REMEMBERING OUR FREEDOM FIGHTERS AND OUR SAINT

11 June, 2004 – (Gibrahayer) – Last weekend, the Armenian community of
Cyprus, in two separate events remembered the people, who with their
presence in the history of our nation and through their presence
in our lives, changed the course of the history of our nation and
changed our perceptions on life.

The Dashnakstoutiun family remembered the “Davids” of our nation who
under impossible and uneven circumstances dreamed of freedom and a
better future for our nation. In a commemorative gathering at AYMA
on June 5, 2004 more than 200 community members heard Archbishop
Hergelian and speaker of the day Harout Tahmazian pointing out the
importance of the days of May 28, 1918 which started the process of
our nation’s, state building.

The following day on Sunday June 6, around 120 community members
gathered at Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church for the 40 day memorial of
Archbishop Zareh Aznavourian who served in Cyprus from 1977-1983.

While we are in constant search to try to find solutions to the
everyday challenges of our community, the spirit of the freedom
fighters of 1918, will always remain a source of inspiration to strive
for better things for our community through the every day decisions
that we all take, remembering that the super men of May were people,
like each and every one of us.

Finally, while we seek spiritual guidance to accomplish what we feel
is important, we will always remember our own Saint, Archbishop Zareh
Aznavourian, who for most of us was undoubtedly a divine being on
earth, through whom we learned to love better, and to forgive. But our
Saint’s presence in our lives was much more than that. He helped us
filter our life to see and decide what is important, and what is not,
what is real and what is not.

For that collective strength that our Saints provide us with, we are
eternally grateful. The least we can do is remember them by mapping
aspects of their lives on to ours.

Images from both events can be viewed at
:

ARMENIANS KILL AZERI OFFICER
Azrebaijani TV report that Armenians kill Azeri officer and wound soldier

ANS TV report , Baku 7 Jun 04 – The chief of a battalion, Capt Zaur
Ismayilov, 28, became a martyr today when Armenians fired from their
positions in the village of Horadiz at the Azerbaijani positions in
the village of Cocuq Marcanli, near Iranian border in southwestern
Azerbaijan at 5:00 a.m. local time.

The 19-year-old soldier Bagirov Ramil Vagifoglu was wounded. This
was confirmed by the head of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry’s
press service, Ramiz Malikov. It was impossible to take the body of
the officer away until retaliatory fire forced the Armenians to stop,
ANS TV’s Karabakh bureau reports, quoting local residents. The wounded
soldier was rushed to a military hospital. According to another report
from the Defence Ministry, units of the Armenian armed forces fired
from a point 1.5 kilometres northeast of Berkaber village [in Armenia]
in Idzhevan District at the Azerbaijani positions in the village of
Qizil Hacili in Qazax District a few hours before midnight for about
twenty minutes on 6 June.

>>From the same point and from a point located 1.4 kilometres southeast
of the occupied village of Xeyrimli in Qazax District, the Armenians
subjected the village of Mazam in Qazax District to fire from assault
rifles and large-calibre machine guns in the early hours of June
7. The enemy was forced to stop by retaliatory fire in both cases.

CYPRUS PREPARES FOR EURO PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS

Nicosia – Friday June 11 (Gibrahayer) Cyprus prepares for its first
European Parliament elections this Sunday, in which nearly sixty
candidates will be contesting the six Cyprus seats.

The fiercely contested pre-election campaign that ends tonight,
failed to address the political, economic and social issues facing the
European Union and perhaps understandably concentrated on the solution
of the Cyprus problem and the position of the candidates. Most of the
pre-election campaign evolved around the resurrection or not of the
Anan Plan, the stance of the Government towards the economic assistance
towards the Turkish Cypriots, prospects of solution in the EU as well
as the feud in the Democratic Rally Party in which a great friend
of the Armenian people Eleni Theocharous ( )
is running.

The Armenian community of Cyprus was also targeted by candidates who
paid frequent visits to organisations seeking our vote. The Socialist
EDEK Party ( ) circulated a flyer in Armenian, while Arto
Malian ( ) hopes to make a statement with his candidacy
as the first Armenian candidate seeking an EU Parliament seat.

