OSKANYAN IS ALMOST ITALIAN
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| 17:41:24 | 26-09-2005 | Official |
On September 24 in Verona, Italy, the RA Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan was awarded the “Great Venice Gold Award” (Grosso d’Oro
Veneziano). Oskanyan was awarded the medal of the Italian MASI Fund
for his contribution to the process of Armenian integration into
the European structures and the enhancing of the Armenian-Italian
relations.
In this connection Vardan Oskanyan made a speech in the 25th solemn
ceremony in the Verona St. George Church of the 8th century where
he referred to the determination of Armenia to develop according to
the European standards, to the inner development of the country, the
Armenian-Italian relations, as well as represented the events of the
Armenian-Italian friendship days to be organized in Yerevan in October.
The MASI fund was founded and is now headed by the inheritors of the
Italian poet Dante Alighieri. Every year distinguished representatives
in the literature, art, science, and economy fields are awarded these
medals. They are usually awarded to Italians.
Up to now the only foreign politician who had won the award was the
former President of Slovenia Milan Kuchan.