Armenia, United States Sign Agreement on Protection of CulturalHeritage

PRESS RELEASE
May 25, 2004
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: armecon@speakeasy.net; Web: www.armeniaemb.org
Armenia, United States Sign Agreement on Protection of Cultural Heritage
On May 25, 2004, an important cultural agreement was signed between the
United States and Armenia, providing for safeguarding the cultural heritage
of all national, religious, or ethnic groups residing and having resided in
both countries. Agreement on Protection and Preservation of Certain Cultural
Properties was signed by Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., Dr. Arman
Kirakossian and Warren L. Miller, Chairman of U.S. Commission for the
Preservation of America's Heritage Abroad, representing the governments of
two countries. The signing ceremony was held at the State Department, in the
presence of Undersecretary of State Marc Grossman, as well as officials from
State Department and Embassy of Armenia.
The Agreement commits both parties to protect and preserve the cultural
heritage of any ethnic group residing in their territory or against the
nationals of the other Party in its laws concerning the protection and
preservation of their cultural heritage; the right to contribute to the
protection and preservation of their cultural heritage; and public access to
such heritage, including places of worship, sites of historical
significance, monuments, cemeteries and memorials to the dead as well as
archival materials.
The Agreement also stipulates that "each Party shall take special steps to
ensure such protection and preservation of cultural heritage within its
territory and shall invite the cooperation of the other Party and its
nationals where assistance is required for this purpose."
Speaking at the ceremony, Undersecretary Grossman and Chairman Miller hailed
the agreement as another bridge linking the peoples of the United States and
Armenia. In his remarks during the ceremony, Ambassador Kirakossian said
that this agreement was the first such treaty regulating the cultural
affairs between the two countries, augmenting already strong cooperation on
economic, political, and security areas. He added that it was of great
significance to Armenia because "we understand the value of cultural
heritage and the importance of its protection and preservation."