Armenian News- Panoram-Zaman-RFE-A1+‏

OLYMPIC CHAMPIONS AND THE CUP IN ARMENIA
Panorama.am
20:51 26/11/2008

At 19.00 the airplane from Drezden landed in "Zvartnots" airport
taking hone Olympic champions, who are the evidence of the fact that
Armenia is a powerful chess country. A concert is organized in Karen
Demirchyan sport-concert complex in the honor of the champions.

The Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs, the Deputy Minister, and
fans collected in the airport to meet our champions.

Remind that in World Chess 38th Olympiad Armenian men team became

Olympic Champion for the second time.

ARMENIA: ARMY TARGETS STUDENTS
Alarm about demographic slump leads to proposed enlistment on army-age students.
By Sara Khojoian in Yerevan

The Armenian government is working on amendments to legislation which would force

more students to do military service, thereby overcoming a potential shortfall in recruits.

The defence and education ministries are drawing up the changes to three existing laws,

but have not yet presented them to parliament.

"They foresee removing the right to academic leave during military call-up and setting

certain benefits for students [for the duration of their army service]," said Mary Harutiunian,

government spokeswoman.

Currently post-graduate students doing a master's or doctorate are entitled to "academic

leave" which exempts them from having to serve in the military so they can concentrate

on their studies.

While the final details of the proposed changes are not yet clear, there has already been

an outcry against the overall plan.

The government says that it needs to act now to tackle a lack of conscripts for the armed

forces. Beginning from this year and over the next decade, conscripts will be young men

born in the 1990s, the number of whom is constantly declining, as the year 1991, when the

Soviet Union broke up and Armenia became independent, marked a fall in the birth-rate.

According to national statistics, in 1990-92 the birth-rate (for both boys and girls)

was 70,000 but it has declined sharply since then to 48,000 in 1995 and 37,000

in 2006, after which it began a modest recovery.

These trends are considered to be a threat to the country in two official documents, the

National Security Strategy and the Military Doctrine.

However, some experts say that the answer to Armenia's military needs is to move away

from conscription altogether.

Former deputy defence minister Artur Aghabekian - currently a deputy and head of the

Armenian parliament's committee on defence, internal affairs and national security - told

IWPR, "There is really a demographic problem in our country but I personally believe that

general conscription is not the solution."

Aghabekian said it had been a mistake to close military departments in colleges and

universities, which train students in army-related subjects during their studies and which

he said were an important institution for preparing youngster for careers in the armed forces.

Aghabekian said that Armenia needed to form a professional army by giving out temporary

contracts to professional soldiers.

The military currently do have units staffed by soldiers on contracts, amongst them Armenia's

international peacekeeping battalion, but there are no plans to expand this practice.

Another former deputy defence minister Vahan Shirkhanian also believes the army needs to

move away from full reliance on conscription, particularly since emigration was becoming a

big problem. "From 2001 to 2006, 27,000 school-children left Armenia and, this year,

from January to August alone, 83,000 people left Armenia. People who leave the

country take their sons with them," he said.

"So just imagine how many [potential recruits] we are losing every day, which is why our eyes

are always turned to universities, to call up 18-year-olds. But that's not how the problem gets

solved.

"This plan could cause a lot of problems for education and science and also hurt the

relationship between the public and the army. All the more so when problem number one

for our military security is the restoration of trust between army and the public."

Research shows that young men do not want to serve in the army and parents are reluctant

to send their children there because they consider it corrupt.

Surveys carried out by the anti-corruption organisation Transparency International in 2002

and 2006 reveal that attitudes towards the army had not changed in those four years. In the

first poll, 46.6 per cent of those surveyed said they considered the army extremely corrupt,

four years later the figure was 40.4 per cent. The corresponding numbers of people who

said the army was merely corrupt were 16 and 25.1 per cent.

A major reason for public distrust of the army is the high death-rate amongst conscripts,

with frequent reports of young men dying in unexplained circumstances.

Armenia's human rights ombudsman Armen Harutyunian has sent an official letter to the

head of the government administration Davit Sargsian, saying that Armenian law was

currently in line with the Europe-wide Bologna Declaration on higher education and that

the rights of students to continuous study risked being abused under the new legislation.

The chairman of parliament's education committee Armen Ashotian said that every effort

should be made to soften the impact of the new law on students - through new benefits

paid to them while they serve - but insisted it was necessary.

"We all understand that the age of conscription is approaching the 'demographic pit', that

starts with the years 1990-1992 ," said Ashotian. "Men born at that time should soon be

called up into the army and everyone understands that the most important task is increasing

the efficiency of the army."

But many young people are opposed to the proposed changes.

Twenty-six-year-old Alexander Chilingirian, who has gained a doctorate in physics, said

that he would never have completed his studies if he had to serve in the army.

"The army breaks a person," said Chilingiran. "And it doesn't matter if you join the army

at 18 and come out at 20 or if you join at 21 and come out at 23, you don't have the will to

carry anything on. In two years in the army the brain doesn't just switch off, it degrades."

Sixteen-year-old Mikael Sandrosian, a second-year geology and metallurgy student in

Yerevan, takes a similar view.

"If I go into the army that it will definitely have a bad effect on my studies," he said. "In the

first place if I join up, I will forget everything I know in two years and when I return it will be

hard and I won't have the will to carry on learning."

Government spokesperson Mary Harutiunian said that the draft changes were now being

studied by experts, then discussed in government before being presented to parliament.

She said there was no time-frame for their approval.

She said Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian had promised wide discussion of the issue to

ensure that the eventual changes had public support.

Sara Khojoian is a correspondent with Armenianow.com in Yerevan.

MORE TALKS PLANNED WITH AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
Today's Zaman
Nov 27 2008
Turkey

Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan are scheduled to intensify diplomatic
contacts, boosting prospects for reconciliation in the troubled
Caucasus.

The Foreign Ministry announced yesterday that Foreign Minister Ali
Babacan will travel to Azerbaijan this weekend. Today's Zaman has
also learned that Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who
visited Ä°stanbul this week to attend a ministerial gathering of the
Black Sea countries, is planning to invite Babacan to Yerevan for
the next meeting of the regional group.

Nalbandian was in Ä°stanbul on Monday for attending a meeting of the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), a regional
cooperative organization with Armenia currently holding the rotating
presidency. While in Ä°stanbul, Nalbandian met with Babacan.

Nalbandian told Today's Zaman that he planned to invite Babacan "at
the earliest opportunity" to a foreign ministers' meeting of the BSEC
which will be hosted in Yerevan on Apr. 29, 2009.

