Soccer-Euro-Battling Greeks revel in surprise package status
By Karolos Grohmann

PORTO, June 17 (Reuters) – Greece have deservedly earned the title
of surprise team at Euro 2004 after sparkling performances against
two of the tournament favourites.

Their shock victory over hosts Portugal in the opening game and a
battling draw with a talented Spanish side have put Greece top of
Group A, only a point away from their first quarter-finals with one
game to play.

“These matches have shown that we are not a firework, that we did
not come here as tourists,” central defender Michalis Kapsis said.

Playing inspiring football at times, Greeks booked their place at the
tournament by winning six straight qualifiers, including away games
in Spain, Northern Ireland and Armenia.

That was already a major success for the Greeks and few were ready
to bet on them going past the group stage, which also includes Russia.

“Of course we are the outsiders,” said German coach Otto Rehhagel,
who took over the team three years ago. “Look at the football histories
of the three countries in our group. We can’t match that.”

But his players have eclipsed the soccer traditions of their rivals
and are firmly on course for the last eight.

With a mixture of young and old, Rehhagel has sculpted a team capable
of beating the best in Europe.

They have only lost twice in the last 20 internationals and have an
eight-game unbeaten run in competitive games,

But the experienced coach, with an illustruous 30-year Bundesliga
career behind him, is still calling for caution.

“Nothing has been won. Everyone says we are through to the next round
but that is not true,” he said on Thursday.

Few would bet against them now, though.

FIGHTING SPIRIT

It was not too long ago when Greece, following dismal appearances at
the 1980 European Championship and 1994 World Cup, where they conceded
10 goals in three matches, were renowned for quickly throwing in
the towel.

“Greece came to this tournament with a tag reading: this is a strong
defensive team which can only play well if it scores, but crumbles
when it concedes goals,” Kapsis said.

“Against Spain we had team spirit, we fought for 90 minutes and we
showed we can turn round the game after being 1-0 down. This is the
most positive thing to come out of the Spain match.”

Greece battled on against the Spaniards, even after falling 1-0
behind in the first half and managed to grab an equaliser midway
through the second.

“The Spaniards had a better team but we had soul,” striker Demis
Nikolaidis said. “Our secret is that we fight for 90 minutes.”

06/17/04 13:25 ET

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Georgia wins $1 bln aid pledge for reforms
By Patrick Lannin

Reuters
06/16/04 13:17 ET

BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Georgia won pledges of aid on Wednesday worth
around $1 billion over the next two years to help with economic
reforms and fight poverty, months after a new leadership was voted
into power after a bloodless revolution.

The pledges from the United States, World Bank, European Commission,
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, or EBRD,
as well as individual European states at an international donors’
conference were double what was expected by Georgia.

“Even the most optimistic expectations were far exceeded by the
overall sum of the pledges,” Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania told a
news conference.

“This is indeed a very important sign for Georgia that the processes,
the reforms, which are under way in our country are recognized and
supported by our partners.”

He told the donors’ conference that the government aimed to fight
poverty, overhaul the legal system, boost development outside the
capital, Tbilisi, and attract foreign investment.

President Mikhail Saakashvili was voted into power in January after
the popular revolt against veteran leader Eduard Shevardnadze.

He and his government have already started some reforms. One of the key
goals is to stamp out rampant corruption in Georgia, once prosperous,
but plunged into widespread poverty since the 1991 collapse of
Soviet rule.

“This assistance will allow us to build Georgia as a sustainable
democracy, a country which will become, through this assistance, much
less dependent on international assistance in the following years,”
Zhvania added at the news conference.

The World Bank said it backed the changes already launched. “We are
convinced that it is not just words, but that the actions that have
already been launched convince us there will be follow through,”
said Bank Deputy President Shigeo Katsu.

BETTER ECONOMIC GROWTH

The European Union has been steadily strengthening relations
with Georgia, seen as a key route for Caspian Sea oil to the west.
Along with Caucasus neighbors Armenia and Azerbaijan, it was included
this week in the EU’s program for boosting relations with a ring of
neighbors from Morocco to Russia.

