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SAMVEL KARAPETIAN: TURKISH SPECIALISTS RESTORE SURB KHACH CHURCH WITH MASTERY AND SKILL EXCITING ENVY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Feb 22 2007
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The restoration
works of the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) Church of the Akhtamar Island
were done at high level. Stating about it at the meeting with
journalists, specialist on monuments Samvel Karapetian emphasized
that Turk specialists restored the church "with mastery and skill
exciting envy," by using every removed or pulled down stone. Opening
of the Surb Khach Church will take place on April 15. According to
the rumours being in circulation, the RA Minister of Culture and
Youth Issues will also be invited to it. In S.Karapetian's words,
there is yet no official information about the invitation.
S.Karapetian expressed confidence that restoration of this church
by the Turkish government has political and economic interest:
in the first case this state wants to look like as civilized one,
in the second case, it has clear economic accounting: this place
is one of tourism points. "If I am mistaken why the Nareka vank
(Narek monastery) which is just near the Surb Khach Church and other
lakeside monasteries which were blown up in 60-70s are not restored,"
the speaker said. S.Karapetian, again touching upon destruction
of the Jugha graveyard, inflexibly mentioned that Armenians also
have their part of guilt in it: in his words, Europeans as well
accused Armenians of this issue, saying that it was necessary to take
adequate steps in time. The specialist on monuments also facted that
preservation of monuments being in the territory of Armenia is also
in poor state today.
During the Soviet years, the Committee on Preservation of Monuments was
among the structures attached to government, but today it decreased
and became an agency with 7 employees. "This is an obvious state
ill-will towards our monuments, and we speak about strangers'
attitude," he emphasized.
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Feb 22 2007
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. The restoration
works of the Surb Khach (Saint Cross) Church of the Akhtamar Island
were done at high level. Stating about it at the meeting with
journalists, specialist on monuments Samvel Karapetian emphasized
that Turk specialists restored the church "with mastery and skill
exciting envy," by using every removed or pulled down stone. Opening
of the Surb Khach Church will take place on April 15. According to
the rumours being in circulation, the RA Minister of Culture and
Youth Issues will also be invited to it. In S.Karapetian's words,
there is yet no official information about the invitation.
S.Karapetian expressed confidence that restoration of this church
by the Turkish government has political and economic interest:
in the first case this state wants to look like as civilized one,
in the second case, it has clear economic accounting: this place
is one of tourism points. "If I am mistaken why the Nareka vank
(Narek monastery) which is just near the Surb Khach Church and other
lakeside monasteries which were blown up in 60-70s are not restored,"
the speaker said. S.Karapetian, again touching upon destruction
of the Jugha graveyard, inflexibly mentioned that Armenians also
have their part of guilt in it: in his words, Europeans as well
accused Armenians of this issue, saying that it was necessary to take
adequate steps in time. The specialist on monuments also facted that
preservation of monuments being in the territory of Armenia is also
in poor state today.
During the Soviet years, the Committee on Preservation of Monuments was
among the structures attached to government, but today it decreased
and became an agency with 7 employees. "This is an obvious state
ill-will towards our monuments, and we speak about strangers'
attitude," he emphasized.