YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia's first participation in the Eurovision-2006 song contest registered great success, whereas there were countries that have participated in this contest for several dozens of times but have no success. Singer Andre who represented Armenia at the contest declared this at the May 31 press conference. Armenia took the 8th place as a result of voting of viewers of 38 countries and this means that a representative of Armenia receives an opportunity to perform in the final without taking part in the semi-final in the next, Eurovision-2007 festival. Andre is sure that not only the Armenian Diaspora, but also foreigners have voted for Armenia as they liked the song. According to Andre, his performance in semi-final had some shortcomings that were caused by sound directors. The singer said that almost participants of all countries had technical problems, which was normally accepted by them. "We treated this contest very seriously, whereas for other countries this was a common TV show," he emphasized. According to Andre, even the videoing was not done in accordance with the requirements of the producers of country-participants. Andre also mentioned that singers with strong voices, such as representatives of Cyprus and Belgium, took part in the Eurovision-2006, but they did not pass even to the final: "As a result, Finland won, which, as the organizers estimated, had come to Athens for mocking the Eurovision." Diana Mnatsakanian, Foreign Relations Executive of the Public Television of Armenia, informed that H1 is already working out the rules of participation in the preliminary stage of the Eurovision contest, which should be brought in correspondence with the general regulations of the European Union of Broadcasters. According to D.Mnatsakanian, they will be placed on the site of H1 by September and everybody who wants can present his/her songs by November.

---