Tweet
"LET'S ANI CATHEDRAL AND CHURCHES BE RESTORED, AND I'LL AGREE TO PARTICIPATE IN SIMILAR PR-ACTION," G. GYURJIAN SAYS
Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey and Armenia need cultural
dialogue and mutual confidence. That dialogue is in embroy today and
started "from restoration of cultural monuments, very important for
us." G. Gyurjian, the RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Issues
stated about it at the April 2 press conference. As the Deputy Minister
mentioned in 2001 they proposed the Turkish side to turn Ani into "a
cultural corridor." "They agreed then, but took no step. I reminded
the Turkish Minister of Culture about it this time." In G. Gyurjian's
words, the Turkish government allocated 250 mln dollars for studying
and restoring Ani and the neighboring territories during 5 years. "I
find that Armenian specialists must participate in those works as
Nikoghayos Mar's and Toros Toramanian's archeological expeditions have
already digged out and studied those territories in the beginning of
the last century. That material is kept at the Agency for Protection
of Monuments of Armenia." The Deputy Minister mentioned that in this
case the cooperation is advantageous for Turkey as well as excavations
demand big financial investments. Responding the journalists' question
of the re-opening of the church in Turkey was really a PR-action and
the Deputy Minister participated in it, G. Gyurjian said: "Let's Ani
Cathedral and churches be restored, and I shall agree to participate in
such a PR-action." To also recap, the Deputy Minister disproved those
publications in the Turkish press as if he promised Turkish Minister
of Culture and Tourism Atilla Goc to build a mosque in Armenia as a
response of their restoring the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church. In
G. Gyurjian's words, they spoke about bilateral cultural initiatives,
and just then Atilla Goc asked: "We restored Surb Khach, are you ready
to restore a Turkish mosque in Armenia." In Gyurjian's words it "was
a simple question" which he answered "yes." In Gyurjian's words, there
is no Turkish mosque in Armenia for the issue of its restoration arise.
Noyan Tapan
Apr 03 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Turkey and Armenia need cultural
dialogue and mutual confidence. That dialogue is in embroy today and
started "from restoration of cultural monuments, very important for
us." G. Gyurjian, the RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Issues
stated about it at the April 2 press conference. As the Deputy Minister
mentioned in 2001 they proposed the Turkish side to turn Ani into "a
cultural corridor." "They agreed then, but took no step. I reminded
the Turkish Minister of Culture about it this time." In G. Gyurjian's
words, the Turkish government allocated 250 mln dollars for studying
and restoring Ani and the neighboring territories during 5 years. "I
find that Armenian specialists must participate in those works as
Nikoghayos Mar's and Toros Toramanian's archeological expeditions have
already digged out and studied those territories in the beginning of
the last century. That material is kept at the Agency for Protection
of Monuments of Armenia." The Deputy Minister mentioned that in this
case the cooperation is advantageous for Turkey as well as excavations
demand big financial investments. Responding the journalists' question
of the re-opening of the church in Turkey was really a PR-action and
the Deputy Minister participated in it, G. Gyurjian said: "Let's Ani
Cathedral and churches be restored, and I shall agree to participate in
such a PR-action." To also recap, the Deputy Minister disproved those
publications in the Turkish press as if he promised Turkish Minister
of Culture and Tourism Atilla Goc to build a mosque in Armenia as a
response of their restoring the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) church. In
G. Gyurjian's words, they spoke about bilateral cultural initiatives,
and just then Atilla Goc asked: "We restored Surb Khach, are you ready
to restore a Turkish mosque in Armenia." In Gyurjian's words it "was
a simple question" which he answered "yes." In Gyurjian's words, there
is no Turkish mosque in Armenia for the issue of its restoration arise.