BACK TO VICTORIA STREET

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BACK TO VICTORIA STREET

a walk organised by the Armenian, Turkish and Greek Cypriot residents of Victoria street, in memory of ung.Puzant Nadjarian

Saturday 22 October at 10:30am

The walk begins in front of Home for Cooperation (old Mangoian House) at 10:30 am opposite the Ledra Palace Hotel and ends with lunch at Boghjalian Restaurant Victoria Street at 13:30pm

To sign up for lunch at Boghjalian Restaurant, call Simon Aynedjian on 99437073

News in Brief by Sevag Devletian

President Demetris Christofias and Turkish-Cypriot leader Dervish Eroglu are close to an agreement on the shape that Parliament would take in a federal system, said Christofias after his latest face-to-face meeting with Eroglu. The leaders are in a final phase of negotiations ahead of a meeting with UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon at the end of the month. During the meeting, it is expected that they will present their reunification plan to the UN. Senior Iranian Foreign Ministry officials renewed their readiness to help resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. "If Armenia and Azerbaijan approve the initiative, Iran is ready to offer solution for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said in a press conference in Kazan, Tatarstan. Emanuele Ottolenghi, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, in a piece posted on the leading Israeli newspaper Haaretz Web site last Friday, says that Turkey should acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. `Turkey continues to practise state-sanctioned genocide denial and prosecutes those who dare challenge it. Isn't it time, 90-something years after the Ottoman Empire eliminated as many as 1.5 million Armenians that Mr. Erdogan's "mildly Islamist" party, as The Economist leniently defines it, acknowledges Turkey's dark past and apologizes on behalf of its country's crimes?' asked Ottolenghi. `Not to belabor the point, but the list of things Turkey should apologize for is long. It continues to illegally occupy Northern Cyprus, the territory of a European Union member, after having conquered the land through an act of aggression that ended in ethnic cleansing and illegal settlements,' he wrote. The Armenian National Committee – Western Region (ANC-WR) has announced that world-renowned performing artist Serj Tankian will serve as a panelist in “Lights, Camera, Activate,” which will cover the ways in which film, music and the arts can be used to promote grassroots activism. The presentation is part of the ANC Grassroots weekend that will take place from Friday, November 25 to Sunday, November 27, 2011, at the Sheraton Universal Hotel. Tankian will discuss the use of music, poetry and the arts to promote grassroots activism.

40 RUSSIAN, AMERICAN, FRENCH, NORWEGIAN, DUTCH, CHINESE & BRITISH COMPANIES, SEEKING DRILLING RIGHTS FROM CYPRUS

Gibrahayer e-magazine 18 October - The largest Russian, American, French, Norwegian, Dutch, Chinese and British companies have already turned their attention to the licensing process for the Cypriot blocks 1 to 11 and 13, a process expected to commence in early 2012. In total, it is estimated that 40 mammoth companies will give battle to obtain the licence for the hydrocarbon exploration in these “blocks”. The interested companies have paid between 1 to 2 million to buy the data of the seismographic explorations. The interest is now too big after the discovery of “Tamar” and “Leviathan”, two of the three largest deposits uncovered in the world during the past decade, while now the interested companies hold much more data than in 2007, during the first round of licensing, as the data was completed by new seismographic explorations that took place between 2008 and 2010. Also, the exceptionally positive indications for “Block 12”, which may produce much larger deposits than the original estimations, are yet another factor of attraction.

NEO-SULTAN ERDOGAN SAYS CYPRUS MUST EITHER SHARE GAS OR SUFFER RETALIATION

Gibrahayer e-magazine - 18 October - According to “Zaman” newspaper, Erdoğan said that the explorations for natural gas conducted by Cyprus blow up any attempts for a solution and he reiterated that the natural gas and anything else found must be shared! “Otherwise, if they continue to operate unilaterally, they will face retaliation from Turkey”. This is yet another arrogance crisis by Erdoğan, who is clearly trying to maintain his high popularity rates he receives thanks to the crescendo of threats and the “oriental bullying”.

ERDOGAN THREATENS TO FREEZE NEGOTIATIONS WITH EUROPE IF CYPRUS TAKES OVER EU PRESIDENCY

Gibrahayer e-magazine - 18 October - Turkey will not sit on the same table with Cyprus, if she does not bridge the gap between the island’s nations, Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan provocatively stressed once more. Erdoğan has already threatened to freeze negotiations with the European Union if Cyprus takes over its presidency in July 2012, calling Cyprus an “alleged country”, unrecognised by Turkey. The statements were made in a recorded speech to his party in the town of Kızılcahamam near Ankara, in the context of which he threatened Cyprus with retaliation.