Turkish diplomatic sources declined to comment on Ankara's possible
response, noting that they haven't received an official invitation
yet. The eventual decision will be made in reference to "the course
of affairs" in the ongoing negotiations with Armenia, the same sources
told Today's Zaman.

Ahead of the foreign ministers' meeting, Yerevan will host working
meetings for BSEC energy ministers on March 13, for BSEC transportation
ministers on March 27, for BSEC agricultural ministers in first week
of April, and for environment ministers on Apr. 10. Stressing the
importance attached to the BSEC by Ankara, diplomatic sources haven't
excluded the idea of Turkey's participation in these meetings.

Turkey severed its diplomatic ties with Armenia and closed its border
in 1993 in protest against the Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh
in Azerbaijan. Ankara says the normalization of relations depends on
Armenia's withdrawal from Nagorno-Karabakh and an end to Yerevan's
support for the Armenian diaspora's efforts to win international
recognition for claims that Armenians were subjected to genocide at
the hands of the Ottoman Empire. But a visit by President Abdullah Gul
in early September to Yerevan to watch a World Cup qualifying match
between Turkey and Armenia's national teams broke the ice between
the two countries. Officials have been holding talks on the possible
normalization of relations since that historic visit.

In September, on the sidelines of a UN General Assembly meeting in
New York, Babacan and Nalbandian had three-way talks with Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov to discuss the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute.

The Foreign Ministry yesterday announced that Babacan will travel to
Baku on Sunday for a two-day official visit at the invitation of his
Azerbaijani counterpart.

In addition to bilateral and regional affairs, the two ministers will
also discuss Ankara's proposal for a Caucasus Stability and Cooperation
Platform to promote dialogue between the countries of that region,
the ministry said in a brief statement.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) in Helsinki in early December is expected to offer an
opportunity for a new trilateral meeting between the foreign ministers
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, although no formal decision on
such a meeting has been made yet.

RFE/RL Armenia Report - 11/28/2008

Donors Pledge Record $35m for Pan-Armenian Charity

Armenians around the world have more than doubled on their last year's
donation pledge for a Diaspora-funded pan-Armenian charity as a result
of a 12-hour Thanksgiving Day telethon in Los Angeles, USA.

Despite the global financial crisis that has hit the world's major
economies this year, the All-Armenian Fund Hayastan on Thursday managed
to attract more than $35 million in donation pledges from Armenians in
the United States and other parts of the world for its infrastructure
projects in Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. A similar telethon staged a
year ago raised only $15.3 million.

According to the Fund's report, Russia's wealthy businessman Samvel
Karapetian had made the biggest single donation of $15 million during
the annual fundraiser held for the eleventh time. The businessman
designated the money for the construction of a hospital in
Nagorno-Karabakh's capital Stepanakert.

Several wealthy businessmen and philanthropists from Armenia and its
Diaspora again accounted for a large part of the telethon donations.

The fundraiser's total proceeds also include the pledges made during
charity dinners as well as phone-a-tons and other charity actions held
in Diaspora communities in the month preceding the main event.

`We have proved again that our nation is strong in its unity,' said
Hayastan Fund Acting Executive Director Ara Vartanian. `It is hard times
not only for Armenia and Karabakh, but for the whole world considering
the continuing global economic crisis. But against all the odds the
worldwide Diaspora has again extended a helping hand to compatriots in
the homeland.'

The latest telethon in Los Angeles also featured Karabakh President Bako
Sahakian, Head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Abp. Pargev Martirosian, donors and other prominent Armenia and Diaspora
figures.

The Fund will use the proceeds from this year's telethon for its core
projects in remote rural areas of Armenia and Karabakh targeting
healthcare, water and education infrastructures.

POPE REFRAINS TO USE TERM GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2008 19:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On November 23, Catholicos of Cilicia, His Holiness
Aram I visited Vatican where he met with Pope Benedict XVI, Times
Online reports.

At the audience, at which the Pope was accompanied by Aram I, the
pontiff deplored "misunderstandings among Christians". He said the
Armenian leader's "fraternal visit" is "an occasion to strengthen the
bonds that exist and a further step in the journey toward full unity,
which is the objective of all Christians and a gift of the Lord."

For his part, Aram I said, "Churches, religions and states should
recognize all genocides, including the Armenian Genocide, and they
should commit themselves to preventing all genocides."

Earlier, a high-ranking Vatican official has emphasized that the Holy
See regards the Armenian Genocide as a fact.

"The Armenian Genocide is a fact. The Vatican's stance on this issue
was stated during a visit to Armenia by [late Pope] John Paul II. The
pope attended the Armenian Genocide memorial and did use the term
Genocide, although this did not please Turkey," said Cardinal Walter
Kasper, President of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity.

The cardinal's remarks came ahead of meeting between Pope Benedict
XVI and a group of visiting Armenian clerics led by Catholicos of
Cilicia Aram I, the leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church in Lebanon.

"Genocide is not an allegation, but is a reality. This is not an
issue of term. It is a historical fact with a lot of victims and
this memory needs to be healed. I don't know what the Vatican can do
to ease Turkey-Armenia relations. But this is also an important case
for peace in the Middle East. First of all, the Catholic Church sides
with the victims. This is the most important principle for us while
determining our manners," the Cardinal said.

APARTMENT PRICES FALL IN YEREVAN
A1+
[07:49 pm] 27 November, 2008

As of October 2008, there were 14,550 real estate deals in
Armenia. This number has gone down by 9.1% compared to October 2007,
while the number of houses sold rose by 10.0% in September 2008.

In October 2008, 82.3% of 5,035 alienated real estate deals were
sale and purchase, 16.5% were donations and 1.2% was barter. 30.0%
of alienation of real estate was registered in Yerevan, while 31.7%
of alienated real estate was the homes of apartment buildings.

According to data provided by the State Management Agency for Real
Estate Management, the average market prices for apartments in
multi-apartment buildings measuring 1 square meter went down by 0.3%
in October 2008 compared to prices in September 2008.

In October 2008, besides Yerevan, 426 apartments were sold in the
Marzes; that number rose by 9.8% compared to September 2008 and 20.7%
compared to October 2007.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Economist - the worrying Tayyip Erdogan‏

Turkey

The worrying Tayyip Erdogan

Nov 27th 2008 | ANKARA
From The Economist print edition

Turkey’s prime minister once promised big reforms to bring his country closer to the European Union.

He seems no longer to be pushing them

Reuters

WHEN Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Justice and Development (AK) Party narrowly escaped banning by the constitutional court in July, the big question was which Erdogan would then come to the fore. Would it be the non-ideological pragmatist, whose bold reforms had helped Turkey to secure the start of membership talks with the European Union in 2005? Or would it be the dogmatic and erratic leader who had provoked Turkey’s meddlesome generals, always anxious to undermine the AK Party because of its Islamist roots, by seeking soon after his election victory in July 2007 to ease the ban on the Islamic-style headscarf in universities?