Although the results of the vote will be known only hours after the
elections, they will be announced just before midnight.

CONSTRUCTION OF AIRPORT TERMINAL TO TAKE ZVARTNOTS TO NEW HEIGHTS

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–Construction of a new terminal at Armenia’s main
international airport began on Monday by the Argentine Corporaion America
Company
managing the project.

Representatives of the Argentine company and Armenian government
ministers inaugurated the start of construction, describing it as
the first stage of the reconstruction of Zvartnots airport, which
is to conform to international standards with the completion of the
project. The airport’s commercial director Juan-Pablo Guechigian,
said the project would cost at least $42 million.

Justice Minister David Harutiunian, who oversees project
implementation, said the new three-story building is slated for
completion by 2007, and added that its ground floor, available for
passenger use, will be ready at the end of next year, as well as
construction of the upper floors.

Argentinean Armenian Eduardo Eurnekian, who operates 33 airports
across South America, owns Corporacion America which signed a 30-year
management contract with the Armenian government in December 2001
and took over Zvartnots several months later.

Officials in Yerevan said earlier that the reconstruction will enable
Zvartnots to handle at least 1.2 million passengers a year. Up to
800,000 people presently arrive at and depart from the airport each
year. Eurnekian reportedly looks to transform the airport into a
major transit hub for long-haul flights between Europe and Asia.

DASHNAKTSOUTIUN’S MARGARIAN MEETS WITH FRANCE’S SOCIALIST PARTY
REPRESENTATIVE
Announces the establishment of Hrair Maroukhian Foundation

PARIS (ARF Press Office)–Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau
representative Hrant Margarian congratulated France’s Socialist Party
first secretary François Hollande for his party’s firm stance on
Turkey’s entry into the European Union, suggesting the party exert
efforts to convince other European socialist parties to follow
suit. Hollande confirmed that he has pursued the matter with newly
elected President of the European Socialist Party Poul Nyrup Rasmussen,
and will work more actively in the coming weeks to push the issue.
The two met at the Paris headquarters of the Socialist Party on June 3.

Hollande explained that though it was not possible to get an ARF
representative to an electable position in the upcoming European
Parliament elections, he assured that the matter would be resolved in
time for other European and French elections. Noting ARF’s integral
participation in Socialist International, Margarian said the ARF
of Armenia, as a coalition government partner, is able to advance
socialist ideology through its activities, and works toward Armenia’s
European integration. The Bureau representative invited Hollande
to visit Armenia as a guest of the ARF, on the occasion of General
Assembly of CIS Socialist parties; Hollande accepted.

Margarian revealed that the ARF plans to establish the Hrair Maroukhian
Foundation to follow the example of France’s Jean Juares Foundation,
which seeks to foster democracy and social justice by assisting
Socialist International party members in the “new democracies” that
emerged following the collapse of dictatorships in Latin America,
Europe, Asia, and Africa. Hollande promised to collaborate with the
ARF on the venture.

Also participating during the meeting between Holland and Margarian
were France’s Socialist Party international secretary Philip Cordery
and ARF Western Europe Central Committee members Mourad Papazian and
Charles Papazian.

During a joint press conference that followed, Hollande announced
that in a recent letter he appealed to the president of Turkey to
address the issue and recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The sides also announced that a joint ARF, Socialist Party of France
announcement had been signed that calls for Turkey’s recognition of
the Armenian Genocide and calls on [European] citizens to cast their
votes in favor of Socialist party candidates.

 
NEWS IN BRIEF

– Foreign ministry spokesman Gamlet Gasparian said that dozens of
Armenian pilots are being forced to find work in Africa because the
state aviation company Armenian Airlines, has been declared bankrupt
and is facing a Russian takeover.

– A one-day seminar on Khomeini’s Thoughts and Views was organised by
the Iranology Department of Yerevan University and Iran’s cultural
advisor to Armenia. The seminar was attended by Armenian scholars
and politicians.

