Armenian FM visits Calcutta

During his official visit to India, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan arrived in Calcutta on Friday.

Meeting with Head of Western Bengal province Mayankote Kelat Narayanan, Mr Nalbandyan discussed the possibilities of broadening decentralized collaboration between Armenia and India, focusing particularly on the prospects of establishing ties between Western Bengal and one of Armenian provinces.

With regard to the monuments of Armenian cultural heritage in the country - five churches and a 200-year-old school - Armenian FM was pleased to note that Indian authorities always demonstrated special care for the Armenian historical-cultural monuments in Western Bengal. In turn, Mr Narayanan expressed willingness to continue activities in that direction.

Edward Nalbandyan also visited the Armenian church in Calcutta to meet its teachers and about the 80 students.

Welcoming the guest, prelate of the Indian-Armenian community Khoren Hovhannisyan hailed Armenian minister's visit as a "step towards strengthening Armenia-Diaspora ties on state level," considering that Edward Nalbandyan was the first Armenian official to visit the local Armenian school in the western Indian province.

Armenia's top diplomat delivered a speech at the school; thereafter he visited Holy Nazareth Church, the prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church in India.

FM Nalbandyan also visited Mother Teresa's congregation to pay respect to her memory. During the meeting with congregation leaders, he expressed his gratitude for Mother Teresa's aid to the survivors of the 1998 disastrous earthquake in Armenia.