the situation in the Transcaucasus”.

“We know what hard ordeal the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has proved for
the region. And Russia is ready to do all it can in order long-waited
peace and long-waited accord return to this land,” Putin said.

ArmenPress
March 25 2005

THERE IS SERIOUS POTENTIAL FOR ENHANCING RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN RELATIONS

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, ARMENPRESS: Talking to journalists after
face-to-face talks with the visiting Russian president Vladimir Putin
Armenian President Robert Kocharian noted that at present the sides
are trying to develop the humanitarian component of the
Armenian-Russian cooperation.
“The organization of Russian year in Armenia is a serious action
for which we have prepared. We decided to organize the program in a
way that Armenian citizens have a full idea of today’s Russia,” said
the Armenian President.
Kocharian informed that during the meeting with Putin they
discussed issues on energy cooperation. The sides also discussed
issues on boosting Russian business’ investment activity in Armenia.
“The Armenian side hails this and we will create necessary conditions
for effective work,” said Robert Kocharian.
Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed out that “The
negotiations over bilateral relations, international and regional
issues were very useful”.
“Armenian-Russian relations are developing stably in all the
spheres of cooperation – political, economic, humanitarian,” said the
Russian President, noting that the opening of Russian year in Armenia
witnesses the development of relations.
The two Presidents also referred to the issues on the events
dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the victory in Great Patriotic
War, discussed the current situation in Kyrgyzstan and prospects for
the economic development between the CIS countries.
Russian President will also meet with Catholicos of All Armenians
Karekin II.
Vladimir Putin also said that both Armenia and Russia are keen to
have stability in the South Caucasus, to build such a climate of
trust and relationships that would help to develop dynamically the
economy and the social sector.
Putin said they discussed also the Karabagh conflict. “We and all
our partners will be promoting the regulation of this problem,” he
said and expressed hope that Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
would have another round of talks to this end.

Moonshine, My Fight and Croatia
By SELCUK GULTASLI

Zaman, Turkey
March 24 2005

Thanks to the Internet search engines, when you wake up in the
morning, you can find almost all news that include the word Turkey on
websites that day. You can take a look at all the news written about
Turkey from all over world, on wide-ranging scale, from the Anzac Bay
disputes in Australia to Turks who opened a bakery for tsunami
victims in Indonesia, that does not have the tradition of eating
bread at all.

The point I have always been curious about for a long time, when I
start my day, is how Turkey is mentioned that day around the world.
The hit news during last year’s spring season was the ruling Justice
and Development Party’s (AKP’s) political move over Cyprus, that
“shook Europe.” During the dates when the progress report was
released, “the Turkish government’s bold reform initiative” was
pretty popular. It was written and talked about on the eve of the
summit that the EU could not trigger such a successful transformation
in any other candidate country as it did in Turkey. Except a for a
few exceptions, the most noteworthy being the adultery debate, it is
possible to argue that Turkey was positively reflected in European
public opinion.

For a while now, this line has broken alarmingly. Those who died
after drinking moonshine have made banner headlines all over the
world, in news relating to Turkey, over the past month. Besides news
on the Internet, pictures of the women who were beaten on March 6
repeatedly were beamed across European TV screens, and this issue
also dominated some very tough debates. While the March 6 incident
seemed to have subsided, it is now being written everywhere that
Hitler’s book, “Mein Kampf” (My Fight), is the bestseller in Turkey.
In a year that coincided with the 60th anniversary of the liberation
of Auschwitz, it is being emphasized that “My Fight” is on the
bestseller list in a country, that is to start negotiations with the
EU on October 3.

I have to dwell on two more of these stories: One was a story which
was reflected in the European media as “Turks have begun an ethnic
cleansing of animal names,” and it was about changing names like fox,
deer, sheep, which are Kurdish and Armenian words into Latin forms.
The other was that of a Turkish man, who dressed as his dead mother
for years, to collect her pension.

But the most alarming things are that efforts in reinforcing Turkey’s
sick man image, which have begun to spread all over Europe, and the
government showing signs of exhaustion, occurred at the same time.
The government slowing down and the negatives emerging one after the
other overlap each other, and therefore help circles which oppose the
start of negotiations on October 3.