The question of which version of Mr Erdogan is in charge has gained extra urgency because Turkey is grappling with mounting violence in the mainly Kurdish south-east. It also matters to the financial markets as the government tries to protect its fragile economy from the global financial typhoon. Worryingly, the answer seems to be: the second version. Mr Erdogan appears increasingly autocratic and out of touch. And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AK Party, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift—and further away from EU membership than ever.

Mr Erdogan’s odd behaviour was on display during his most recent trip to America. When asked in Washington for his view about Iran’s nuclear ambitions he retorted that “those who possess nuclear weapons do not have the right to tell others to not acquire them too.” This comment did not go down well with American officials, whose memories are seared by Turkey’s refusal in March 2003 to let America use its soil to launch a second front against Iraq. A recent gas deal struck by the Turks with Iran has not helped. For all of Turkey’s assistance over Iraq since 2003 (some 70% of non-combat materiel for American troops goes through Turkey) and in Afghanistan (where Turkey has 1,200 troops), America is asking new questions about Turkish dependability as a Western ally.

Another thundercloud is gathering over demands by the Armenian diaspora in America, most of whom strongly supported Barack Obama’s election as president, that he stick to the view he expressed as a senator that the massacre of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 should be seen as “genocide”. Turkey’s recent efforts at reconciliation with Armenia, motivated in part by hopes of staving off a formal recognition of genocide by the Obama administration, seem to be making little progress. Some Western diplomats ascribe this to the pressure hawks in the diaspora have applied to the Armenian president, Serzh Sargsyan.

But it is at home that Mr Erdogan is causing the most concern. The hope was that, with his legal travails behind him, the prime minister would resume much-delayed political and economic reforms. Instead he has adopted an increasingly strident nationalist line. There is talk of his having struck a deal with Turkey’s new, hardline chief of staff, Ilker Basbug, according to which Mr Erdogan has promised to freeze reforms that dilute the army’s power in exchange for his party’s not being attacked in court again.

Mr Erdogan’s new approach was most evident in a speech he gave earlier this month in the predominantly Kurdish town of Hakkari. Responding to a wave of bloody protests that has racked the Kurdish region, he invited those who were not happy to “go wherever they please”. Ibrahim Guclu, an independent Kurdish politician, says that “in other words, he was telling the Kurds to get out.” This is a far cry from a ground-breaking speech Mr Erdogan made in Diyarbakir three years ago, when he admitted that the Turkish state had made mistakes with the Kurds.

Now he is giving the army much freer rein in its 34-year campaign against the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). When Taraf, a liberal Turkish newspaper, exposed army negligence in a recent PKK attack that killed 17 soldiers at an outpost in Hakkari, he chose not to order an investigation and attacked the newspaper instead. His aides are reported to have blamed leaks of the intelligence reports cited by Taraf on Israel and the CIA.

Meanwhile EU-inspired work on drawing up a new constitution to replace the current one, drawn up by the generals after a military coup in 1980, has stalled. Reports of police torture and extra-judicial killings are on the rise. Turkey’s liberal intelligentsia, long among Mr Erdogan’s stalwart supporters, is grumbling, as is the European Commission. Mr Erdogan’s response has been to rescind the press accreditation of several journalists who cover the prime ministry. All of this is giving more ammunition to those EU members that have never wanted Turkey to join their club.

Mr Erdogan owes much of his electoral success to the unprecedented economic stability of his time in office. By sticking firmly to IMF prescriptions Turkey helped foreign investment to soar, tamed inflation and narrowed the budget deficit. But the IMF standby arrangement expired in May. And although Mehmet Simsek, the economy minister, has repeatedly hinted that it should be extended, a deal remains elusive. Foreign investors, who hold as much as 70% of the Istanbul Stock Exchange, have been pulling out, and the lira has tumbled by more than a third against the dollar this year. Growth of GDP has dipped sharply, to below 2%. Turkey’s huge current-account deficit makes it more vulnerable than many other emerging markets. Although it has so far been relatively unaffected by the world financial malady, it is only a matter of time “before it catches the bug”, says one Istanbul-based banker.

Mr Erdogan’s supporters insist that the government’s inertia is mainly to do with municipal elections being held next March. An IMF deal would preclude a pre-electoral spending spree. Being too nice to the Kurds might strengthen the nationalist opposition in the face of spiralling PKK terrorism. “Once the elections are over, you’ll see the old AK,” promises Abdurrahman Kurt, an AK deputy from Diyarbakir.

But such promises are beginning to ring hollow. When Mr Erdogan won power a second time, with an even bigger share of the vote, in July 2007, he promised to reach out to all Turks “including those of you who didn’t vote for me.” He seems now to be alienating such voters. And as corruption also starts to infect the AK’s ranks, it is beginning to resemble many of the tired old parties that it buried at the polls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Economist - the worrying Tayyip Erdogan‏

Turkey

The worrying Tayyip Erdogan

Nov 27th 2008 | ANKARA
From The Economist print edition

Turkey’s prime minister once promised big reforms to bring his country closer to the European Union.

He seems no longer to be pushing them

Reuters

WHEN Turkey’s prime minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his Justice and Development (AK) Party narrowly escaped banning by the constitutional court in July, the big question was which Erdogan would then come to the fore. Would it be the non-ideological pragmatist, whose bold reforms had helped Turkey to secure the start of membership talks with the European Union in 2005? Or would it be the dogmatic and erratic leader who had provoked Turkey’s meddlesome generals, always anxious to undermine the AK Party because of its Islamist roots, by seeking soon after his election victory in July 2007 to ease the ban on the Islamic-style headscarf in universities?

The question of which version of Mr Erdogan is in charge has gained extra urgency because Turkey is grappling with mounting violence in the mainly Kurdish south-east. It also matters to the financial markets as the government tries to protect its fragile economy from the global financial typhoon. Worryingly, the answer seems to be: the second version. Mr Erdogan appears increasingly autocratic and out of touch. And because he lacks any credible political opponents, either within or beyond the AK Party, this is making Turkey look stagnant and adrift—and further away from EU membership than ever.

Mr Erdogan’s odd behaviour was on display during his most recent trip to America. When asked in Washington for his view about Iran’s nuclear ambitions he retorted that “those who possess nuclear weapons do not have the right to tell others to not acquire them too.” This comment did not go down well with American officials, whose memories are seared by Turkey’s refusal in March 2003 to let America use its soil to launch a second front against Iraq. A recent gas deal struck by the Turks with Iran has not helped. For all of Turkey’s assistance over Iraq since 2003 (some 70% of non-combat materiel for American troops goes through Turkey) and in Afghanistan (where Turkey has 1,200 troops), America is asking new questions about Turkish dependability as a Western ally.