SIMULTANEOUS ATTACKS ON POLICE AND MILITARY BY KURDS, KILL 26 IN SOUTHEASTERN TURKEY

Al-Jazeera - 20 October, 2011 - At least 26 soldiers have been killed in simultaneous attacks on police and military installations in southeastern Turkey, according to local reports, prompting a Turkish military response that has involved incursions into northern Iraq. A security source said the attacks were carried out by Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in several locations in Cukurca and Yuksekova in Hakkari province near the Iraqi border, during the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. The Turkish army responded with an air-supported operation against the fighters in Iraq's northern Qandil mountains, with both airstrikes and soldiers on the ground employed. The fighting is still in full swing. The Firat news agency, known for its close affiliation with the PKK, reported that Turkish ground troops were involved in the incursion as well. The chief of Turkey's military was reported to have rushed to the area after the attack, while the country's Prime Minister, Interior and Defence Ministers, intelligence undersecretary and military commanders held an urgent meeting at the PM's office. Abdullah Gul, the Turkish President, took a firm stance on Turkey's right to respond. "No one should forget that those who make us suffer this pain will be made to suffer even stronger,'' he told reporters on Wednesday. "They will see that the vengeance for these attacks will be immense." Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, canceled a scheduled visit to Kazakhstan in the wake of the crisis, with Ahmet Davutoglu, the Foreign Minister, also scrapping plans to visit Bosnia. The recent killings come a day after a landmine explosion, also in the southeast, killed eight people in an attack which security sources also blamed on Kurdish fighters. Al Jazeera's McNaught said the latest attacks appear to be a response to the Turkish military's announcement on September 30 of the re-establishing of 'temporary security zones' in 15 separate locations across the southeast, which restrict civilian access. "It's the scale of the attacks that's significant ... this is the most serious string of fatalities, the most co-ordinated and deadly attack launched by the PKK in some considerable length of time," she reported. Both the central government in Baghdad and regional Kurdish authorities in northern Iraq, have condemned the Turkish raids as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. The PKK, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and much of the international community, took up arms for an autonomous state in 1984, sparking a conflict that has claimed about 45,000 lives.

Tickets for sale for Junior Eurovision song contest to be held in Yerevan in December

Junior Eurovision 2011 tickets will be on sale from Thursday 20 October 2011. The contest will be held on December 2-3 in Yerevan, Armenia. Representatives from 14 states aged 10-15 will participate in the contest. Dalita will represent Armenia with the song “Welcome to Armenia”. Watch the video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YxNU63UjhY&feature=player_embedded

Community calendar at a glance:

Friday 21 October at 5:00 pm - Researcher Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra talks on CyBC Radio 1, on the Maronite programme about the Armenian-Cypriot community. Saturday 22 October at 10:30am - Back to Victoria street (a walk organised by the Armenian, Turkish and Greek Cypriot residents of Victoria street, in memory of unger Puzant Nadjarian. The walk begins in front of Home for Cooperation (old Mangoian House) at 10:30 am opposite the Ledra Palace Hotel and ends with lunch at Boghjalian Restaurant on Victoria Street at 13:30pm. Sunday 23 October 1:00 pm - Autumn Fund-Raising Luncheon organised by The Armenian Relief Society (HOM) Sosse Cyprus Chapter at Homenetmen - AYMA. Adults € 15.00, children 5-12 € 5.00. For reservations call: Nora Sarian, 99889910, Louise Der Parthogh 99438349. Friday 28 October at 5:00 pm - Researcher Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra talks on CyBC Radio 1(the second in series) comparing/contrasting the two communities of Armenians and Maronites of Cyprus. Saturday, October 29, at 6:00 pm - Armenian Evangelical Church service in Greek Evangelical Church, 20 Gladstonos street, Nicosia. Speaker: Vahe Jebejian. Title: “ Mission reflections in Armenia- June 2011” . Saturday 19 November at 7:00 pm - Preparation of Madagh. Sunday 20th November at 10:00 am - Feast of Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church in Nicosia. Divine Liturgy & Blessing of the Madagh. Sunday 27 November at 4:00 pm - HOM (Armenian Relief Society) Cyprus "Sosse" Chapter’s Christmas Fund Raiser at Cleopatra Hotel for humanitarian projects in Armenia, Artsakh and Cyprus. Sunday 4 December - HOM (Armenian Relief Society) Cyprus Sosse Chapter’s Stassikratous street Bazaar for humanitarian projects in Armenia, Artsakh and Cyprus. Sunday 25 December at 9:00 pm – Homenetmen - AYMA Christmas Ball. Sunday 1 January 2012 – Santa will be visiting Homenetmen -AYMA. Details to follow. Saturday 21 January 2012 - as Kravadz Or. Details to follow.