It is beneficial to evaluate the postponement of membership
negotiations with Croatia within this context. Saying, “Croatia does
not have any relevance to us” is once again not reading the issue
correctly. Turkey should impose the Croatia decision upon itself,
perhaps, even more than Zagreb does. Having been shielded with the
authority to stop negotiations at any moment through its good works
October 6 progress report and the December 17 EU Summit decisions,
the EU now has been strengthened and has become more powerful on the
Turkey front by the postponement of Croatia’s accession talks.

March 21, 2005
Brussels

KARABAGH FOREIGN MINISTRY DENIES REPORTS ABOUT MEETING OF
UNRECOGNIZED REPUBLICS LEADERS

ArmenPress
March 22 2005

MOSCOW, MARCH 22, ARMENPRESS: The leader of Georgia’s breakaway
region of Abkhazia, Sergey Bagapsh, told reporters in Moscow on
Monday he was satisfied with the results of his visit to the Russian
capital.
He said among other issues he also discussed with Russian
transport minister Igor Levitin possibilities for opening of a
transit railway communication between Moscow and Yerevan through
Abkhazia.
“This is not an easy question as Georgia links it to political
problems,” Bagapsh said, adding that consultations with the Georgian
side are going to be held to specify what has to be done for that
purpose. He said possibly a joint venture with Russia may be set up
or the railway section across Abkhazia may be leased.
Bagapsh also said leaders of four unrecognized republics of
Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transdniester and Nagorno Karabagh will meet
in April in Abkhazia’s capital city Sukhumi. He said foreign
ministers of the four republics will prepare the text of a joint
statement before the meeting.
He also said Abkhazia will walk out of the talks with Georgia and
will assist South Ossetia if Georgia launches an aggression against
it. He added that similar statements will be made by the leaders of
other self-proclaimed republics.
But Nagorno Karabagh foreign affairs ministry denied today press
reports that Karabagh leader Arkady Ghukasian will meet with the
leaders of the self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia,
Transdniester, Abkhazia.
The ministry said it has enough “technical means” to inform the
public about its foreign policy agenda.

The Messenger’
Wednesday, March 23, 2005, #052 (0826)

Tbilisi says Russia’s explanation of armed incursion ‘inadequate’

Russian peacekeepers sought to disarm Georgian battalion that detained four
Russian peacekeepers on Monday
By Keti Sikharulidze

The unannounced incursion of Russian peacekeepers into the Georgian
controlled village of Ganmukhuri near Abkhazia sparked tensions on
Tuesday before the Russian troops withdrew and Georgian officials
said the situation was “under control.”

Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili said later in the day
that 200 Russian peacekeepers drove ten armored vehicles into the
Georgian controlled territory.

The Russian peacekeepers barged into the office of the Ganmukhuri fast
reaction battalion and demanded that the Georgian soldiers present
their documents and hand over their arms.

The Georgian military officers, who on Monday had detained four
Russian peacekeepers who allegedly crossed illegally, and drunk,
into Georgian territory, refused to obey the Russians’ commands,
sparking further tension.

According to the president’s representative in Samegrelo-Zemo
Svaneti Gigi Ugulava the incident was resolved after he spoke with
the commander of Russian Peacekeeping Force Alexander Evteev, who
promised the Russian troops would be moved to their previous base,
which is also on Georgian territory.

“I also want to say that this was not a planned rotation as each
change of heavy military equipment and soldiers should be agreed with
the Georgian side,” Ugulava told Rustavi-2.

However, speaking with journalists the deputy commander of the
Russian peacekeepers Aleksander Kazantsev said, “it was just a planned
rotation,” though later he added that the main reason was to disarm
the Georgian fast reaction battalion as according to an agreement
signed in Moscow it was not allowed for Georgian special battalions
to be located on that territory.

Commenting on Kazantsev’s statement, Minister of Internal Affairs
Vano Merabishvili stated that the special fast reaction battalion
was sent to Ganmukhuri after several gangs kidnapped residents of
the village two months ago.

“I want to state that our special forces effectively defend the
security of Georgian citizens in the conflict zones and other parts
of the country,” said the minister at a briefing on Tuesday afternoon.

Merabishvili said that the problem had been solved and that the
Russian peacekeepers had left the territory.

The minister stressed that the only thing the Russian peacekeepers
had to do was to keep the peace and defend the local residents form
any kind of violations.