Zhvania told Reuters that his government was also expecting the
domestic economy to pick up in the years ahead and grow by double
digits, although inflation would stay relatively subdued.

European External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said the
government had to make good on its commitment to reform.

“The stakes are high and the challenges ahead formidable,” he told
the conference.

Zhvania said reforms would include improving infrastructure like
energy plants and roads and institutional change like cutting the
size of government and the police.

Other priorities were to spread development outside Tbilisi,
particularly to the west of the country.

The reintegration of the former rebel region of Adzhara would also
boost the rest of the country, he said. The government reasserted
control over the area in May.

Sparks fly between Harrison and Abelyan
By STEPHEN HALLIDAY

The Scotsman, UK
June 18 2004

THERE is often far more heat than light generated at the traditional
head-to-head media conferences held in advance of championship boxing
fights, but it was certainly illuminating yesterday to witness Scott
Harrison’s brooding state of mind ahead of his WBO featherweight
title defence against William Abelyan tomorrow night.

As has been well documented over the past week, the Cambuslang boxer
is nursing a powerful sense of grievance over the court case which
eventually saw him cleared of an assault charge. Harrison’s contest
with mandatory contender Abelyan at the Braehead Arena offers him the
opportunity to express his frustration in the way he knows best and
to reinforce a positive public image after seeing his name painted
in such an unflattering manner.

Abelyan, the dangerous and awkward Armenian-born Californian southpaw
who claims the best featherweights in the United States have been
avoiding him, has done little to douse the smouldering attitude
Harrison will take into the ring with him tomorrow night.

Yesterday’s press gathering saw Harrison and Abelyan square up
aggressively as the champion reacted to the challenger’s comments
earlier this week. Abelyan was critical of Harrison’s performances
in his two-fight series with Manuel Medina last year, labelling
the Mexican an ‘old man’ and claiming he had knocked him down twice
in sparring.

“You are being disrespectful,” Harrison told Abelyan. “Medina is a
five-time world champion, a legend in boxing, and to call him an old
man and say things like that about him is definitely disrespectful.
You will get your day on Saturday.”

Don House, Abelyan’s trainer, had sparked Harrison into his unusually
animated verbal outburst when he interrupted the champion moments
earlier.

“I’m not going to predict a round, but I can’t see it going 12 rounds,”
said Harrison. House, the man who guided Frankie Liles to the WBA
super- middleweight title in the 1990s, interjected with a taunt of
“You got that right, you ain’t going 12 rounds.”

Frank Maloney, Harrison’s manager, sat between the combatants with
a contented grin. Ticket sales for the fight were initially slow, so
this was the kind of publicity the promoters were hoping for. Perhaps
the biggest threat to Harrison will be if, in unleashing his fury and
pent-up resentment, he sacrifices levels of control and concentration
which are likely to be required to subdue Abelyan.

“I’m very angry about this fight,” agreed Harrison, “and what has
happened over the past few weeks has really fired me up. It’s going
to spur me on in the ring on Saturday.”

Abelyan, who has not fought since a third-round knockout of journeyman
Alejandro Mona on the Lennox Lewis-Vitali Klitschko undercard in Los
Angeles last June, maintains his inactivity will not be a factor.

“I train and spar with good fighters, with champions in the gym,” he
said. “People don’t want to fight me, what can I do? Listen, I’m in
my house when I’m in that ring, I’m a warrior. I’m going to destroy
the featherweight class once I win this belt from Harrison. He hasn’t
fought anyone like me before.”

Maloney, however, is convinced that ring rust will count against
Abelyan with Harrison having fought three times in the past 11
months. “Basically, I believe Abelyan and his people were scared of
losing the No 1 contender position and that’s why he’s not fought for
a year,” said Maloney. “He was holding out for the pay day but it will
be decisive on Saturday because Scott will be razor sharp in there.

“I know Abelyan says he isn’t worried about fighting away from home
but this is his first time outside the States and, if the Braehead
crowd get behind Scott like they have in the past, then Abelyan is
going to know exactly what passionate and hostile fans are like.”

The chief supporting contest tomorrow is an intriguing match for the
vacant EU super-featherweight title between popular Glaswegian Willie
Limond and French champion Youssef Djibaba.

