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YEREVAN, JUNE 27, ARMENPRESS:Twenty-eight year old Igor Khalatian became the first Armenian citizen to climb the highest mountain of Everest alone. Speaking to a news conference on Wednesday in Yerevan, Igor Khalatian said he was feeling proud and happy to be the first Armenian in the world, the first Armenian citizen, who hoisted the Armenian three-color flag on the peak of the Mount Everest. Igor Khalatian, a graduate of Yerevan Engineering Institute and a programmer, now is living in New York. Before conquering the Everest Igor Khalatian practiced his climbing skills on American, Argentine and Caucasian mountains for several years. "When you get to the top of the mountain you feel like you are close to God; everything- air and the sky are different there",- said Khalatian. The Armenian Mountain-Climbers Federation is planning to send an Armenian expedition to climb the Everest. For this purpose, though, 65,000 USD will be necessary for each crewmember. Khalatian expressed hope that the Diaspora-Armenians will support the initiative of the Armenian climbers. Three years ago a 62 year-old Lev Sargissov from Georgia, an Armenian by origin, also climbed the Everest. He was included in the Guinness°s Book of Records as the oldest man who reached the highest peak of the world.-0-/39/