EXPEDITION TO MOUNT ARARAT PUT OFF FOR SEVERAL DAYS

YEREVAN, AUGUST 2, ARMENPRESS:
An expedition to Mount Ararat, organized by two Armenian travel agencies that was supposed to start off July 30 has been postponed for the second time, the semi-weekly Novoye Vremya reported. Kazar Mirzoyan, the president of the Meghraget travel agency which along with the Akint agency is the organizer of the expedition, told the daily that the expedition was put off because several of its foreign members have not managed to arrive in Armenia in time. As said Mirzoyan, the expedition will start off in several days. "We have decided to use these days for acclimatization of the expedition members and make a trip to Mountain Aragats (4095 meters above sea level). Mirzoyan said there are no problems with the Turkish side. "We have discussed the situation with them and they assured us that all the reached arrangements were in force, including the authorities' permission to ascent Mount Ararat," he said. Among 15 foreign members of the expedition are famous Italian traveler Angelo Palego who has ascended Mount Ararat 15 times, his countryman Robert Tisso, a US Armenian Hamlet Barseghian who ascended Ararat in 1986 and another US Armenian Harry Barseghian who was on top of Ararat in 1985. "I have been on top of Ararat many times but anyway I am happy to ascend it once again. This year there is little snow on its top that is why it would be easier to find the Noah's Ark which, I think, has broken into two. Though I have published two books about the Noah's Ark very few people believe that I have really seen it. I hope this time we shall be able to prove that it is really there," Angelo Palego told the newspaper's reporter.(Article provided by Rex Geissler)

EXPEDITION TO MOUNT ARARAT POSTPONED

YEREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS:

An expedition to Mount Ararat, initiated by two Armenian travel agencies that was supposed to set off July 17 has been postponed until July 19 due to several unresolved financial problems, Ghazar Mirzoyan, the head of one of the agencies told a today's news conference. Mirzoyan said the expedition is fully prepared to set off with all the necessary communication means at hand, donated by an American Armenian Shant Hovnanian. The Turkish side has pledged to solve food problems and has also provided a helicopter for rescue work. The two doctors involved in the expedition are too equipped with all the necessary medicine. An agreement with two Armenian TV channels on shooting the entire process of mounting was also reached. The famous mountaineers Angela Palego and George Marshal from Europe will join the multinational expedition including 30 Germans, British, Hindu, Norwegians, Russians and Georgians and 15 Armenians. Another 20 Turkish climbers will join the expedition in Turkey. (Article provided by Bill Crouse / John McIntosh)