Another thundercloud is gathering over demands by the Armenian diaspora in America, most of whom strongly supported Barack Obama’s election as president, that he stick to the view he expressed as a senator that the massacre of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 should be seen as “genocide”. Turkey’s recent efforts at reconciliation with Armenia, motivated in part by hopes of staving off a formal recognition of genocide by the Obama administration, seem to be making little progress. Some Western diplomats ascribe this to the pressure hawks in the diaspora have applied to the Armenian president, Serzh Sargsyan.

But it is at home that Mr Erdogan is causing the most concern. The hope was that, with his legal travails behind him, the prime minister would resume much-delayed political and economic reforms. Instead he has adopted an increasingly strident nationalist line. There is talk of his having struck a deal with Turkey’s new, hardline chief of staff, Ilker Basbug, according to which Mr Erdogan has promised to freeze reforms that dilute the army’s power in exchange for his party’s not being attacked in court again.

Mr Erdogan’s new approach was most evident in a speech he gave earlier this month in the predominantly Kurdish town of Hakkari. Responding to a wave of bloody protests that has racked the Kurdish region, he invited those who were not happy to “go wherever they please”. Ibrahim Guclu, an independent Kurdish politician, says that “in other words, he was telling the Kurds to get out.” This is a far cry from a ground-breaking speech Mr Erdogan made in Diyarbakir three years ago, when he admitted that the Turkish state had made mistakes with the Kurds.

Now he is giving the army much freer rein in its 34-year campaign against the separatist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK). When Taraf, a liberal Turkish newspaper, exposed army negligence in a recent PKK attack that killed 17 soldiers at an outpost in Hakkari, he chose not to order an investigation and attacked the newspaper instead. His aides are reported to have blamed leaks of the intelligence reports cited by Taraf on Israel and the CIA.

Meanwhile EU-inspired work on drawing up a new constitution to replace the current one, drawn up by the generals after a military coup in 1980, has stalled. Reports of police torture and extra-judicial killings are on the rise. Turkey’s liberal intelligentsia, long among Mr Erdogan’s stalwart supporters, is grumbling, as is the European Commission. Mr Erdogan’s response has been to rescind the press accreditation of several journalists who cover the prime ministry. All of this is giving more ammunition to those EU members that have never wanted Turkey to join their club.

Mr Erdogan owes much of his electoral success to the unprecedented economic stability of his time in office. By sticking firmly to IMF prescriptions Turkey helped foreign investment to soar, tamed inflation and narrowed the budget deficit. But the IMF standby arrangement expired in May. And although Mehmet Simsek, the economy minister, has repeatedly hinted that it should be extended, a deal remains elusive. Foreign investors, who hold as much as 70% of the Istanbul Stock Exchange, have been pulling out, and the lira has tumbled by more than a third against the dollar this year. Growth of GDP has dipped sharply, to below 2%. Turkey’s huge current-account deficit makes it more vulnerable than many other emerging markets. Although it has so far been relatively unaffected by the world financial malady, it is only a matter of time “before it catches the bug”, says one Istanbul-based banker.

Mr Erdogan’s supporters insist that the government’s inertia is mainly to do with municipal elections being held next March. An IMF deal would preclude a pre-electoral spending spree. Being too nice to the Kurds might strengthen the nationalist opposition in the face of spiralling PKK terrorism. “Once the elections are over, you’ll see the old AK,” promises Abdurrahman Kurt, an AK deputy from Diyarbakir.

But such promises are beginning to ring hollow. When Mr Erdogan won power a second time, with an even bigger share of the vote, in July 2007, he promised to reach out to all Turks “including those of you who didn’t vote for me.” He seems now to be alienating such voters. And as corruption also starts to infect the AK’s ranks, it is beginning to resemble many of the tired old parties that it buried at the polls.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Presentation of designs for restoration‏- Gibrahayer

GIBRAHAYER e-magazine www dot gibrahayer dot com The largest circulation Armenian emagazine Circulates every Wednesday Established in 1999 TURKISH-OCCUPIED SOURP ASDVADZADZIN COMPLEX ON THE WAY TO RESTORATION TEAM OF EXPERTS TO PRESENT DESIGN ON TUESDAY NIGHT AT THE UTUDJIAN HALL OF THE ARMENIAN PRELATURE Gibrahayer - Nicosia - Saturday 29 November, 2008 - The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus has announced that the team of experts of The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) ACT will present to the Armenian community of Cyprus the final design for the restoration of the Turkish-occupied Church Complex, including Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church, Armenian Prelature, Melikian Ouzounian schools and adjoining areas. The team of experts comprise of Italian architects who specialise in Venetian architecture and have been working on this project over the last year, in co-operation with the Armenian Church of Cyprus. The invitation of the Secretariat of the Armenian Prelacy reads: "You are cordially invited to attend the public presentation of the final design for the restoration of the Armenian Church Sourp Asdvadzadzin in occupied Nicosia, by the team of experts engaged for this project by the UNDP - ACT." The presentation will take place at the Utudjian Hall of the Armenian Prelature on Tuesday, 2 December at 7.00 pm Gibrahayer Calendar

Every Saturday at 6:00 pm at AYMA - Weekly AYF Badanegan meetings (8-13 year olds) resume. An educational and fun environment for the younger generation of our community. Games, trips, parties and lots of fun in a family environment. For more information contact Kevork Keoshgerian on 99817806. Every Wednesday at 7:00 pm - Community gathering at The Armenian Club of Larnaca, followed by dinner.

Tuesday 2 December at 7:00 pm - Presentation at Utudjian Hall of the Armenian Prelature by the team of experts for the restoration of Sourp Asdvadzadzin complex in Turkish-occupied Nicosia. Sunday 7 December 2008 starting at 4:00 pm - Annual Christmas Charity Tea and Handicraft Bazaar at the Cleopatra Hotel, Nicosia organised by The Armenian Relief Society of Cyprus (HOM). As always the proceeds from the Charity Tea will be used to fund the numerous charity programmes sponsored by our Society to Armenia. Sunday 7 December at 3:00 pm – Holy Liturgy at the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church in Paphos, next to Saint George Hotel (Paphos - Coral Bay Avenue). A memorial will follow for the victims of the 1988 earthquake. Sunday 7 December - following the Church service at Saint George Church, a reception / gathering will follow for the Armenian community of Paphos. This gathering is organised by the Church Committee and the Office of the Armenian Representative Vartkes Mahdessian, to discuss the spiritual, educational and cultural needs of the Armenian community of Paphos. Saturday 20 December - Nor Serount Ball - details to follow. Thursday December 25 at 9:00 pm - Annual AYMA Ball at The Cyprus Hilton

Eng. Mike Kharabiani Aytseloutioun-ue Amman‏

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN

AMMAN, JORDAN

ANCA Activists - Before you start your online Christmas shopping. . .