The Scot, whose only loss in 21 contests was his British title defeat
at the hands of Alex Arthur a year ago, said: “That was a wake-up
call for me and I’ve learned from it.”

EURASEC Inter-State Council meets in Astana at summit level

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 18 2004

ASTANA, June 18 (Itar-Tass) – A session of the Inter-State Council of
the Eurasian Economic Community (EURASEC) opened here on Friday. The
presidents of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Tajikistan
are attending it. The president of Armenia, which has observer status,
is also present at the session.

The first meeting of the Council has been held in a narrow format,
without delegation members.

Presidential aide Sergei Prikhodko has told Itar-Tass that the
session’s agenda has about 20 items. These include the coordination
of positions at the negotiations for accession to the World Trade
Organisation, the implementation of the basic orientations of the
earlier approved fundamentals of the EURASEC cross-border (cooperation)
policy, a draft agreement on cooperation on the markets of securities,
and EURASEC interaction in the development of water and energy
resources in the catchment areas of the Amu-Darya and Syr-Darya rivers.

The candidacy of Chairman of the EURASEC Inter-State Council will be
considered separately at the summit, Prikhodko said. Russia suggests
that President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan keep the post. The
leaders will also discuss candidacy of Chairman of the EURASEC
Integration Committee.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Envoy Vague On Reported U.S. Push For Karabakh Peace
By Hrach Melkumian and Karine Kalantarian 18/06/2004 11:14

Radio Free Europe, Czech Republic
June 18 2004

U.S. Ambassador John Ordway stopped short Thursday of explicitly
confirming or refuting reports that the United States is pushing for
a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that would require an
Armenian pullout from occupied Azerbaijani lands before agreement on
the disputed region’s status.

Armenian opposition leaders and some media have claimed over the past
week that Washington has suggested that Azerbaijan lift its economic
blockade of Armenia in exchange for getting back three of its seven
districts surrounding Karabakh which were occupied by Armenian forces
during the 1991-94 war. They said the plan was put forward by Steven
Mann, the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, during a visit to
Yerevan late last month.

The speculation was heightened by Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s
talks in Washington this week with U.S. Secretary of State Colin
Powell and President George W. Bush’s top national security adviser,
Condoleeza Rice. The U.S. State Department said Karabakh topped the
agenda of the talks.

Asked by RFE/RL to comment on the claims, Ordway said: “The [U.S.,
French and Russian] co-chairs have not made any specific proposals in
this most recent round of discussions and negotiations. Normally it’s
not my role or responsibility to comment on the work of the co-chairs.
So I think that’s the best answer I can provide to you and still
not start going into the details of the negotiations, which is not
appropriate for me to do.”

“But if [my interpreter] has done his job and you look at it very
carefully, I think you will find the answer to your question,” he
added without elaborating.

Azerbaijani officials had said earlier that the conflicting parties and
the international mediators are discussing the possibility of reverting
to the so-called “step-by-step” strategy of conflict resolution,
preferred by Baku. Armenian officials have not explicitly denied this,
while making it clear that they still stand for a “package” peace
accord on all contentious issues, including Karabakh’s status. Oskanian
and his Azerbaijani counterpart, Elmar Mamedyarov, are scheduled to
meet in Prague on June 21 for the third time this year.

Ordway said it is up to the conflicting parties to choose between
the package and phased formulas. “Either variant would be fine with
us if it produced a settlement,” he said.

The Prague talks will take place against the backdrop of an escalation
of tension on the westernmost section of the heavily militarized border
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Armenian military has reported
that one of its officers was shot dead in a clash with Azerbaijani
forces last week. Azerbaijan’s Defense Ministry admitted on Wednesday
that its troops also sustained casualties.

“But the enemy suffered more,” the ministry spokesman, Ramiz Melikov,
told RFE/RL. “We don’t want to talk about numbers. They are not
important.” Melikov denied Armenian claims that the Azerbaijani army
violated the regime of ceasefire in the area by occupying a hill
in a no-man’s land overlooking a major water reservoir in Armenia’s
northeastern Tavush region.

