ARMENIAN MP IN CYPRUS WANTS MELKONIAN TO REOPEN

Financial Mirror
July 9 2008
Cyprus

Representative of the Armenian religious group at the House of
Representatives Vartkes Mahdessian will not be raising an issue
of right to vote in the parliament so as not to complicate matters
regarding the Cyprus problem with the changes to the Constitution
that this move would demand, but intends nevertheless to discuss his
participation in meetings of the House Defence Committee after the
decision for obligatory army service of male members of religious
groups.

In an interview with CNA, Mahdessian describes his seat in the
parliament as iconic but notes that much progress has been made and
expresses hope that over the remaining three years of his term he
would manage to meet the aims set out by the religious group.

He adds that a quarterly bulletin is posted to all members of the
religious group, containing his activities, and that he operates a
well-equipped office with full-time staff, while committees of the
religious group have been active in various fields and have produced
results.

Asked if the representation of the religious groups in the House of
Representatives is satisfactory, Mahdessian notes that "sometimes I
feel our presence is iconic."

"We participate in the House Education Committee and I must admit that
its Chairman, in all meetings, gives us the floor, but we cannot submit
draft legislation, we cannot vote in the Committee or the Plenary,
and these are disadvantages," he points out.

Mahdessian wants the criterion for knowledge of the Greek language in
order to qualify for a position in the civil service and other sectors
to be revised, so that the members of the Armenian religious group
are not at a disadvantage compared to the Greek Cypriot applicants.

He also requests the reappointment of the Presidential Commissioner
for Religious Groups, who will coordinate and monitor the course of
various problems faced by the religious groups, namely the Armenians,
Maronites and Latins.

Mahdessian says the decision of the University of Cyprus to enroll
students with international exams opens new horizons, adding that
Cyprus should learn to behave as a European country.

He furthermore expresses hope that Melkonian, the Armenian school,
and the woods around it, with each tree being planted by an orphan
whose parents were killed during the Armenian Genocide, will be
spared from commercial construction. Mahdessian notes that for the
time being the issue is at a standstill, since it is being used to
host a state school.

Mahdessian says the Armenians of Cyprus did not have a say in the final
decision, since the decision-making centre is in New York. However,
he managed, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, to
register Melkonian as a protected building.

Replying to questions, Mahdessian said a total of 165 children are
enrolled at the Nareq junior schools in Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca.

Regarding the Armenian monastery in the Turkish occupied areas,
Mahdessian notes that it is dilapidated with no immediate prospects
of restoration, adding that for the first time since the 1974 Turkish
invasion about 250 Armenians were allowed to organise a pilgrimage
to the monastery, not without obstacles.

Asked about his relationship with Yerevan, capital of Armenia,
Mahdessian says efforts were being made to promote contact with the
Armenian Ambassador in Athens, who is however accredited to other
countries as well.

"Armenia is a new state and is facing huge problems but we are trying
with all our might to further improve the relationship between Cyprus
and Armenia, which are friendly," he points out.