Author: Karagyozian Lena

ARMENIAN CYCLISTS TIGRAN KORKOTIAN AND ARAM BELELIAN ENTER FINAL STAGE OF SECOND GROUP OF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
Jun 28, 2007

CAPE TOWN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The group tournament of the public
cycling race of the second group of the world championship was
held in the city of Cape Town in the South African Republic on June
27. Two representatives from Armenia won in the preliminary stage
and qualified for the final one. In the struggle with 24 strongest
participants Tigran Korkotian gathered 40.733km/h speed in a 15km
race and took fifth place. Aram Belalian took 12th place, however
Vazgen Ghulijanian did not reach the final stage.

The participants of the tournament will compete in a highway cycling
race.

The three Armenian cyclists will also take part in the competition.

DIASPORA ONLY SOURCE OF SUPPORT FOR ARMENIA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2007

YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. The Diaspora is the only source of support
for Armenia’s healthcare system, President of the Armenian Medical
International Committee Jean Arakelyan stated at the opening of the
2nd international medical congress in Yerevan.

According to him, the reason is the medical celebrities in the Armenian
Diaspora, who are ready to contribute to the development of Armenia’s
medical sphere.

The Diasporan medical associations and their unification is of
importance for the consolidation of Armenia’s healthcare system,
Arakelyan said.

He pointed out that the Diaspora is ready to support Armenia in
implementing the "Armenia without Cigarettes" program as well as
to study further opportunities for implementing various cooperation
programs.

Speaking of the medical congress being held in Armenia, Arakelyan
pointed out the necessity for holding similar congresses in the
countries with Armenian communities, which will allow foreign
specialists to be connected with Armenia’s medical system.

He reported that the 10th congress of doctors from the Armenian
Diaspora is to be held in New York in 2009.

Among over 2,000 prospective the participants in the congress
are specialists from Armenia, the NKR, Russia, the USA, Canada,
Great Britain, Germany, France, Iran, Lebanon, Romania, Australia,
Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Belgium and Argentina.

The 1st international medical congress was held in 2003.

Regular medical congresses have been held outside Armenia since 1974
on the initiative of the Armenian Medical International Committee
(AMIC). The last, 9th, congress of Armenian doctors was held in San
Francisco, USA, in 2005.

RA DEFENCE MINISTER AND AMBASSADOR OF RUSSIAN FEDERATION TO ARMENIA DISCUSS ISSUES CONCERNING ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY COOPERATION

Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Mikayel Haroutiunian, the RA Minister
of Defence, and Nikolay Pavlov, the Ambassador Extraordinaire and
Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to Armenia, discussed
issues of bilateral interest, as well as the current state and
further development prospects of military and military-technical
cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries during the
June 26 meeting.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Defence
MInistry, the two sides also touched upon the developments taking
place in the region at the end of the meeting.

9% OF ARMENIAN HOUSEHOLDS STILL USE WOOD AS FUEL FOR HEATING AND FOOD MAKING

Noyan Tapan
Jun 27 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The report-manual "Economic Study of
Armenia’s Forest and Woodworking Sector" contains information about
wood consumption, cash flows in the woodworking sector, exports
of wood and finished articles made of wood, as well as the current
environmental protection problems. Manuk Hergnian, representative
of the research center "Economy and Values" said at the June 27
presentation of the manual that studies showed that 9% of Armenian
households still use wood as fuel for heating and food making.

According to him, the annual amount of wood used by over 300 small
and medium-size woodworking enterprises is ten times as much as
the amount envisaged by state norms. The revenues of the Armenian
woodworking sector, including revenues from the export of expensive
wood, amount to 132 million dollars a year.

In the words of Jeffrey Tufenkian, the chairman of "Armenian Forests"
NGO, the report throws light on one of the most obsure sectors of the
Armenian economy. He considered the manual as an excellent basis from
shifting from deforestation to forest restoration in the country.

Janet Clozer, OSCE Armenia Office executive on economic and
environmental protection issues, presented the position of
international organizations on this issue, noting that their objective
is to assist the Armenian authorities and public with sustainable
forest management. According to her, increasing the awareness and the
creation of national capacities represent important steps in order
to prevent illegal tree cutting and to restore the environmental
protection and economic values of Armenian forests.