“We are astonished and demand that the Russian peacekeepers explain
why they took such an extraordinary step. I hope that in the [weekly]
Chuburkhinji meeting on March 24 we will receive an answer to this
question and hope that our cooperation will be based on the legislation
regulating the existence of peacekeepers in this territory,” said
Merabishvili.

Early in the day Merabishivli said he was going to visit Ganmukhuri
village, although after the tension had apparently been defused,
he later decided not to go so as not to exacerbate the situation,
instead instructing Ugulava to lead the negotiations.

Speaking with journalists after the negotiations with the Russian
peacekeepers, Ugulava stated that the Russian side had complained
about Georgian checkpoints on the border.

In particular, they criticized the detention of four members of
the Russian peacekeeping force by the fast reaction battalion in
Ganmukhuri. The peacekeepers, who are citizens of Russia, Armenia and
Kabardo-Balkania were detained for illegally crossing into Georgian
territory and were later returned to their bases.

“They had no documents or other signs which could show that they were
Russian peacekeepers. They were drunk and also armed, and when we
found out that they belonged to the Russian peacekeeping unit they
were transferred to the Russian side,” said Ugulava.

Talking at a special briefing on Tuesday, Prime Minister Zurab
Noghaideli described the explanation of the Russian actions as
“inadequate.”

“For unknown reasons they demanded that the Georgian battalion disarm,
which is unacceptable for us,” said Noghaideli, adding that the
Georgian government should do everything to defend its population.

Besides Ganmukhuri the situation was tense in Otobaia, Gali, where
Abkhaz police entered a school and temporarily detained the school
children there. This led the children to panic, which led the
Abkhaz police to surround the whole village before backing away
shortly afterwards.

Commenting on the incident, Minister of Foreign Affairs Salome
Zourabichvili said she believed the incident may have been aimed at
delaying Thursday’s meeting between the sides in Chuburkhinji.

Jerusalem authorities fear Catholic-Orthodox clashes during Holy Week

Catholic World News

Jerusalem, Mar. 21 (CWNews.com) – Public officials in Jerusalem are
bracing for Eastertide conflicts between Orthodox and Catholic clerics
at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, according to the London Daily
Telegraph .

Local officials have reportedly called in Catholic and Orthodox leaders
for discussions in recent days, hoping to ward off a repetition
of an ugly fight that occurred last September, when Orthodox monks
charged and battered first Franciscan friars, then local police at
the basilica. The Telegraph reports that a videotape of that incident
shows the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Irineos instructing monks “to
close the door of the Franciscan chapel by force.”

Custody of the Church of Holy Sepulcher has been shared among the
Catholic, Orthodox, and Armenian churches for generations, on the
basis of a complex agreement that has been enforced by successive
governments in Jerusalem. Disputes among the monks who administer the
basilica are commonplace, but the arrival of a new Orthodox patriarch
has brought tensions to a new height.

“We had good relations with the Greeks before now,” one Catholic
cleric told the Telegraph. But he said that Patriarch Irineos had
been “a lightning-rod for trouble.” This year, the Orthodox leader
has announced plans for an Easter procession that would pass through
the chapel that is in the custody of the Franciscans.

Franciscans are appealing to the Israeli government for help, saying
that the Orthodox procession should follow the traditional route, not
impinging on the parts of the basilica controlled by Catholics. The
Franciscans’ case is complicated, however, by the Israeli courts’
reluctance to become involved in religious disputes.

The access of Catholic institutions to Israeli secular courts is
one of the key questions being discussed by representatives of the
Holy See and the Israeli government in the negotiations designed
to produce a long-awaited agreement establishing the juridical and
economic rights of Catholic institutions in Israel.

Armenian, Belarusian speakers sign cooperation protocol

A1+ web site
17 Mar 05

Armenian Speaker Artur Bagdasaryan and the chairman of the House of
Representatives of the Belarusian National Assembly, Uladzimir
Kanaplyow, today signed a joint protocol on cooperation which points
out that the sides promise to help develop ties between the two
countries’ administrative territorial units. These ties will be based
on the principles of observing legislation, equality, cooperation and
the mutual interests of Belarus and Armenia.

Working groups on interregional cooperation will be set up with the
aim of drawing up and adopting legislative acts in order to assist
interregional cooperation within the framework of the
interparliamentary commission.