‏

With Black Friday shopping deals today and Cyber-Monday just around the corner, we'll all be looking for the best deals for our holiday gift giving now and throughout December. But did you know, that with every gift you purchase through GoodShop.com - from hundreds of the most popular online stores - you can also give a gift to the ANCA Endowment Fund - at no additional cost to you? Shop Target, Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's - get the same best deals, use the advertised coupons, pay the absolute lowest price possible - and give a gift to the Armenian Cause. It's as easy as 1-2-3: 1- Visit www.Goodshop.com 2- Choose the "ANCA Endowment Fund" as your charity of choice (it may be chosen for you already) 3- Click on the online store you want to purchase your holiday gifts and SHOP. Funds will be automatically donated to the ANCA Endowment Fund. You will not have to fill out any forms or sign up for "special offers." The percentages of puchases donated is listed on the Goodshop.com page. And you can continue supporting the ANCA Endowment Fund throughout the year, through purchases at GoodShop.com and even by doing your everyday online searches through GoodSearch.com. Simply visit GoodSearch.com, a Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its ad revenue, about a penny per search, to the non-profit group of your choice. Enter ANCA Endowment Fund as the charity you want to support, and then add GoodSearch to your browser's toolbar. Use it like any search engine, get quality results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up. You may have already read about this excellent giving opportunity in the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, CNN, ABC News or Wall Street Journal, or heard about it from your friends. It's free and, with the participation of thousands across the country, it really adds up to greater awareness, respect, and results for the Armenian Cause. We appreciate your support of ANCA efforts throughout the year. As always, if you would like to learn more, or would like to share your own ideas with us, please drop us a note at anca@anca.org. Armenian National Committee of America 1711 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036 Tel: (202) 775-1918 ~ Fax: (202) 775-5648 ~ anca@anca.org ~ www.anca.org

FATHER FRANK’S RANTS - Bloodlust‏

Rant Number 329 27 November 2008

In the movie Dirty Harry tough cop Clint Eastwood gets asked why he thinks a murderous psychopath called the Scorpio will kill again. ‘Because he enjoys it’, deadpan Clint returns.

Quite. Scorpio, a common criminal, kills because he gets a kick out of it. But, you know, so did at least one of the gunmen responsible for yesterday’s Bombay (Mumbay? No, thanks.) attacks. Don’t care if he calls himself a holy warrior, one of the mujahedeen, a freedom-fighter, whatever. As I examine his blurred photo splashed over the Metro paper front page, I feel morally certain: this gun-toting guy enjoys it. A rictus over his young face, eyes glinting, the hunter’s craving for blood is written all over his stance. He is having a whale of a time. He wants to kill. Because he likes it.

This morning the alarm clock interrupted my strange dream. There was a man on fire. People pointed at him and laughed. While shaving I listened to an Indian voice on radio, some counter-terrorist expert, blabbed about the clash of civilisations. (Incendiary stuff. Synchronicity, perhaps?) The terrorists are Islamists who have declared war on the infidels, he claimed. The usual suspects, Al Qaeda and so on, were evoked. Terrorists themselves no doubt will lend him credence. The usual lists of stock grievances will be paraded. Kashmir, Afghanistan, Palestine, Chechnia…I would not discount an over-determination of causes at work there. Yet, I stick to my hunch: that boy killed because he enjoyed it.

No reason to be shocked. Terrorists are of course morally bad. The priest says that loud and clear. They are bad above all when they target the innocent. But they are also universal whipping boys. They are like Dr Freud’s id. The dark side. That unconscious where you are said to expel all disagreeable, unacceptable things about yourself. Soldiers, on the other hand, are kosher. They are ‘our boys’. In fact, soldiering has always involved killing and many soldiers must have relished it. Today’s secular pieties portray Western armies as engaged in lovely humanitarian, almost charitable activities. Assisting peasants, aiding refugees, helping girls to go to school, that kind of laudable thing. Military people interviewed by the media sound more and more like benevolent social workers. I surmise, however, that many SAS, Ghurkhas and paras too have a bit of a dark side. Don’t they ever feel the occasional thrill when they get their man? They too probably ‘enjoy it’. To pretend otherwise may make many feel good but it can’t be true.

In some ‘primitive’ societies a youth was not considered a real man until he killed his first enemy. That was the case amongst certain tribes. But the Romans also enjoyed seeing gladiators slaughtering each other in the arena. Despite the insights of Stoic thinkers like Marcus Aurelius (‘a spider catches flies; a soldier, barbarians – where is the difference?’), the general culture was pretty savage. Nor were God’s own people different. The Hebrew king Alexander Jannaeus sat down to eat a hearty meal while watching thousands of his vanquished enemies being tortured to death. The father of a friend still shudders when he recalls the sadism he suffered at the hands of the Japanese when a POW. And those civilised, carpet-bombing pilots in WWII – how many of them did not feel a certain inner glow in releasing their death cargoes? I wonder.

Long ago St Augustine wrote about the evils of bloodlust. While rejection absolute pacifism, he conjured up the image of the Christian just warrior, who should fight the enemy not with hatred, with desire to hurt and dominate but with justice and with ‘with sorrow in his heart’. That is not impossible. And it is commendable. A kind of ideal. But such ethical warriors cannot have been exactly thick on the ground even when there were Christian armies, I suspect, though I could be wrong. The evil tendency in human beings is not easily subjugated.

Depressing? A lot, but there is hope. It is called Advent. The church season immediately before Xmas. Advent Sunday falls indeed on November 30^th. The first of four weeks preceding the feast of the Incarnation called Christmas. Leading up to the explosion of joy for Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. Hence a time of spiritual preparation. For the celebration of Him who Cometh. He comes around every year, naturally. Christianity, like Islam and Judaism, does not subscribe to the Hindu and Buddhist views of cyclical time. Of the eternal recurrence of the same, as Fred Nietzsche would put it. Instead, it affirms a linear, progressive development of sacred history, marked by unique divine interventions, like Creation, the Fall, the Incarnation and Redemption. Yet the church calendar preserves a bit of cyclical time. Because holy seasons like Advent come round again each year. A chance to relive spiritually, or at least to ponder, certain tremendous truths.

Why is it that Jesus of Nazareth never killed anyone? Why is it that when he was reviled he did not revile back in return? Why did he forgive his persecutors when they were about to nail him to a Cross? There was no bloodlust in him nor did he ever urge his followers to go out and kill, with sorrow or otherwise. Violent people of all the world, if you have ears to hear, do hear.