The British Charge d’Affaires in Armenia Richard Hyde also expressed a
willingness to assist with the implementation of this initiative. He
expressed a hope that the above mentioned report will launch a
process to help preserve Armenian forests for the present and future
generations.

According to the proposals presented in the report, the problem of
deforestation should be solved through such measures as provision of
gas supply to border villages, use of microcredits to cover preliminary
costs of gas supply, imposing a ban on the export of building wood
from Armenia, use of alternative energy resources, and development
of ecotourism.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER PRESENTS GOVERNMENT ACTIVITY PROGRAMME

ArmInfo
2007-06-26 10:49:00

The settlement of the accumulated social -economic problems will be
in the focus of attention of the Armenian Government for the coming
five years, Prime Minister of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan said presenting
the Government activity programme in the Armenian National Assembly,
Tuesday.

He said that after May 12 parliamentary election in the country
a political coalition was formed through consultations with the
major parliamentary political forces. The coalition, in its turn,
formed the Government, which pledged to wage a unique policy. "The
executive power has faced a heavy task. We started building a new life
overcoming the economic crisis, aggravated social conflicts, party
and ideological disagreements. As a result, the life of the country’s
citizen is gradually changing to better," the prime minister said. He
also added that he sees Armenia’s safe future and an opportunity for
every citizen to show his abilities. He believes the spiritual unity
of the people, mutual respect and atmosphere of trust prior to boost
the country’s development. In this connection, the premier cited the
famous Armenian philosopher of Middle Age Nerses Shnorhali who thought
"unity, freedom and love for everyone" the most important.

V. OSKANIAN EXPRESSES HOPE THAT FUTURE TURKISH GOVERNMENTWILL CHANGE ITS POSITION ON ISSUE OF OPENING BORDERS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 26, 2007

ISTANBUL, JUNE 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian had a number of bilateral meetings within the framework
of the Summit of Black Sea Economic Cooperation organization on June
25 in Istanbul. During the meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister
and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, Minister Oskanian reaffirmed
Armenia’s position in the direction of normalizing the relations
without any preconditions.

The interlocutors also discussed the latest developments in the
negotiations over Nagorno Karabakh settlement. The Turkish Foreign
Minister mentioned that his country is interested in quick and fair
settlement of the conflict.

According to the Milliyet daily, the RA Foreign Minister touching
upon Armenian-Turkish relations at the BSEC Summit, blamed Turkey for
not undertaking any measures to normalize relations. "If you treat
seriously the subject of starting a dialogue, then first of all open
the borders," V.

Oskanian stated.

During the press conference held after the meeting with Turkish Foreign
Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, V. Oskanian said that
Armenia has never put forward any precondition for the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations. The Minister declared that the conditions
put forward by the Turkish government within the framework of that
issue are unfair and unacceptable, at the same time, he expressed
the hope that after the elections the future Turkish government will
change its position in the issue of opening the borders.

Speaking about the Armenian Genocide, the RA Foreign Minister said
that this is a "historic fact" and added that Armenia has never put
forward the recognition of the Genocide as a precondition in the issue
of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. "Turkey is the only
country, which does not admit the fact of the Armenian Genocide. But
we have and will never put forward the issue of recognition of the
Genocide as a precondition in the issue of normalizing our relations,"
V. Oskanian declared.

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS AND ANCC CONDEMNED PROSECUTION OF HRANT DINK’S SON

Yerkir.am
June 22, 2007

Reporters Without Borders have condemned the decision to prosecute
Arat Dink, the son of assassinated Agos weekly editor-in-chief Hrant
Dink, and his colleagues.

"Once again we have to denounce the use of article 301 of the criminal
code, which is a threat to freedom of expression," said Reporters
Without Borders.

For its part, the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) called
on the Canadian Government and the international community to declare
Turkey a pariah nation and to take serious measures to force Turkey
to acknowledge its predecessors’ crimes against humanity.

"Canada, the United Nations, the European Union, and other
international organizations and fora should stop treating Turkey with
kid gloves and should hold Turkey accountable," said ANCC executive
director Aris Babikian.

"Furthermore, article 301 is an impediment to freedom of expression. It
is intended to silence dissidents who dare to challenge the official
line of the Turkish Government on the Armenian Genocide. The civilized
world can not become an accomplice to Genocide denial and in fomenting
intolerance, hatred and xenophobia," said Babikian.

