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Cyprus: Three stand in Armenian representative by-election
-- Melkonian issue high on candidates' agenda
Cyprus Weekly - Friday, September 23, 2005
A CARDIOLOGIST, a dentist and a businessman are contesting the
by-election for a new Armenian parliamentary representative on October
9 to replace Bedros Kalaydjian, who died earlier this month after
serving his community for two terms. They are Dr Vahakn Atamyan, 48,
chairman of the board of governors of the Armenian elementary schools
of Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol, Dr Antranik Ashdjian, 33, chairman
of the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, and Parsegh Zartarian,
45, a member of the board of Eurocypria the charter subsidiary of the
island's national carrier.
They will submit their candidatures at the Ministry of Interior on
Monday morning between 9am and 12.30pm.
-- Pledged
All three candiates are well known in the 2,600-member Armenian
community, which has around 1,800 votes. They have all pledged to work
for the interests of the community and spare no efforts to achieve
unity among the various political factions.
However, the most important issue currently facing the Cypriot
Armenians is how to save the 80- year-old Melkonian Educational
Institute, acclaimed as the most important boarding high school
throughout Europe and the Middle East, which traditionally had
students from 15 to 20 countries spanning all the continents.
The Melkonian was arbitrarily closed by the New York based Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) which was entrusted with the running
of the school under a will of the Melkonian brothers, who founded the
school. Originally an orphanage, it provided shelter and education to
survivors of the 1915-22 genocide and later developed to a high school
and a vital centre of Armenian educational and cultural life.
When the decision to close the Melkonian was announced, members of the
Cypriot parliamentary education committee warned that such unilateral
decision would be considered a hostile act as the proper functioning
of the school is vital for the community's minority rights.
-- Heavy blow
Already, the decision to close the school has dealt a very heavy blow
to the Armenian nation worldwide in that Armenian language and
literature have been struck off the GCE examination programmes.
"We have a large number of serious problems," a spokesman for the
Melkonian alumni and parents said, "but even such problems as the
destruction of the ancient monastery of Sourp Magar on the Kyrenia
hills, the lamentable state of our mediaeval churches in the occupied
north, or even the part desecration of the historic cemetery near the
Ledra Palace seem insignificant when compared to the closure of the
Melkonian. These are problems that the new Armenian representative
will have to face".
The spokesman added: "We as alumni and parents here and elsewhere, are
currently involved in a court battle to achieve the reopening of the
Melkonian, while the AGBU are hell-bent on closing it for good, for
what we believe are commercial reasons.
"We would naturally expect our new representative to champion our
cause."
PHOTOGRAPH - Dr Vahakn Atamyan with House of Representatives President
Demetris Christofias.
Caption - CANDIDATE: Armenian parliamentary candidate Dr Vahakn
Atamyan (left) met House President Demetris Christofias earlier this
week. He pledged that if he were elected he would do his best to
maintain the close relations that the late MP Bedros Kalaydjian had
with all political parties. He told Christofias that he would give
maximum priority to such vital problems as the future of the Melkonian
Educational Institute and the destruction of Armenian religious
monuments in the occupied north of the island.
-- Melkonian issue high on candidates' agenda
Cyprus Weekly - Friday, September 23, 2005
A CARDIOLOGIST, a dentist and a businessman are contesting the
by-election for a new Armenian parliamentary representative on October
9 to replace Bedros Kalaydjian, who died earlier this month after
serving his community for two terms. They are Dr Vahakn Atamyan, 48,
chairman of the board of governors of the Armenian elementary schools
of Nicosia, Larnaca and Limassol, Dr Antranik Ashdjian, 33, chairman
of the Armenian National Committee of Cyprus, and Parsegh Zartarian,
45, a member of the board of Eurocypria the charter subsidiary of the
island's national carrier.
They will submit their candidatures at the Ministry of Interior on
Monday morning between 9am and 12.30pm.
-- Pledged
All three candiates are well known in the 2,600-member Armenian
community, which has around 1,800 votes. They have all pledged to work
for the interests of the community and spare no efforts to achieve
unity among the various political factions.
However, the most important issue currently facing the Cypriot
Armenians is how to save the 80- year-old Melkonian Educational
Institute, acclaimed as the most important boarding high school
throughout Europe and the Middle East, which traditionally had
students from 15 to 20 countries spanning all the continents.
The Melkonian was arbitrarily closed by the New York based Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU) which was entrusted with the running
of the school under a will of the Melkonian brothers, who founded the
school. Originally an orphanage, it provided shelter and education to
survivors of the 1915-22 genocide and later developed to a high school
and a vital centre of Armenian educational and cultural life.
When the decision to close the Melkonian was announced, members of the
Cypriot parliamentary education committee warned that such unilateral
decision would be considered a hostile act as the proper functioning
of the school is vital for the community's minority rights.
-- Heavy blow
Already, the decision to close the school has dealt a very heavy blow
to the Armenian nation worldwide in that Armenian language and
literature have been struck off the GCE examination programmes.
"We have a large number of serious problems," a spokesman for the
Melkonian alumni and parents said, "but even such problems as the
destruction of the ancient monastery of Sourp Magar on the Kyrenia
hills, the lamentable state of our mediaeval churches in the occupied
north, or even the part desecration of the historic cemetery near the
Ledra Palace seem insignificant when compared to the closure of the
Melkonian. These are problems that the new Armenian representative
will have to face".
The spokesman added: "We as alumni and parents here and elsewhere, are
currently involved in a court battle to achieve the reopening of the
Melkonian, while the AGBU are hell-bent on closing it for good, for
what we believe are commercial reasons.
"We would naturally expect our new representative to champion our
cause."
PHOTOGRAPH - Dr Vahakn Atamyan with House of Representatives President
Demetris Christofias.
Caption - CANDIDATE: Armenian parliamentary candidate Dr Vahakn
Atamyan (left) met House President Demetris Christofias earlier this
week. He pledged that if he were elected he would do his best to
maintain the close relations that the late MP Bedros Kalaydjian had
with all political parties. He told Christofias that he would give
maximum priority to such vital problems as the future of the Melkonian
Educational Institute and the destruction of Armenian religious
monuments in the occupied north of the island.