ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN VISITS "RED HILL" ANCIENT PLACE

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 2, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan visited today "Red Hill" ancient place involved in the group
of "Erebuni" historic-archeological reserve-museum. Here the prime
minister was presented the issues of the place which impedes in making
"Red Hill" attractive for tourists.

Director of the museum Gagik Gyurjyan said the last excavations
and serious archeological works in this territory were conducted
in soviet years in 1960s and during that time it was attractive for
specialists-scientists and tourists. But currently the territory is
in bad condition and has even turned into a garbage place.

G. Gyurjyan said besides excavations it is necessary to renovate the
territory which will be the best way to preserve it.

"Naturally, this issue is under the limelight of the government
and these issues need to be solved," Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan said. This year prime minister-affiliated oversight center
carried out relevant studies to clear out the situation connected
with the preservation of the territory.

"During the coming months we will develop strategic program and present
it to specialists. Thanks to the strategy we will be able to preserve
this historic-cultural value having 3000 history as a heritage and on
the other hand understand how we will develop science, tourism on the
basis of all this. The strategic program must include a scientific
part, excavation part, cooperation with best international research
centers," the prime minister said.

According to him, in cooperation with the Asian Development Bank it
is expected to build new road through "Red Hill" border. From this
viewpoint the bank’s demands are rather strict: both preservation of
ecological and historic-cultural values must be carried out according
to the best international standards.