But Colonel-General Mikael Harutiunian, chief of the Armenian army
staff, insisted on Yerevan’s version of events according to which
Armenian units had to dig in closer to the Azerbaijani positions to
forestall any damage to a facility which pumps irrigation water to
nearby villages. Harutiunian was due to visit Tavush later on Thursday.

Ordway described the fighting as “very worrisome” and urged both
sides to exercise “restraint.”

Turkish Ambassador Dismisses Reports on Opening Borders with Armenia

Baku Today
June 18 2004

Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan, Ahmed Unal Chevikoz, on Thursday
dismissed reports that his country is planning to open its gates
to Armenia.

Chevikoz said a report by Turkey’s independent NTV television
on alleged preparations to open the Turkish-Armenian borders is
groundless.

“NTV’s report is not accurate and there have been no change in the
official statements by the Turkish president, prime minister and
foreign minister on opening of the borders,” the ambassador told
reporters.

Chevikoz reiterated the preconditions his country has put forth on the
border issue; Armenians have to stop their propaganda on the so-called
Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey, give up territorial claims
against Ankara and withdraw from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.

Interview: Journalists and Writers Foundation acts in Accordance with Turkey’s Interests

Zaman, Turkey
June 18 2004

The Journalists and Writers Foundation has celebrated its 10th
anniversary. The foundation, established in January 1994, by a group
of journalists and writers, including Fethullah Gülen, has realized
many national and international activities in accordance with its
mission, that is, to promote communal consensus and global peace.

The foundation, introducing itself with the tolerance awards it gives
to people from different sectors, under the framework of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Tolerance Year, has also started ‘dialogue iftars’ (evening meals
during Ramadan),’ that many civil and official institutions support.
At a time when nobody considered making dialogue with Jews and
Christians, the foundation took important steps in this regard. It
also backed world peace efforts. The Abant meetings are the most
conspicuous activities of the foundation. Apart from the Abant
Platform, that conducted its activities in Turkey for six years and
then expanded abroad, the Eurasia Dialogue Platform and Intercultural
Dialogue Platform are also organizations being closely watched by the
whole world. While the former is a meeting point of Eurasian
intellectuals, the latter focuses on intercultural dialogue.
Naturally, some questions arise about the foundation realizing
international activities with such great costs. We asked President
Harun Tokak about the foundation’s 10-year process:

You have carried out activities not seen in the branches of
Journalism and Authorship. Why such a choice?

Job institutions such as, the Journalists’ Association of Turkey
(TGC), dealing with job applications and the problems encountered on
that issue, is already in existence. We considered it unnecessary to
do the same thing. I say this here to explain what triggered us to
establish such a foundation, not meaning that we will not be tackling
the problems and the projects of the employees.

What was the deficiency in you opinion?

The journalists and authors are from the intellectual section of
society. To a certain extent, they present this intellectual
accumulation through the media. However, looking at the process the
world is going through, we see that what countries like us need is
not only thousands of years of accumulation, but also other factors
contributing to the process. The presentation of views by the media
was not enough for us. We felt that people with different views and
different beliefs reflect the richness of our country and should
unite physically. We wanted to stress the importance of talking face
to face and sharing the same places.

Have you reached your goals?

At the opening session of the foundation’s establishment, our
honorary President Fethullah Gülen said: “Turkey will not give up on
democracy,” and this remark gained unexpected publicity. This not
only showed the need for democracy in Turkey but also elucidated the
fact that religious sects do not consider democracy as a hurdle
before Islam. We need to recognize and embrace each other. On the
11th of February, 1995, during the iftar we gave at the Polat
Renaissance Hotel, people from different sects constitued a colorful
picture. On January 4, 1996, our foundation gave ‘Tolerance Awards’
on the occasion of the ‘Tolerance Year.’ The corroboration was such
that the whole Turkey was excited. For instance we organized a World
XI versus Turkey XI match to draw attention to the tragedy in
Bosnia-Herzegovina. The proceeds from that game were sent to three
Turkish schools in Bosnia. Children from Bosnia, Serbia and Croatia
are now being educated at these Turkish schools. We are sure that
these children will not make the mistakes their fathers made.