– The Armenian Chess Academy has decided to organise an Internet
Chess Tournament in December of this year, in which the four best
countries -China, India, Russia and Armenia – will take part.

– Steven Mann, the new U.S. chief negotiator on Nagorno-Karabakh,
paid an unexpected and low-key visit to Yerevan which officials said
focused on international efforts to resolve the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict. Mann had separate meetings with President Robert Kocharian
and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian for the second time in six weeks.

– About 5,000 anti-government protesters defied an order by the mayor
of the Armenian capital and held a rally Friday, the latest in a
two-months-long series of protests aimed at forcing the resignation
of President Robert Kocharian.

GIBRAHAYER MOBILE ALERTS

Gibrahayer are initiating Gibrahayer mobile alerts, a mobile sms
notification service about upcoming events and happenings as well as
important news related to Armenia and Cyprus.

If you would like to subscribe to this service, you can do so
by sending an sms to 99437073 with your subscription notification
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unsubscribe you can send a notification reading: TS

The service will begin on a trial run for FREE from July 2004. Details
to follow.

Friday June 11, 2004. Gibrahayer – Nicosia.
RECOMMENDED SITES  

g i b r a h a y    c a l e n d a r

* Armenian Independence celebrations in Cyprus: Images from the TASHDAHANTES
of the 86th anniversary of The Armenian Republic as well as the Memorial
service in memory of Archbishop Zareh Aznavourian at:

* Memorial Service in memory of Hnchakian Ksan Gakhaghanner. Sunday June 13,
2004 at at Sourp Asdvadzadzin Church, Nicosia.

* A Tour to Armenia is being organised by the Central Executive of Hamazkayin
from August 20-September 3, 2004 with the participation of members and
friends from Armenian diaspora communities. Trips to Karabagh are also
scheduled. To
receive more info and to apply for the trip please contact the Cyprus
Hamazkayin committee members until June 30 2004.

* The Armenian Prelature of Cyprus announces that the next permit for the
Armenian Cemetery visitation at Ayios Dhometios on the Green line, is scheduled
for this Sunday June 13, 2004.

* HAMAZKAYIN FORUM 2004 The 10th Forum, Lebanon:From July 12-18 (Optional)
Armenia: From July 19-31, 2004. Thought provoking lectures, trips to historic
and amazing destinations, and nights of dancing and entertainment are only some
of the Forum highlights. For many Armenian students across the globe, the
Hamazkayin Summer Forum is one of the most anticipated events of the year.
Those
interested should visit the website for more details on how to apply.

* If you are in London don’t miss this year’s SUMMER’S BOAT PARTY date: This
Saturday 12 June ’04, venue: The Yacht Club, Temple Pier, Victoria Embankment
WC2,  closest tube: Temple (circle & district line), time: 9:30pm to 3:00am,
entrance: £6 before 11pm £8 after age: strictly 18+ (id may be required) HAPPY
HOUR: 10:30pm to 11:30pm ALL DRINKS £2.50 music: Resident Josey Kray + FBI
Squad will be playing the hottest and latest hip hop & rnb tracks to rock da
boat. Plenty of Armenian, Arabic & Iranian, xtra: MC Battle to take place
Unofficial freestylers on show Top deck open to chill out and enjoy the amazing
view
Plenty of free parking close-by (map will be sent week before party) contact:
John 07961 166 969, Mel 07957 278 122 HYEvents@aol.com

* JOURNEY TO ANATOLIA 2004
13th. August 2004 – 28th.August 2004
– Flights – Istanbul – Kayseri  (2004-08-13)
               Kars – Istanbul  (2004-08-28)
Airport Transfers*Boat Transfers*Package of Excursions*All Entrances for
Museums & Sights*Guide Interpreter*Overnight stay in 4 star Hotels with
breakfast
(only double rooms)
Price: EURO  1150 – Inquiry:
Alfrant Bedros Tel:00491739026590 Email: alfrant@hotmail.com
Journey details  (details are posted, as sent to us by the organiser)

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