It is easy to duck the challenge posed by these questions, sure. By pointing to the disgraceful behaviour in history of all too many followers of Jesus. The burning of heretics, the persecutions of the Jews, the internecine wars…Only the other week Christian monks in the Holy Land were cracking each other skulls with crowbars over some petty disputes in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Love. Enough to make you cry. But the Gospels precisely challenge and subvert all that. Listen! The Sermon on the Mount sounds like a shotgun (a spiritual one!) going off: do not return evil for evil. Instead, love your enemy. Help him. Turn the other cheek. Give to him who asks you. Go the second mile. Forgive. Be perfect, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.

If human beings gave that a real go, bloodlust would be no more.

Revd Frank Julian Gelli

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Eng. Vartkes Kourouyan Gue Barkevadrvi S. Sahag - S. Mesrob Shkanshanov‏

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN

LOS ANGELES, U. S. A.

keghart.com....you can make a difference/petition

23rd November 2008 - Canada On November 17, 2008, Mr. Edik Baghdasaryan, a highly respected journalist, Chief Editor of the Armenian daily Hetq (Track) and the President of Investigative Journalists’ Association of Armenia, sustained severe head injuries after being attacked by three assailants as he was leaving his workplace; the attackers also stole Mr. Baghdasaryan's camera. This incident occurred following repeated “warnings” and "threats" received by the Hetq staff. This assault on Mr. Baghdasaryan highlights a disturbing trend of physical violence and other forms of intimidation on Journalists since the February 2008 presidential elections. On August 11, 2008, Ms. Lusineh Barseghian, the correspondent of the Armenian daily Haikakan Zhamanak (Armenian Times), was assaulted and also sustained head injuries outside her home. A week later, Mr. Hrach Melkumian, Acting Head of the Yerevan Office of the Armenian Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, was also attacked. None of the culprits has been brought to justice. The police are unperturbed at best and appear to be intent on harassing the journalists and their staff. The circumstances related to Mr. Gagik Hovakimian, Ms. Anna Zakharian, Mr. Gagik Shamshian, and Ms. Gohar Vezirian, are all examples of police intimidation, harassment, arbitrary arrest and unlawful detention. Violence against Armenian journalists and their staff seems to be a common-place occurrence these days. We strongly condemn these acts of violence and intimidation, and call upon the authorities to investigate these crimes and prosecute the assailants. The international community has also taken note of the frequent violations of basic freedoms of the press. For example, the Paris-based organization, Reporters Without Borders (RWB), has dropped Armenia from 77th to 102nd position on a list of 173 countries ranked by their press freedom. The perception of foreign observers following the beating of Edik Baghdasaryan was succinctly captured in a letter addressed to Mr. Edward Nalbandian, the Foreign Minister of Armenia, by the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Mr. Miklos Haraszti, who wrote: "Violence against journalists is not 'crime as usual', because it undermines a basic institution of democracy - the free press".

Please ask your MP's to attend !

Dear Friends,

You are warmly invited to both of these meetings on the Minorities of Turkey and the Minorities of Iraq and hopefully to participate in the discussions

RSVP to ensure a seat

Regards,

Eilian Williams

A warm invitation to two important meetings to mark the 60th anniversary of the UN Genocide Convention, on tuesday, 9th December

1 "The Minorities of Turkey face the continuing Cultural Genocide"

In Committee Room 17 of the House of Commons

at 12 noon, 9th december

Agenda:

1 The recent comments by the Turkish Prime Minister and Defence Minister

Prime Minister Recep T. Erdogan, on 4th November 2008 (at the press conference for the visit of the Lebanese Prime Minister, Fuad Siniora),said that "Turkey consists of one nation, one flag and one land and that anyone who is not in agreement with this should leave the country".

On the 10th november in Brussels,Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül celebrated the genocide of Armenians, praising the policy of what he termed the "deportation", because it allowed the construction of the Turkish nation. And he added: "Would it be possible today to maintain the same national State if the existence of Greeks in the Aegean region and of Armenians in several regions of Turkey had continued as before?"

2 The Human Rights of Kurds, Armenians, Assyrians, Crypto-Armenians, Crypto-Assyrians

Speakers: Des Fernandes

Prof Gregory Stanton (President of International Assoc. of Genocide Scholars)

An Assyrian speaker from Turkey

Sponsor and Chair : Dr. Bob Spink MP (Independent)

Co-organisers : Solidarity with the Victims of All Genocides,(SVAG)

Nor Serount Cultural Association

CHAK (Centre of Halabja)

supported by

Seyfo Centre

RSVP to eilian@nant.wanadoo.co.uk 07876561398 or 07718982732

---

2 The present ethnic cleansing of the Minorities of Iraq-

will Britain take some responsibility for a solution?

in Room 2A of the House of Lords

on Tuesday, 9th December

6.30 p.m. till 8.00 p.m.

Co-organisers: "Lobby for the Christians and other Minorities of Iraq"

Centre of Halabja, (C.H.A.K.)

Confirmed speakers:(all speeches will be brief)-

:Dr Layla Alrummi of the Mandaean Human Rights organisation

Researcher Nicola Craven on Mandaean refugees in Syria

Archbishop Toma,(Syriac Church) , Fr. Khoshaba Georges,(Ancient Church of the East) Fr Habib (Chaldean Church)--- one joint statement

Neville Kyrke-Smith, the National Director of Aid to the Church in Need UK

Adnan Kochar of CHAK (Halabja Centre) on Yezidis and Kurdish-Minority relations

The Syrian Ambassador HE Dr. Sami Al Kiyami on aid to refugees in Syria

Themes of the discussion

1 Protection of, and aid to Minorities in Iraq

2 Aid to minority refugees in Syria ..

3 The UK's closed doors to Iraqi Minority assylum seekers

4 Co-ordinated lobbying of the government and parliament

5 "What leverage, if any, does the UK have on the Iraqi government?"

5 "Towards an Assyrian-Kurdish dialogue"

Sponsor and chair: Lord Alton

Details RSVP to eilian@nant.wanadoo.co.uk 07876561398 or 07718982732

adnankochar@hotmail.com

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Pirates of the Mediterranean‏ - Gibrahayer

GIBRAHAYER e-magazine www dot gibrahayer dot com The largest circulation Armenian emagazine Circulates every Wednesday Established in 1999

PIRATES OF THE MEDITERRANEAN

By Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra for Gibrahayer e-magazine - Nicosia Tuesday 25 November- On Monday, 24 November 2008, two exploration vessels searching for hydrocarbons in Cyprus’ exclusive economic zone were harassed by a Turkish warship to the south of Limassol. This is NOT Turkey’s first attempt to impede Cyprus’ oil exploration, as a similar incident took place less than two weeks ago, on 13 November, when two Turkish warships harassed another exploration vessel 27 nautical miles off the coast of Paphos. According to the Foreign Minister, Marcos Kyprianou, a formal protest was lodged with the United Nations and the European Commission: "Such moves by Turkey are illegal according to international law and violate the very principles of international law. Certainly we are not going to accept this", he added. Government Spokesman, Stephanos Stephanou, told that “we are monitoring this situation very closely to protect and exercise our international rights of the sea and economic interests”. President Demetris Christophias declared that “we will protect our sovereign rights”. Cyprus has received applications for oil exploration permits for a 70.000 Km² area in the Mediterranean, to the south and southwest of the island. Officials say provisional data indicate that there are substantial oil and gas deposits in a sea area separating Cyprus from Egypt and Lebanon. Cyprus has exploration and exploitation deals with Egypt and Lebanon, prompting angry protests from Turkey. Incidents like the ones that transpired this month take us back to different times and places, when the seas were a dangerous place to be, as your life was under constant threat by pirates, and your belongings were hard to keep your own for long. They take us back to a time where no International Sea Law existed, and they once again remind us of the many Turkish violations of the United Nations’ mandates and resolutions.

ARMENIA WINS CHESS OLYMPIAD... AGAIN

Tuesday, November 25, 2008 - DRESDEN, Germany (RFE/RL) - Armenia has won the gold medal of the Chess Olympiad, securing a second World Chess Olympiad title in a row at the biannual event in Germany. The news from Dresden on Tuesday sparked celebrations among chess fans in Armenian capital Yerevan and throughout the country. Many of them had followed live the final round action between Armenia and China in a closely packed Chess House in central Yerevan. The long-awaited victory was met with prolonged jubilations. Armenia's men - the winning team of the previous World Chess Olympiad in Turin in 2006 - beat China 2.5-1.5 in the 11th and final round of the tournament to secure an overall victory in Dresden and a heroes' welcome at home. Grandmaster Levon Aronian, Armenia's current No. 1, drew with China's Wang Yue on the top board, with Vladimir Hakobian, Gabriel Sargsian and Tigran L. Petrosian finishing the job respectively against Bu Xiangzhi, Ni Hua and Li Chao B. Armenia's only winning point, however, came from Petrosian on the fourth board. Speaking to RFE/RL from Dresden, Armenian Chess Federation deputy head Vanik Zakarian described the win as fantastic for a small country like Armenia. “It is a very amazing result, a fantastic result.” President Serzh Sargsyan, who also heads Armenia's Chess Federation, has been in Dresden since Monday to encourage the team before the crucial match against China. According to Zakarian, Sargsyan had made the symbolic first move for Aronian, who played with black pieces. Before that, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov did the same on behalf of Aronian's Chinese opponent. “Our team had been seeded as ninth at this Olympiad. But there is no other team among the Olympiad participants that would have the same solidarity and level of organisation. The victory comes very natural,” Zakarian added. Armenians have traditionally excelled in chess, which is one of the most popular sports in Armenia. The country's leading players enjoy domestic stardom compared to that of top soccer players abroad.

ARAM I AND POPE BENEDICT VXI DISCUSS COMMON EASTER DATE AND A COMMON CHRISTIAN MARTYRS DAY

Holy See of Catholicosate of Cilicia - Antelias – On the first day of his official visit to the Vatican, during a private meeting with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, His Holiness Aram I Catholicos of Cilicia has shared with the Pope, according to the delegation accompanying the Catholicos, two concrete ideas: first, setting a common date for Easter celebration and a common Christian martyrs day to be commemorated by world Christendom. Catholicos Aram I believes that such an ecumenical initiative will significantly help to give visible manifestation to Christian unity. His Holiness Aram I believes that the Roman Catholic Church, the World Council of Churches, the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, Christian World Communions and regional ecumenical organizations should join their efforts to reach a common agreement on these important questions. The discussion between the two heads of the churches has also included issues and concerns related to inter-church relations, inter-religious dialogue and generally Christian presence in the Middle East.

ARMENIA-TURKISH RELATIONS

1- Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian arrived in Bolis on Monday to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) member states. Armenia recently assumed the structure's rotating chairmanship. He met with his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan later in the evening for talks that reportedly lasted more than two hours and were held behind closed doors. Listen to Nalbandian's remarks at the BSEC - click here

2- In a move likely to contribute to the recent thaw in bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey, which gained momentum when President Abdullah Gul visited Yerevan in September, Turkey's national airlines has been preparing to launch charter flights to the Armenian capital.

3- Armenia is to start conveying electric power to Turkey in March, 2009, Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan said on Monday. Armenia will export electricity to Turkey under the agreement signed by Armenian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, Armenian High Voltage Electricity Grid and UNIT, the company importing and distributing electric power in Turkey.

GEORGIA WINS JUNIOR EUROVISION ARMENIA FINISH 8th AND CYPRUS 10th

Limassol - By Anna Hassapi - The Cyprus Mail - Georgia was the the big winner of the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which took place in Limassol on Saturday. The winning song ‘Bzz’ by musical trio Bzikebi got 154 points, stealing the show with their buzzing song about the sound of wasps. Despite some complaints on transportation and organisation, the CyBC got the thumbs up for the JESC production, its first grand-scale project. “The 2008 JESC is over and the city of Limassol can be proud that Europe enjoyed the best Junior Eurovision since its launch in 2003. Despite the huge problems with the organisation, the TV outcome was simply superb,” commented oikotimes.com, a Greece-based Eurovision blog. Ukraine came second with 135 points and Lithuania came third with 103 points. The voting was determined 50 per cent by televoting and 50 per cent by jury committees in each participating country. All net profits from the televoting will be donated to UNICEF, although the amount of proceeds has not been announced yet. Critics argued that the voting resembled the adult Eurovision Song Contest voting trends, where neighbouring countries usually vote for each other. Cyprus got top points from Greece and gave seven back; Belarus gave their 12 points to Russia, FYROM gave top points to Serbia and Armenia gave 12 to Georgia. There were, however, still some surprises such as the 12 points Georgia got from Russia and the five points Greece gave to FYROM. Monika Manucharova of Armenia secured 8th place while Elena & Charis of Cyprus came tenth with 46 points with ‘Yioupi Yia’.