The foundation generates anti-theses against the clash of
civilizations and organizes meetings on civilization dialogues. Why
do you focus on these issues? Is it because you feel a possible clash
may also happen in Turkey?

Yes, during that period the study thesis was very intense. On one
hand there was the clash of civilizations thesis, and on the other
hand, the polarizations in Turkey. For this reason we organized the
first international meeting under the name, “From Clash of
Civilizations to Dialogue.” Both native and foreign, so many
scientists delivered messages of global peace and consensus. But the
main issue we focused on was the problems our country was
encountering. There were issues that would cause tension in Turkey as
our people took different sides in the Turk-Kurd, Alevi-Sunni,
secular-anti secular conflicts. Fortunately, these problems no longer
exist in that dimension. During those years, the differences between
cultures were exaggerated on purpose. This communal psychology made
the Abant meetings known publicly. The need to discuss our country’s
problems emerged. A great many people, from atheists to theologians,
from liberals to nationalists, participated in the first Abant
Meeting that was held in 1998. The meetings lasted for six years, and
this year it expanded abroad. The intitution’s founding president is
Prof. Dr. Mehmet Aydin, currently a state minister. Carrying the
meetings to the international level was proposed at the last Abant
Meeting. The Advisory Board then made a decision in accordance with
this proposal. We held the first meeting abroad in Washington, the
second will be held in Brussels in December, before Turkey gets a
[negotiation] date from the European Union (EU).

Your interregional activities have been widely supported by a
substantial part of the society. Why do you give so much importance
to these relations?

There may naturally be people criticizing, not appreciating and even
considering the activities not enough. The important point here is
that if we are to attain global peace, we should not overlook the
religion fact. If peace and consensus among religions are ensured,
international relations will also improve. We invited the Armenian
patriarch to our iftar dinner; now every year the esteemed Patriarch
Mesrob II invites Muslims to iftar meals himself. In 2000, we held
the “Forefather Abraham Symposium.” in Harran and representatives
from the three Abrahamic religions came together at this symposium.
These meetings are of paramount importance, since they also play a
lobby role in the EU. Even Mesrob went to the EU and drew attention
to the importance of Turkey being a member of the Union. Global peace
and Turkey’s interests are closely related with dialogue and
consensus among religions. Turkey wants to compete with the modern
world, but before that, it must structure the bridges between the
sects in society. Our ultimate goal is to make contributions so that
Turkey achieves its targets.

Many institutions, after a while, have supported some of your
activities. Now everybody gives iftar meals. What do you think about
this? Do you feel disturbed?

No, we certainly do not feel disturbed. Anyway, we do all these
things in order to make our culture known. This is our aim , and the
process shows that we are following a correct procedure. The dialogue
efforts should be supported. These activities should be more
widespread through conscientious efforts.

You have made Abant Platform known internationally by carrying it
abroad for the first time. Did the Abant meeting in Washington catch
up with the same level as that of Turkey?

World-renowned academicians, Esposito and Fukuyama took part in the
meetings. The academicians from the United States know Turkey and
Middle East very well and speak Turkish fluently. Apart from Kemal
Dervis, (former Turkish economy minister), the permanent Abant
participants came to the meeting on behalf of Turkey. I observed that
the culture of dialogue and consensus that we call ‘Abant Soil’ was
spreading in Washington.

Some commentators say the US hosted these meetings in order to
realize its dreams of a Greater Middle East Project. Did Washington
Abant serve the aims of the United States in the Middle East?

We never accept claims of this sort. Because by the time we made a
decision to hold the Washington Abant Meeting, there was no such
issue as the Greater Middle East Project. State Minister Mehmet Aydin
gave an important lecture at that meeting. Aydin, evaluating the
Greater Middle East Project, said more or less the following: “If
this a project to unify the Middle Eastern countries, the democracy
tree cannot be planted by force. Democracy will come to the Middle
East through will power.” I personally agree with Aydin on this
point. Another participant, Mithat Melen, said: “Turkish
intellectuals paid their own money to tell the Americans something.
Since the Americans and Europeans invited us, we went to talk.” This
comment is important as it explains the aim of the meeting. In all
our activities, the interests of our country and nation come first.
As an international organization, we have a say on the issue of the
Greater Middle East Project, and we are for the interests of Turkey.