The ANCC executive director concluded his comments by drawing to the
attention of politicians, the media and the public that the charges
against Agos journalists are a "clear manifestation that the Turkish
Government is not sincere in its so-called offers of dialogue and
reconciliation with the Armenian people.

These political maneuverings are nothing more than public relations
stunts and diversions to avoid addressing the real issue between the
two nations," the ANCC said.

Arat Dink and three of his colleagues at weekly have been charged with
"denigrating Turkishness," under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code.

The Istanbul prosecutor office has charged the Agos staff for
publishing, on July 2006, an interview with the Reuters news agency,
in which late Hrant Dink had referred to the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Dink’s family lawyer, Erdal Dogal, has also been charged.

During last Thursday’s hearing the Turkish prosecutors called for a
prison sentence of up to three years for Arat Dink.

Hrant Dink also stood trial under the notorious article 301 and was
handed a 6-month suspended sentence. He was gunned down January 19,
2007 in Istandul by 17-year-old national Ogun Samast.

IT IS EARLY TO RETURN TURK-MESKHETIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2007 17:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian authorities must postpone for several years
the return of about 300 000 Turk-Meskhetians, Zviad Dzidziguri,
leader of opposition "Democratic Front" party in the Georgian
Parliament stated.

"Georgia is not ready yet to return Meskhetians who practice Islam,
on their historical homeland. We say that first of all it is necessary
to ask the population of Georgia what they think about returning
Turk-Meskhetians. We think it is necessary to organize a national
survey of public opinion for this issue.

Political leadership of Georgia committed a big mistake by taking a
responsibility in front of the Council of Europe in 1999 on returning
displaced settlers to their historical homeland," the Georgian MP
thinks, RIA "Novosti" reports.

According to the CoE commitments authorities of the country must
resolve this issue till the end of 2001.

About 300 000 so-called Turk-Meskhetians, i. e. Muslim Georgians
who used to reside in the south-eastern regions of the country near
the border with Turkey, in Meskheti were resettled in Central Asia
in the mid of 1940ies by the order of the Supreme authorities of
USSR. Currently descendants of resettlers live in Russia, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Turkey.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email [email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
June 20, 2007
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
COSPONSORSHIP CLEARS THE 200 MARK

— Momentum Growing for Adoption of Human Rights Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.Res.106,
continued to gain momentum toward passage today with the total
number of Members cosponsoring the human rights measure clearing
the 200 mark, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). Representatives from Georgia, Hawaii, Mississippi and New
York were the latest additions, bringing the overall cosponsor
total to 202.

"We are encouraged by the growing bipartisan support for the
Armenian Genocide Resolution – as so dramatically illustrated today
by the growth of the number of cosponsors for this genocide
prevention measure to more than two hundred," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We value the leadership of the
resolution’s authors, appreciate the support of each of its
cosponsors, and look forward to working with all of these friends
to see the Armenian Genocide Resolution adopted by the U.S. House
of Representatives at the first opportunity."

"Two hundred cosponsors is an important milestone," stated
resolution lead sponsor Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA). "This
overwhelming support for the resolution is evidence that Members of
Congress and their constituents believe that recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, which claimed more than a million and a half
lives, is a moral imperative."

Introduced on January 30th by Rep. Adam Schiff and spearheaded by
Rep. George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-
Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Anna
Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter
(R-MI), the Armenian Genocide resolution calls upon the President
to ensure that the foreign policy of the United States reflects
appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related
to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the
United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. A similar
resolution in the Senate (S.Res.106), introduced by Assistant
Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
currently has 31 cosponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid (D-NV) and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

Lead advocates for H.Res.106 hailed the continuing growth of
support for the resolution and urged swift House consideration of
the legislation.

"To have 200 Members of the House of Representatives declaring
their strong support for properly recognizing the Armenian Genocide
is a tremendous accomplishment," said Rep. Anna Eshoo, who is of
Armenian and Assyrian American descent. "I will continue to do
everything I can to see that this long-overdue legislation comes to
the floor of the House for a vote and that we will prevail."

Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone concurred, noting that "the
addition of 200 co-sponsors to the Armenian Genocide Recognition
Resolution shows the overwhelming support in the House of
Representatives for properly acknowledging the systematic massacre
of 1.5 million Armenians beginning in 1915 as genocide. Members of
Congress understand that our nation cannot effectively work to end
crimes against humanity without recognizing those that have
previously occurred."

Similarly, Caucus Co-Chair Joe Knollenberg noted that, "the fact
that 200 members have co-sponsored this resolution is a strong
indication that it’s time to schedule a vote on the House floor.
There is significant bipartisan support for giving the Armenian
Genocide its proper historical distinction. I commend my
colleagues who have co-sponsored this resolution for giving their
support to this important issue."

==================================== =============================
Grassroots Action for Adoption of Armenian Genocide Resolution
======================================= ===========================
Since the introduction of Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106
& S.Res.106), the ANCA national, regional and local chapters have
been working with tens of thousands of activists across the United
States to secure support and swift passage of this human rights
legislation.

Earlier this year, the ANCA Western and Eastern Region offices
launched the POWER Initiative designed to significantly expand
community outreach and support. Dubbed "Project Outreach Western
Region" in the West and "Project Outreach Waves the Eastern Region"
in the East, the program has generated renewed grassroots activism
in large and small communities. Travels to traditional strongholds
in California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois have been complemented with
visits to Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Nevada, North Carolina and South
Carolina, expanded outreach to established communities in Ohio,
Wisconsin and Missouri and burgeoning communities in Alabama,
Colorado, Hawaii, New Mexico, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and
Washington state.

On March 22nd and 23rd, over 100 activists from 25 states
participated in the Washington, DC advocacy days, titled "End the
Cycle of Genocide: Grassroots Capitol Campaign." By the end of the
whirlwind two-day campaign, organized by the ANCA and the Genocide
Intervention Network (GI-Net), activists had visited all 100 Senate
and 435 House of Representatives offices, meeting with Members of
Congress and their staff, and dropping off information regarding
pending Armenian and Darfur genocide legislation.

Thousands have already sent ANCA WebFaxes to their Senators and
Representatives in support of the Armenian Genocide legislation
through participation in the "Click for Justice" internet campaign,
launched on April 21st, to call renewed attention to key Armenian
Genocide and Darfur Genocide legislation.

The Armenian Genocide resolution is supported by a broad-based
coalition of over 44 human rights, religious, civic, and ethnic
organizations, including the International Association of Genocide
Scholars, American Values, and the National Council of Churches.

Armenian Americans and human rights supporters can lend their voice
to the ongoing "Click for Justice" campaign by visiting

The current list of 202 Congressional Cosponsors of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution include (in alphabetical order):

Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Gary Ackerman (D-NY), Tom Allen (D-ME),
Robert Andrews (D-NJ), Joe Baca (D-CA), Michele Marie Bachmann (R-
MN), Brian Baird (D-WA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), John Barrow (D-GA),
Melissa Bean (D-IL), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Shelley Berkley (D-NV),
Howard Berman (D-CA), Marion Berry (D-AR), Brian Bilbray (R-CA),
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Tim Bishop (D-NY),
Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mary Bono (R-CA), Robert Brady (D-PA),
Bruce Braley (D-IA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), Dave Camp (R-MI), John
Campbell (R-CA), Eric Cantor (R-VA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael
Capuano (D-MA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Russ Carnahan (D-MO), Yvette
Clarke (D-NY), William Clay (D-MO), Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO), John
Conyers (D-MI), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-IL), Joe
Courtney (D-CT), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Danny Davis (D-IL), Lincoln
Davis (D-TN), Susan Davis (D-CA), Peter DeFazio (D-OR), Diana
DeGette (D-CO), William Delahunt (D-MA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT),
Charles Dent (R-PA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart
(R-FL), John Dingell (D-MI), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), John Doolittle
(R-CA), Mike Doyle (D-PA), David Dreier (R-CA), Keith Maurice
Ellison (D-MN), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-
CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Mike Ferguson (R-NJ), Bob Filner (D-CA),
Barney Frank (D-MA), Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ), Scott Garrett (R-
NJ), Jim Gerlach (R-PA), Charlie Gonzalez (D-TX), Al Green (D-TX),
Gene Green (D-TX), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL),
Phillip Hare (D-IL), Jane Harman (D-CA), Stephanie Herseth (D-SD),
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Ruben Hinojosa (D-TX), Mazie Hirono (D-HI),
Paul Hodes (D-NH), Tim Holden (D-PA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael
Honda (D-CA), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Steve Israel (D-NY), Darrell
Issa (R-CA), Jesse Jackson (D-IL), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Hank
Johnson (D-GA), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Carolyn
Kilpatrick (D-MI), Ron Kind (D-WI), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), John R. Randy Kuhl (R-
NY), Douglas Lamborn (R-CO), James Langevin (D-RI), John Larson (D-
CT), Steven LaTourette (R-OH), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-
MI), John Lewis (D-GA), Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-
NJ), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Nita Lowey (D-NY), Dan Lungren (R-CA),
Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Kenny Marchant (R-
TX), Edward Markey (D-MA), Jim Matheson (D-UT), Doris Matsui (D-
CA), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Michael McCaul
(R-TX), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Jim
McDermott (D-WA), James McGovern (D-MA), Buck McKeon (R-CA), Cathy
McMorris (R-WA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Michael McNulty (D-NY),
Martin Meehan (D-MA), Charlie Melancon (D-LA), Michael Michaud (D-
ME), Candice Miller (R-MI), Gary Miller (R-CA), George Miller (D-
CA), James Moran (D-VA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Marilyn Musgrave (R-
CO), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal
(D-MA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Devin Nunes (R-CA), John
Olver (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ed Pastor (D-AZ), Donald Payne
(D-NJ), Edwin Perlmutter (D-CO), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Joseph
Pitts (R-PA), Jon Porter (R-NV), George Radanovich (R-CA), Charles
Rangel (D-NY), Dave Reichert (R-WA), Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Mike Rogers
(R-MI), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), Peter Roskam (R-IL), Mike Ross (D-
AR), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Edward
Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL), Paul Ryan (R-WI), Tim Ryan (D-OH),
John Salazar (D-CO), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA),
John Sarbanes (D-MD), Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA),
Allyson Schwartz (D-PA), F. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Christopher
Shays (R-CT), Brad Sherman (D-CA), John Shimkus (R-IL), Albio Sires
(D-NJ), Christopher Smith (R-NJ), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Mark Souder
(R-IN), Zachary Space (D-OH), Pete Stark (D-CA), Betty Sue Sutton
(D-OH), Thomas Tancredo (R-CO), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Bennie
Thompson (D-MS), Mike Thompson (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA),
Edolphus Towns (D-NY), Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-OH), Mark Udall (D-
CO), Tom Udall (D-NM), Christopher Van Hollen (D-MD), Nydia
Velazquez (D-NY), Peter Visclosky (D-IN), Tim Walberg (R-MI), James
Walsh (R-NY), Timothy Walz (D-MN), Zach Wamp (R-TN), Maxine Waters
(D-CA), Diane Watson (D-CA), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner
(D-NY), Gerald Weller (R-IL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Frank Wolf (R-VA),
Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), David Wu (D-OR), Albert Wynn (D-MD

#####

INTELLECT IS DRIVEN TO THE BACKGROUND TODAY, WRITER VAHE ARSEN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 18 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Television should have educational
and upbringing significance, while today the Armenian television is
filled with only low-quality broadcasts. Lecturer of Yerevan State
University, writer Vahe Arsen expressed such opinion at the June 18
joint press conference with translator Alexander Topchian.

"How can we speak about upbringing when we listen to tasteless music
on TV from morning to the midnight, when we see "stars," and no one
understands what they are singing. Mediocrities are on the forefront
in the Armenian public today and intellect, unfortunately, has been
driven to the background," V. Arsen said.

In A. Topchian’s words, the number of books published by the state
order has increased in the recent years in Armenia, parallel to which
the number of readers has decreased. "Today they have replaced books
by another values and the formed situation can be improved only after
working out a state strategy," the translator said.

In A. Topchian’s words, the books published in Armenia are of much
demand in the Diaspora. He holds the opinion that Armenian books’
exhibitions should be periodically organized at RA Embassies in
different countries. This, in A. Topchian’s opinion, will give a
possibility not only to Armenians, but also to foreigners to get
familiarized with the works of Armenian writers.

V. Arsen considers that an exact approach is necessary for spreading
the Armenian literature. "If series of books are published, as a rule
they include works of this or that official’s relative. But we should
be able to present such works, which are competitive in the world,"
V. Arsen said.