Open Letter with the Request of Denial

To Russian resident

‘’Publishing Group Atticus’’ Ltd.

To Kingfisher Publications Plc, the resident of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Copies

To the Ministry of Jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia

To Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the Russian Federation

To the Ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

To Armenian Cultural Center in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

An encyclopedia (Large Illustrated Encyclopedia of Geography, henceforth Encyclopedia) recently bought in one of the bookshops in Yerevan, the capital of the Republic of Armenia, turned out to contain information about Armenia which does not correspond to reality and gives the reader a wrong notion about Armenia. The Encyclopedia was published by a resident of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Kingfisher Publications Plc, and was republished by Russian Federation resident ‘’Publishing Group Atticus’’ Ltd . On page 236 of the Encyclopedia we find the following wrong information about the Republic of Armenia:

–         Main languages: Armenian, Azerbaijani.

–        Main religions: Orthodox (Armenian Apostolic Church), Islam (shiit).

–         In 1988-1989 there was an armed conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The above mentioned information published by the publishing company doesn’t correspond to reality and is liable to refutation for the following reasons:

1. The main language of Armenia is Armenian.

According to Article 12 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia the state language of the Republic of Armenia is Armenian. Azerbaijani is not spoken in Armenia at all. This fact was indirectly accepted by the publishing company, which mentioned that 96 per cent of the Armenian population are Armenians: the other 4 per cent includes Yezidis, Greeks, Ukrainians, Jews, Russians, Kurds and so on. 

2. The main religion of the Republic of Armenia is Christianity.

According to Article 8.1 of the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia the Republic of Armenia recognizes the exceptional mission of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church as the national church, in the spiritual life, development of national culture and preservation of the national identity of the people of Armenia.

All historical sources mention that Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as a state religion still in 301 (See, for example, Orthodox Encyclopedia, Internet sources: http://www.pravoslavie.in.ua/, http://www.pravmir.ru/xristianstvo-v-armenii/, http://ru.wikipedia.org/ ):

All reputable encyclopedias are well aware that Christianity is the main religion of the Republic of Armenia, and the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church is the national church of Armenia. (See, for example, First School Encyclopedia of the Countries of the World, Moscow, “РОСМЕН” 2008):

Noteworthy is the fact that the publishing company, being aware that Armenians make up 96 percent of the population in Armenia, mentioned that Islam is a main religion in Armenia, too. Moreover, the publishing company included the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church in the membership of The Orthodox Church, whereas both the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Orthodox Church are separate branches of the Christian Religion.

3. There was a military conflict between Azerbaijan and Artsakh (Armenians) but not Armenia and Azerbaijan. The military conflict between Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) and Azerbaijan broke out after Azerbaijan started extermination operations against Armenians (extermination operations started when the people of Artsakh made use of their right of self-determination). The Republic of Armenia supported Nagorno Karabakh, which had an internationally recognized right of self-determination (see, for example, http://ru.wikipedia.org/).

Moreover, the conflict started in 1988, it grew into a war in 1994 and ended in cease-fire.

4. The photo presented in the encyclopedia does not give a true picture of Armenia.

The photo depicts two elderly suntanned peasants picking potatoes. Calling into question their being Armenians, as well as the fact of the photo having been taken in Armenia, we find that the potato can not be a symbol characterizing Armenia. Grape, pomegranate and apricot are more widely known symbols characterizing the agriculture of Armenia.

Based on the above mentioned,

1. We ask the Russian Federation resident ‘’Publishing Group Atticus’’ Ltd. to deny the above-mentioned information according to articles 43, 44 of the law of the Russian federation on ‘’Mass Media’’.

2. We ask Kingfisher Publications Plc, the resident of The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, to deny the above-mentioned information found in the Encyclopedia.

3. We ask the Ministry of Jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia to make a request to the Ministry of Jurisdiction of the Russian Federation for cooperating to provide the rights and legitimate interests of the state, according to Article 2 of 28.12.2004 ‘’Cooperation agreement between the Ministry of Jurisdiction of the Republic of Armenia and the Ministry of Jurisdiction of the Russian Federation.

4. We ask the Ambassador of Armenia to the Russian Federation and the Ambassador of Armenia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take necessary measures to deny the above-mentioned information found in the Encyclopedia.

5. We ask the Armenian Cultural Center in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to take measures to deny the above-mentioned information found in the Encyclopedia on the basis of 05.11.2004 agreement on ‘’Creating cultural centers between the government of the Republic of Armenia and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Sincerely

Editorial staff of ‘’Ankakh’’ weekly and

www.ankakh.com website

Applicant ‘’VIV Today and Tomorrow’’ Ltd.

An organization established by the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, which carries out information activities

(‘’Ankakh’’ weekly and website)