You work on a line extending from the US to the Middle East and send
many people abroad. How can you finance these activities?

This is a question asked frequently. This was a topical issue
especially when the last Abant Meeting was held. Comments that we
were financed by a U.S.foundation and about our honorary President
Fethullah Gülen were made. It is true that we stage big
organizations, but our main financial support comes from the
sponsors. We find sponsors for all the organizations we make. The
official institutions also contribute sometimes. For example during
the tenure of esteemed Istemihan Talay, we received support from the
Culture Ministry. We have also applied to the present ministry, and
expect a reply from them. And about the incomes of our fund. We
organized the Washington Abant and Mardin meetings with our own
incomes. Anyway, the Anatolian people’s generosity saves you from
many expenses. This is our cultural richness. It is not true that we
pay the people we take there. These claims are false. For instance,
the journalists who send their news reports pay from their own
pockets. Besides, the university students of John Hopkins themselves
paid for the conference room. The total amount we paid for the
meetings was US$50,000. We could afford this through our foundation’s
incomes. In addition, the budget of the meeting held in Mardin was
US$100,000 in all. Apart from the sponsors’ assistance, we make up
the rest from the foundation’s incomes.

Fethullah Gulen is being talked about frequently. What is the
relation between Gulen and your foundation?

Our relations with Gulen is always a discussion issue. The esteemed
Gulen was among the founders in the early years. Then he became the
honorary president. All the relations with him are as such. We run
our work as platforms, as intercultural platforms, the Abant Platform
and the Dialogue Platforms. These platforms work independently.
Namely, the decision mechanism is not Gulen, but the board of
presidents. It decides on the time and place of the meetings. People
with different kinds of beliefs take part in the Advisory Board.

The foundation gives importance to unifying people from different
origins and different beliefs. Do the opposing views disturb you?

Let alone disturbing, they are good for us. This is the very positive
side of the meetings. Our aim is to make people of different beliefs
come together and talk. This was not possible 10 years ago, but today
it is considered natural and an ‘Abant Soil’ has come to Turkey.

It is interesting that different cultures come together and talk
about country issues. What is the reason that makes you reach a
consensus so easily?

Of course, consensus does not come easily. Many problems exist. For
example, in the first Abant meetings the debates were very tense.
People were even offended. Some of them even left the meetings, there
was a war of words. However, in the end we saw that it difficult to
be in the same atmosphere and maintain our differences, but it is not
impossible! We witnessed that every section can come around a table
and discuss at high intellectual level. The first Abants and the ones
that followed were different because of this. In my opinion, the
barriers between people collapsed. We have learned to live together.
All the enterprise and efforts are for the furtherance of our
country.

06.18.2004
ZAFER OZCAN

Armenian Troops Move Positions Closer to Azeri Village in Qazakh, Residents Say
Baku Today 18/06/2004 13:37

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
June 18 2004

Residents of Mazam village in Azerbaijan’s western Qazakh District,
which borders Armenia, have started resettling their minor children
to inner villages as Armenian troops are moving their positions closer
to the village, ANS reported on Thursday.

Residents said Armenians have moved their positions towards a road
connecting the village with the rest of the district. They also
said the road has come under intensive attacks by Armenians over the
last week.

Meanwhile, Chief of Staff of the Armenian army, Michael Arutunian,
said on Wednesday that an Armenian officer was killed in a clash
with Azerbaijani forces along the country’s northeastern frontier,
France Press Agency reported.

Arutunian reportedly blamed Azeri forces on clashes that occurred in
the border, saying that the latter attempted to take control over
a position on a hilltop east of Idzhevan, an important road and
rail center.

The Armenian Chief of Staff also claimed that several troops on the
Azeri side were killed in the clashes.

The press office of Azerbaijan’s ministry of defense dismissed the
claims about an attack by the Azeri army. Ilqar Verdiyev, a press
officer, told the Baku Today that Azerbaijan’s army positions in
the Qazakh District have been attacked by Armenians on a regular
base lately.

