Before the start of today's cabinet session, RA Prime Minister Tigran raised the issue of the Sanahin Monastery.

PM Sargsyan noted that the issue had recently been raised by certain civic organizations and that the press had given extensive coverage to the matter.

In turn, RA Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan took the floor and assured all that the ministry had set out a defined schedule for resolving the matter and that a team of German specialists had visited the site and had taken a 3D scan of the structure.

She noted that a structural crack had appeared in the western corner of the monastery and that further testing in May is now being reviewed to see whether the crack has gotten bigger or not.

Minister Poghosyan noted that excavations will be conducted at Sanahin in order that an overall plan of action can be drafted that will address all outstanding renovation issues at the monastery. She noted that 90 million AMD will be allocated to this effort that will begin in 2012.

Surprisingly, the minister admitted that even though Sanahin was turned over to the Armenian Apostolic Church in 1998, the appropriate documents were never drawn up and that it was only in 2011 that the property deeds were handed over to the Church.

When asked by PM Sargsyan whether the crack in the monastery wall threatens the structural integrity of Sanahin, Minister Poghosyan said the second round of studies will provide an answer.

She continued that an overall conclusion will be reached by September of this year.

PM Sargsyan concluded by thanking her and directing her to stay on top of the matter.