YEREVAN, August 9 (Noyan Tapan). "The Council on Cultural Issues established by the July 16 decree of RA President Robert Kocharian will deepen the crisis of the Armenian cultural life still more, distorting and destroying national cultural values, mental faculties." Such a statement was made by Armen Hovhannisian, Armen Atanian and Simon Kamsarakian, Co-Chairmen of the Armenian Center of Culture Support and Strategy (ACCSS), during the August 6 press conference. According to A. Atanian, on November 22 of last year the Armenian Center of Culture Support and Strategy applied to the RA President with a suggestion on the establishment of the Commission on Issues of Security and Development of Culture of Armenia. The Co-Chairmen of the Center met with the RA President in April. The President promised to answer whether the center will be established or not within three weeks after the detailed acquaintance with the suggestion. "18 weeks passed, but we haven't received an answer yet, of course, if we don't consider the July 16 decree as a reply," A. Atanian mentioned. According to the organizers of the press conference, "if the executors and legislators have caused damage to the sphere of culture, science and education to great extent up to now, now the same will be made by the RA presidential machinery." Nevertheless, the Co-Chairmen of the Center are going to turn to the RA President with a request to meet in September with the purpose of the discussion of the problems raised by them.

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