VARDAN OSKANYAN RECEIVED FAMOUS AMERICAN ARMENIAN WRITER PETER BALAKIAN
ArmenPress
Sept 2 2004
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign minister Vardan
Oskanyan received yesterday famous American Armenian writer Peter
Balakian who is on his second visit to Armenia on the invitation of
Writers’ Union of Armenian and Armenian General Benevolent Union.
According to foreign minister press services, Balakian presented his
impressions from Armenia and talked about his meetings at Writers’
Union and Academy of Sciences where he was granted the titles of
honorable member of Writers’ Union and honorable doctor of Academy
of Sciences. He also conferred on his future plans.
The two talked about Peter Balakian’s writings on Armenian themes
thanks to which the issue of Armenian Genocide has stepped out of
academic circles and become a point of interest for larger public.
With respect to this, the two talked about possibilities of involving
the theme in different branches of art.
Oskanyan briefed Balakian on preparatory works for 90th anniversary of
Armenian Genocide. American Armenian writer also displayed interest in
the present pace of Armenian-American and Armenian-Turkish relations.
Peter Balakian is the author of 5 poetry collections. He is a historian
and a faculty member of Corgate University. He has written “The Black
Dog of Fate” and “Burning Tigris” novels. The Armenian translation of
the first and the publication of the second has been recently presented
in Yerevan. “The Black Dog of Fate” was awarded with Pen/Albrand title
in 1998 and “Burning Tigris” with the title of Outstanding Book and
Bestseller of New York Times.