ARMENIAN PM MEETS WITH CREW OF “KILIKIA” SAILER

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 10 2006

YEREVAN, May 10. /ARKA/. Armenian Premier Andranik Margaryan met
with the crew of “Kilikia” sailer that will leave for London to start
the third round of the trip. The press service and public relations
department of the RA Government reported that during the meeting the
captain Karen Balayan, publicist Zory Balayan and other members of the
crew showed Margaryan the preparatory work for the final round of the
trip and pointed out that they act in keeping with the scheduled plan.

At the moment, the sailer is moored at the coasts of South England.

According to the schedule, the ship will head to the French port Calais
on 28 May. After crossing North and Baltic Seas through territories of
about 10 countries “Kilikia” will arrive to St.-Petersburg in August
2006, and then to the Black Sea port Poti through a river path.

Then, the ship will be transported to Armenia by land. Next year in
spring it will cast anchor on Lake Sevan, and will “become one of
the symbols the Armenian history, creative thought and the Armenian
people”.

The Armenian Premier assured that as well as during the previous
rounds of the trip, this time the government will assist as far as
possible with the preparatory work and solution of problems occurring
during the sailing.

“Kilikia” sailer was build by members of the Yerevan club of marine
explorations “Hayas” and resembles Armenian merchant ships of the 13th
century. The ship was restored according to medieval manuscripts and
miniatures and built with application of medieval technologies.

Creators of the ship spent 11 years to build it: from May 1991 to May
2001. During two years the ship was tested under sail on Lake Sevan.

In autumn 2004, for the first time in 800 years, a ship with the
Armenian flag put out to sea, heading from Poti to Sukhumi – Sochi –
Burgas – Athens – Beyrut – Haifa – Alexandria – Iraklion – Dubrovnik –
Cadis – Lisbon and many other European ports.

It is the exact route of Kilikian merchants who had close trade
relations with these cities.