ARMENIAN RELIEF SOCIETY (HOM) 70th INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ELECTS NEW CENTRAL EXECUTIVE

Vicky Marashlian (USA), Rosy Bedrossian (USA), Nayiri Shahinian (Canada), Gracelia Kevorkian (Argentina), Zepyur Reyisian (Syria), Liza Avakian (Greece), Alesya Pechanyan (Armenia), Ani Keshishian (USA), Pauline Getsoyian (USA), Caroline Shmavonian (USA), Sona Akelian (USA)

click here for Yerkir Media's video report

Letters to the Editor:

Dear Gibrahayer, Benon Sevan should be congratulated for his positive and realistic approach to the political atmosphere and socioeconomic conditions in Armenia. The depopulation of Armenia, a crisis that should have been addressed by the leadership in both Armenia and Diaspora long ago, is due to harsh economic conditions, but also due to the negativity of the population at large which was inherited from the Soviet era and continue to be so for reasons clearly elaborated in the article. Kind regards, Haig Thomasian

Response to Benon Sevan’s Call to Shut Up

By Ara K. Manoogian www.thetruthmustbetold.com October 12th, 2011. Benon Sevan, former Head of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Program, has provided well intended recommendations for Armenia’s development, with a side effect of prolonging and strengthening the tenure of the incumbent corrupt Armenian government. His good intentions are laid out in an article, “Excessive Negativism and Constant Attacks Jeopardize Armenia’s Development.”

Regardless of our impatience and desire to witness a truly democratic state of Armenia, we have no alternative to being patient, because it takes time to develop democracy, economic and social development, and civil society, as well as true democratic reforms. I wonder if it was thanks to such patience that today Georgia, Armenia’s post-Soviet neighbor, can boast about the biggest leap towards democracy in the same “rather dangerous neighborhood”, Sevan’s moniker for the South Caucasus. Sevan complains about the abundance of “negative reports” in media. He urges all concerned citizens to stop criticizing the government for corruption and cheer for its little successes: Of all the hundreds of negative reports, is not there at least a single positive development to report on? […] We should all unite and spare no effort in supporting and encouraging them to speed up the development of democratic institutions, as well as strengthening the economy and raising the living standards. Cheering may work for a soccer team, but not for a corrupt government that has no will to commit to democratic reforms. Such approach is also reminiscent of the mode of civil behavior the totalitarian Soviet leaders preached for their subjects. In many ways, a totalitarian regime is democracy minus public criticism of itself. However, Sevan has his own reasons why all the critical voices should be silenced: One gets tired of reading what is being said by all these so-called pundits, rabble-rousers, including self-serving former government officials pursuing their own personal agenda to bring about a regime change not through the ballot box but through encouraging a mob culture. Benon Sevan is tired. Actually, he is so tired that he forgets all bread is not baked in one oven. He muddles Levon Ter-Petrosyan with journalists and human rights activists who voice their concerns about the problems in the country. I personally believe that all the three presidents of independent Armenia need to be prosecuted for their crimes against Armenia’s statehood and citizens. For a better understanding of the economic crimes of the Armenian governments past and present, I recommend that one read, “To Donate or Not to Donate”, a white paper on “Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund atwww.TheTruthMustBeTold.com.

Benon Sevan’s call for wielding a positive, “cheerleader” stance toward Armenia’s corrupt authorities is not alien to his nature. He has showcased such leniency toward a despotic regime before. Back in 1996-2003, as UN Oil-for-Food chief, Benon was accused of accepting bribes from the government of Saddam Hussein, while the latter was terrorizing and murdering his own people en masse. Sevan avoided prosecution and conviction by fleeing to Cyprus in 2005. Patience is another word for indifference. For too long, Armenians in the Diaspora have remained patient toward unrestrained abuses of the monopolies, suffocation of small and medium private entrepreneurship, as well as alarming frequency of forced suicides and murders in the army, widespread poverty in Armenia’s provincial regions, and continuous mass emigration. I voice my concerns over injustice in Armenia and fight for improvement, because I believe that Armenia can do better, and will, as long as concerned citizens keep pushing.

Ara K. Manoogian is a human rights activist representing the Shahan Natalie Family Foundation in Artsakh and Armenia; a Fellow of the Washington-based Policy Forum Armenia (PFA); creator ofwww.thetruthmustbetold.com and author of the white paper “To Donate Or Not To Donation”, an in depth study on the activities of the “Hayastan” All-Armenia Fund.

