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UNDP RESTORERS DISMAYED BY PLANS FOR HISTORIC ARMENIAN CHURCH
By Poly Pantelides
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/armenian-church/undp-restorers-dismayed-plans-historic-armenian-church/20121106
November 6, 2012
AN ORGANISATION for religious foundations in the north has leased an
historic and beautifully restored Armenian site through an unfair and
opaque tender procedure, the United Nations Development Program-Action
for Cooperation and Trust (UNDP-ACT) program have said.
EVKAF, that oversees religious foundations in the north, leased in
August the 14th century Armenian Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin and
Monastery complex (AMD) in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that
was renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.
Turkish Cypriot press reports named the Near East University as the
winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a cultural
centre.
According to Vartkes Mahdessian, the Armenian representative in
parliament, such a move goes against the project's original intention.
"The objective was to have a multi-communal area where communities
could come together and for the church to be used as a place of
worship by the Armenian community," he said yesterday.
UNDP-ACT echoed Mahdessian's concerns in a news release yesterday.
Stakeholders worked "to restore the site to international standards
so that it could encourage peace and reconciliation between all of
the communities in Cyprus," said the statement from UNDP-ACT and the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Although UNDP-ACT and USAID did not name the tender winner, they
recently said that they learned that "the site had been leased by
EVKAF through a tender process that was neither fair nor transparent."
"We have expressed our serious concerns to EVKAF about this
unacceptable result," the news release said.
The Cyprus Mail was unable to speak to the UNDP-ACT to clarify the
news release.
USAID and UNDP-ACT put [email protected] million into what they have called a
"visionary endeavour" and a "unique confidence building measure"
referring to efforts to build trust among the island's communities.
"UNDP and USAID look forward to a speedy resolution of this issue so
that we can continue to support all communities in Cyprus on cultural
heritage initiatives," the news release said.
Mahdessian said that the news release "enforces our efforts" adding
that they have been meeting with diplomats and representations "and
we are waiting for an outcome whereby justice will be restored".
As a first step, the tender procedure must be annulled, Mahdessian
said.
According to the UNDP and USAID, the Turkish Cypriot leadership agreed
to investigate the outcome and take action "as appropriate".
The AMD includes historic buildings partially surrounded by a tall
masonry wall and including a Gothic masonry church and part of a
monastery complex. It was in poor condition when the decision to fix
it was taken.
Mahdessian yesterday praised the restoration work, now completed.
From: Baghdasarian
By Poly Pantelides
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/armenian-church/undp-restorers-dismayed-plans-historic-armenian-church/20121106
November 6, 2012
AN ORGANISATION for religious foundations in the north has leased an
historic and beautifully restored Armenian site through an unfair and
opaque tender procedure, the United Nations Development Program-Action
for Cooperation and Trust (UNDP-ACT) program have said.
EVKAF, that oversees religious foundations in the north, leased in
August the 14th century Armenian Church of Sourp Asdvadzadzin and
Monastery complex (AMD) in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that
was renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.
Turkish Cypriot press reports named the Near East University as the
winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a cultural
centre.
According to Vartkes Mahdessian, the Armenian representative in
parliament, such a move goes against the project's original intention.
"The objective was to have a multi-communal area where communities
could come together and for the church to be used as a place of
worship by the Armenian community," he said yesterday.
UNDP-ACT echoed Mahdessian's concerns in a news release yesterday.
Stakeholders worked "to restore the site to international standards
so that it could encourage peace and reconciliation between all of
the communities in Cyprus," said the statement from UNDP-ACT and the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Although UNDP-ACT and USAID did not name the tender winner, they
recently said that they learned that "the site had been leased by
EVKAF through a tender process that was neither fair nor transparent."
"We have expressed our serious concerns to EVKAF about this
unacceptable result," the news release said.
The Cyprus Mail was unable to speak to the UNDP-ACT to clarify the
news release.
USAID and UNDP-ACT put [email protected] million into what they have called a
"visionary endeavour" and a "unique confidence building measure"
referring to efforts to build trust among the island's communities.
"UNDP and USAID look forward to a speedy resolution of this issue so
that we can continue to support all communities in Cyprus on cultural
heritage initiatives," the news release said.
Mahdessian said that the news release "enforces our efforts" adding
that they have been meeting with diplomats and representations "and
we are waiting for an outcome whereby justice will be restored".
As a first step, the tender procedure must be annulled, Mahdessian
said.
According to the UNDP and USAID, the Turkish Cypriot leadership agreed
to investigate the outcome and take action "as appropriate".
The AMD includes historic buildings partially surrounded by a tall
masonry wall and including a Gothic masonry church and part of a
monastery complex. It was in poor condition when the decision to fix
it was taken.
Mahdessian yesterday praised the restoration work, now completed.
From: Baghdasarian