81mm MORTAR FROM TURKISH-OCCUPIED NORTH MAKES A FLIGHT TO A ROOF-TOP OF A NICOSIA HOME

Cyprus Mail - It was a lucky miss for one Nicosia resident yesterday morning as a Turkish mortar shell crashed through her roof and into her bedroom while she was at work. Panicked neighbours rushed to call emergency services as the practise shell – which fortunately wasn’t live – flew over the Green Line from the north, causing what witnesses described as a “deafening crash” as it came down. No one was hurt in the incident but concerned local residents highlighted the fact that there is a primary school just a few metres down the road. During their meeting last week, Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat apologised to President Christofias over the incident. Christofias said, “These incidents should be avoided because they cause unnecessary tension. Mr Talat was truly saddened by the accident and I am conveying this message to the owners of the house. “It was an accident. I don’t know the exact trajectory of the shell, which was a practise shell – it was blank. If the shell was loaded with explosive material it would have been catastrophic.” The President added that after discussing the incident and the prospect of moving firing ranges away from the Green Line, it was his understanding that the military was withdrawing from the area. “You also have to understand that [military camps] are not up to Talat but are a concern of the Turkish Military. In any case, we will continue to discuss these issues,” he concluded. According to the conclusions of investigations conducted by the National Guard, the police and representatives of the UN peacekeeping force, the projectile came from the occupied region. An announcement by the Defence Ministry described the shell as an “81mm, mortar projectile of Turkish origin”.

MP VARTKES MAHDESSIAN ACCOMPANYING CATHOLICOS ARAM I OF CILICIA TO ROME

Gibrahayer - Nicosia 24 November - 2008 - The Vatican announced that His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of Cilicia is visiting Rome this week, participating in a series of ecumenical events. Amongst other high-ranking representatives of the the Holy See of Cilicia, accompanying him is the Armenian MP in the Cyprus Parliament Vartkes Mahdessian and his wife Maggy. more details about the visit to the Vatican in our next issue.

IMAGES FROM MARIOS GAROYIAN'S FIRST EVER VISIT TO ARMENIA

Click on the above image to visit more images

AN ARMENIAN CYPRIOT ELECTED ON REGIONAL BOARD

Gibrahayer - Nicosia 21 November - An Armenian Cypriot has been elected on the Nicosia Parents Association Board of Elementary Schools. Louise Aynedjian was elected in a General Meeting that took place on Saturday 15 November 2008 among representives from 122 elementary schools from the district of Nicosia.

AREV CHRISTMAS CARDS Four different Card Sets are for sale at EUR 5.00 (for 6 cards and 6 envelopes)

Arev Benevolent Foundation (ABF) is cooperation with Nareg Primary School in Nicosia has published 24 Christmas cards and is offering the cards for sale to raise money. The cards were created by pupils of the School aged 8 to 12 year old and photographed by art teacher Mrs Vart Tofaridou - Spyrou. ABF is a new philanthropic organisation based in Cyprus whose objective is to provide relief and assistance to poor and disadvantaged Armenian families living in Cyprus. For more information please visit www dot arevbf dot org Founding members of Arev are: Ani Adourian, Aleen Melikian Andreou, Hagop Bohdjelian, Harutune Kouyoumdjian, Vartkes Mahdessian, Dickran Aram Ouzounian, Parsegh Kevork Zartarian.

Card Sets are available for sale from following locations:

Nicosia: A&A Optical, Armenia Kiosk, Bidi Ay.Elenis Str, Charalambides Kids Centre, Charalambides Car Wash, Eldorado Sup, Golden Star Sup, Kochlias Bookshop, Kouyoumdjian Textiles, Magazino Kiosk, Micromania, Nova Cyprus, Pankypria Bakery Esperidon Street, Pastellidou Pharmacy Iphigenias Str, PopLife Kennedy Avenue, Premium Kiosk, Prodromos Hadjikyriacos Latsia, Prinos Fruit Market Prodromou Ave, Solonion Book Centre, Toyota Showrooms, Troodos Electric Engomi, Zartarco Prodromou Ave. Limassol: Bidi, Nareg School, Toyota Showrooms. Larnaca: Bidi, Nareg School, Toyota Showrooms. Also you can order by email to : contact@arevbf.org

News in brief by Sevag Devletian

The United States and Armenia signed an Open Skies air services agreement. This agreement will allow air carriers of the United States and Armenia to make decisions on routes, capacity, and pricing based on commercial considerations. It includes liberal doing business rights and provides opportunities for cooperative marketing arrangements, including code sharing. Turkey-based monthly "Yeni aktuel" magazine wrote that the music of "Chirpinirdi Gara deniz" belonged to Armenian ashug Sayat Nova. The magazine writes that Sayat Nova, who lived in the 18th century, devoted this song to his kamancha. Nationalists in Turkey changed the words of the song in 1960. Armavia, Armenian national air company, is planning to launch new regular flights to Berlin and Zurich in April. Nana Avetisova, press secretary of the air company, said that the flights will be operated twice a week and air fares won't be higher than other European airlines. The Social-Democratic Hunchakian Party has issued a statement on Monday criticising Serzh Sargsyan for formally ending the hopes of Karabakh to regain its status as a party to the internationally mediated peace talks by signing a declaration, along with the presidents of Azerbaijan and Russia, calling for a direct dialogue between Yerevan and Baku.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ANORTHOSIS Vs Werder Bremen NOVEMBER 26, 2008 AT 9.45 pm GSP Stadium Nicosia and on cable networks you can also watch the big game on AYMA's big screen ACCOMPANIED WITH SOUVLA AND KEBAB

Letters to the Editor

Dear Simon, After reading your article in last week's issue, I saw it published in Phileleftheros. Thanks for voicing your thoughts. I am sure they also represent the sentiments of the majority of Greek Cypriots. Antonis Papakyriakou - Nicosia

"THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY OF ADANA AND ITS DISTRICTS"

Adana will be the focus of a special workshop at Bosphorus (Boğaziçi) and Bilgi universities in Istanbul on November 21-22, 2008. The focus will be the development of Adana in the 19th century. The papers include a serious Armenian content and are organised in four sessions. Hilmar Kaiser: "Local Entrepreneurs and the German-Levantine Cotton-Company in the Çukurova (Cilicia): The Limits of Foreign Economic Penetration." Meltem Toksöz: "Çukurova (Cilicia) from Nomadic Life to Commercial Agriculture: The Making of a Regional Economy." Halis Akder: "Agricultural Labor in Çukurova (Cilicia)." Ara Sarafian: "Structure and Change: Armenians in Adana Vilayet 1860-1908." Zafer Toprak: "Movements of Capital in Adana Region (TBC)." Vahe Tachjian: "Armenians of Adana: A Distinctive Identity at Odds with Nationalisms." The workshop will lead to a discussion: “Where do we go from here?" Suggestions and remarks for further historical research.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~