"JOURNALISTS HAVE THE MORAL OBLIGATION TO WRITE ABOUT THE EXISTING SITUATION IN ARMENIA" SAYS AZAD KHOSK CHIEF EDITOR YERAN KOUYOUMDJIAN

Dear friends, I firmly believe that public criticism of the current state of affairs in Armenia stems from real patriotism, and it's essential if we are to expect any real change in the corrupt system of government that exists in Armenia. I totally agree with Mr. Ara Manoogian, that the patience or the wait- and -see approach proposed by Mr. Benon Sevan, is another word for indifference or even apathy. Whereas the need for change in Armenia is so urgent, that voicing our concerns about the social, political and economic problems is MOST NEEDED to push things forward towards democratic reforms in the country. In fact, we as journalists have the MORAL OBLIGATION to write about the real, existing situation in Armenia, however harsh that may be, with the SOLE INTENTION to incite change towards real progress. We are not propagandists or slogan chanters. I believe that our wake-up call will work for the good of our dear Motherland. Yeran Kouyoumdjian - Chief Editor - Azad Khosk -www.azadkhosk.com

JOIN SIPAN DANCE ENSEMBLE

Practice sessions of SIPAN Dance Ensemble of Hamazkayin Cultural and Educational Association under Director / Choreographer Felix Haroutunian continue until the end of 2011 on Friday's, Saturday's and Sunday's. A new schedule with practices during the week will be announced in 2012.Interested to join SIPAN's Dance Ensemble? Call Shoushig Bakalian on 99667828.

PAINTING AND DRAWING LESSONS

with Sevan Malikyan MA at the Cornaro Institute, 23 Mehmet Ali Street - Larnaca MOBILE : 99162520 www.artwanted.com/SevanFineArt .

You can now also order online on www.armenaki.com

HOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO GIBRAHAYER E-MAGAZINE

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Development project overlooking Larnaca Salt Lake, by three young Armenian professionals of our community. Click here .

Direct to Yerevan

Armenian Sports by Sevag Devletian

FOOTBALL: Armenia have filed an official protest to Uefa regarding the performance of the referee in their Euro 2012 qualifier against Republic of Ireland. The Armenian FA (FFA) have confirmed that they will be taking their complaint to European football's governing body. Armenia needed to beat Ireland in their final qualification fixture on Tuesday to book a play-off spot. They eventually lost the game 2-1, but only after being controversially reduced to 10 men. It also appeared as though Ireland striker Simon Cox handled in the build-up to the sending-off, but his actions went unpunished. Armenia do not expect any action to be taken against the match officials, but they have called for Berezovsky's red card to be rescinded. SAMBO: Armenia's Tigran Kirakosyan (52 kg) won all his fights to get to the finals of the World Sambo Junior and Youth Championships but, unfortunately, lost his final fight to grab silver. Prior to that, Grigor Mkhitaryan became junior world champion while Maxim Manukyan (48 kg), Karen Tonoyan (62 kg), Mher Karapetyan (82 kg) and Rosa Khachatryan (52 kg) won bronze medals in the youth tournament. 337 sportsmen from 24 countries participate in the World Sambo Championships under way in Riga, Latvia. WOMENS BOXING: On October 16, Rotterdam, Netherlands will host the European Women Boxing Championships (EWBC). At the Championships, Armenia will be represented by Haykuhi Nahapetyan (51 kg), Karine Gevorgyan (57 kg), Armine Sinapyan (60 kg) and Ashkhen Simonyan (75 kg). CHESS: The Chess Master’s Final 2011 finished in Bilbao, Spain. Having tied the 10th round game with Vasili Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian gained 12 points to be placed 4th. BOXING: Armenian boxer Misha Aloyan (52 kg) representing Russia at Baku-hosted AIBA World Championships scored a 13:12 victory vs. Andrew Selby of Wales to win championship gold. David Hayrapetyan (49 kg), also representing Russia, gained the bronze medal. Aloyan, Hayrapetyan as well as Armenia’s Andranik Hakobyan won entries to 2012 London Olympics. OLYMPICS 2012: BBC Newsnight has uncovered evidence of secret payments of millions of dollars from Azerbaijan to international boxing organization World Series Boxing (WSB). According to the report, whistleblowers say that WSB's chief claimed the money was in return for a guarantee that Azerbaijani fighters would win two boxing gold medals at the London 2012 Olympics.

Gibrahay Sports by Sevag Devletian

AGBU Ararat continue to thump their opponents with 3 consecutive wins this season, 5-2 win against SPE Strovolou, 8-1 win against Atlas Aglandjia and 4-1 against AEK Larnaca in the Cyprus Futsal 1st Division. HMEM/AYMA's start to the season was disappointing with 2 consecutive losses, 8-0 loss against Bank of Cyprus and a 5-0 loss against the Forestry Department in the Cyprus Amatuer Football League. Homenmen too started their season in disaster with 3 consecutive losses, 10-1 loss against MEAP Pera Chorio, 8-4 loss against To Lefkoniko, and 11-4 loss to AOE Dimos Lakatamias in the Cyprus Futsal 3rd Division. HMEM/AYMA's newly formed Bowling team won its second game in the Cyprus Bowling Federation 3rd Division. With 2 consecutive wins AYMA top the table.

30% on Dinner Menu at Erebuni Restaurant in Nicosia For reservations please call on 22730088

To view images of Erebuni restaurant please click here

www.erebuni.eu