Verdiyev said the Azeri troops have answered the enemy fittingly.
“There have been no casualties on our side,” he added.

Parents told no new Melkonian class this year
By Jean Christou

Cyprus Mail
June 18 2004

PARENTS who believed they had registered their children for the
first year at the Melkonian Educational Institute (MEI) were shocked
yesterday when they were told no such class would be operated from
September this year.

Troupia Samonian told the Cyprus Mail yesterday that she had enrolled
her primary school-age daughter for the first year of secondary school
at the Armenian school weeks ago but when she went yesterday with
another parent, they were told that no children were being registered
for the new school year.

Parents were also told that entrance exam dates for graduates from
the Armenian Elementary Nareg in Nicosia, Larnaca, Limassol, scheduled
for yesterday and today had been cancelled.

The New York-based Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), which
plans to close the 78-year old school in June 2005, despite fierce
opposition, had invited parents to enroll their children for day school
in September. The advertisement in early May said registration would
take place from May 19. Those who recently contacted the school were
told their children could not be registered because they had missed
the deadline. However, no deadline was specified in the advertisement.

Samonian was one of the parents who registered early, but she said
when she went to MEI yesterday she was told there would be no class
for her daughter to attend.

“I registered three weeks ago and I sat back thinking my daughter
would be attending school in September,’ she told the Mail yesterday.
“I was totally surprised that they had changed their minds again.”
She said that she was not even informed of the situation until she
visited the school yesterday.

Samonian said that when she asked to see the principal, she was
instead directed to Gordon Anderson, the representative of the AGBU
in Cyprus. He told her there would be no registrations for the school
year but recalled that there had been an advertisement telling parents
they could enroll their children for the new school year.

“He remembered but it was all changed,” she said. “I asked why
parents were not informed and why no one had bothered to call about
the changed decision. This concerns our children`s futures and we
didn’t know about it.”

Samonian said all she managed to get out of them was a lot of “blah
blah blah”. ‘The only conclusion we can draw is that they plan to
close down the school at all costs,” she said.

Anderson told the Cyprus Mail that they had decided not to run the
first-year class from September because so few parents had applied
to register their children. Asked why parents had not been informed
that the class would not be run, he said: “It’s not my responsibility.”

However sources told the Mail that the teachers were also in the dark
about what was going on so they could not have informed the parents
there would be no class.

“They have backtracked and now are not accepting anyone,” said a
member of the school’s alumni, who are trying to fight the closure
decision. The alumni believe the AGBU wants to get its hands on the
property, worth £40 million and sell it to developers.

“It was a nice little trick,” said the alumni member. “They are also
in the process of shutting down the school’s website and plan to fire
the local board over the summer. Verbally they are saying one thing
but they are doing another.”

Yesterday, seven parents from the Armenian primary school in Larnaca
wrote to the Education Minister asking for his intervention and
enclosing a letter to the AGBU asking why their children were being
denied an Armenian education.

A MONKEY TO EACH OFFICIAL?

A1 Plus | 14:34:20 | 17-06-2004 | Social |

The protest action held for defense of the political prisoners
near the General Office of Prosecutor has today ended in the unique
awards. Eleonora Manandyan, Chair of “New Armenia” social organization
introduced 3 statues of monkeys – the prizes set for attitude towards
the political prisoners. {BR}

The statue of the monkey closing its eyes with own hands, “I see
nothing”, was given to Armenian Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan.

The monkey with closed ears, “I hear nothing” was awarded to Pargev
Ohanyan, Judge of the First Instance Court of Kentron-Norq Marash
Communes, for the trial of Edgar Araqelyan.

“I say nothing”, the monkey closing its mouth, was given to Public
TV Company of Armenia. Other representatives of Mass Media as well,
“H2”, “Armenia”, “Arm News”, “Yerevan” TV Companies could win the
latter prize. But Public TV Company was preferred.

“The pickets proved that one can achieve his purposes just by
overcoming the sense of fear. We will keep fighting and will carry
it through”, Manandyan says.

Opposition representatives were present for the award. Albert Bazeyan
thinks a Grand Prix was to be handed to Robert Kocharyan.

All the prizes will be sent to the “winners” after the protest action.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress