YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia's and Slovakia's Ministers of Culture Hasmik Poghosian and Marek Madaric signed a Cultural Cooperation Agreement on September 26. According to Hasmik Poghosian, this was a long-awaited agreement for both countries, as cooperation between Armenia and Slovakia developed very slowly: cultural contacts existed at the level of individual organizations, and now they will start developing at the state level. The sides have already discussed a number of issues, the implementation of which will make cultural cooperation more active. The Minister said that already next year it is planned to organize Days of Armenian Cinema, to organize an exhibition of S. Parajanov's collages in Bratislava. Tours of A. Spendiarian Academic Theater of Opera and Ballet and of Armenian State Philharmony to Bratislava are also planned next year. An agreement on holding Days of Armenian Culture in Slovakia will be reached soon. Marek Madaric, the Minister of Culture of Slovakia, said that cultural cooperation should be the logical continuation of friendly relations formed between the two countries. According to the Minister, the sides will not start cooperation with large projects, but will work stage by stage.

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