Standard Bearer: Armenian journalist spins Russia to English-speaking market

"Desire and good teachers are the keys to my success," says [Margarita Simonian], who now manages a staff of 539, including 79 foreigners, and in fact is Russia's chief "spin doctor" for the world's audience tuned to English. "I'd love to visit Armenia again. My younger sister was there on holiday about two years ago and she was very delighted to be there, as she had more time than I," Simonian says. "But I always remember Armenia and my Armenian roots." "I don't want to see Armenia moving away from Russia culturally," Simonian says. "As a person who is close to both cultures I'd like to see a mutual penetration of cultures not only inside me, but also on the state level. I don't see any reasons why it shouldn't be so, as relations between the two states are fine."