DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ARMENIA CONSIDERS IT RIGHT TO DISPLAY
ORIGINS OF ANCIENT ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPTS AND BOOKS IN LOUVRE

YEREVAN, JANUARY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Display of rare and incunabular
books was organized on January 31 at the National Library of
Armenia. 27 titles of Armenian books of different kinds were
presented, including "Urbatagirk", "Parzatumar", Agatangeghos’ "Book
of Novelism," Yeghishe’s "History of Vardanank", "All-embracing
Ashkharhatsuyts," etc. published in 1512-1800 in Venice, Amsterdam,
Madras, Konstantinopol, Saint Petersburg.

Deputy Director of National Library of Armenia, Rafik Ghazarian said
that rare books published in Armenian, Russian, Italian, French and
other languages since 1512 up to our days are kept at library’s
department of incunabular, rare and archives literature. He also
stated that 1100 titles of books have been published after publication
of first Armenian books, "Urbatagirk" and "Parzatumar" in 1512 in
Venice," up to 1800.

A.Monry, Adviser for Culture and Cooperation Issues of Embassy of
France in Armenia, said that display of books presented in spring will
be also organized in Marseilles and Strasbourg. In her words, in
total, more than 600 events will be held within the framework of Year
of Armenia in France. "We will present the Frenchmen Armenia’s wealth
– parchment manuscripts, Martiros Sarian’s pictures and works of
modern Armenian artists, Parajanov’s films and collages," A.Monry
said.

In response to the question, whether it is right to move originals of
old manuscripts kept in Matenadaran to France for displaying them in
Louvre, the Director of the National Library of Armenia said: "Of
course, there is some danger when we deal with rare books and
manuscripts. But in order to present it to the world we should move
this wealth to France solving all problems of security in advance."