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NORTHERN CYPRUS ILLEGALLY LEASES HISTORIC ARMENIAN CHURCH
http://asbarez.com/106418/northern-cyprus-illegally-leases-historic-armenian-church/
Thursday, November 8th, 2012
The Sourp Asdvadzadin Church in occupied Cyrus
UNDP and USAID Express Dismay, Threaten to Cut Restoration Funding
NICOSIA (Cyprus Mail)-An Organization 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 in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that was
renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.
Press reports from occupied Cypriot named the Near East University
as the winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a
cultural center.
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 3.5 million euros 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 Sourp Asdvadzasin Church complex 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 on Tuesday praised the restoration work, now completed.
http://asbarez.com/106418/northern-cyprus-illegally-leases-historic-armenian-church/
Thursday, November 8th, 2012
The Sourp Asdvadzadin Church in occupied Cyrus
UNDP and USAID Express Dismay, Threaten to Cut Restoration Funding
NICOSIA (Cyprus Mail)-An Organization 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 in the Arabahmet area of northern Nicosia that was
renovated with UNDP-ACT funds as part of reconciliation efforts.
Press reports from occupied Cypriot named the Near East University
as the winner of a ten-year tender to turn the monastery into a
cultural center.
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 3.5 million euros 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 Sourp Asdvadzasin Church complex 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 on Tuesday praised the restoration work, now completed.