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Armenia calls for help in securing release of suspected mercenaries

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  • Armenia calls for help in securing release of suspected mercenaries

    Armenia calls for help in securing release of suspected mercenaries

    Arminfo
    23 Mar 04

    YEREVAN

    The accusations against Armenian pilots of plotting to overthrow the
    government of Equatorial Guinea are rather contradictory and are in no
    way related to their work, the press secretary of the Foreign
    Ministry, Gamlet Gasparyan, has told a press conference.

    He said that the Guinean authorities are trying to present the
    Armenian pilots as mercenaries which they are not. They are
    professional pilots with many years of experience. The authorities of
    Equatorial Guinea claim that the Armenian citizens arrived in the
    country by boat whereas they arrived in the Guanine capital Malabo on
    their plane.

    The charges against the Armenian pilots of gathering intelligence do
    not hold up as without the knowledge of local traditions, language and
    location they could not have been used in the espionage activities
    during their two months of work in Malabo.

    Gamlet Gasparyan noted that, through the mediation of the diplomatic
    representative offices in Moscow and New York, they are working with
    the authorities of New Guinea to clarify the situation and secure the
    release of the pilots. The Armenian Foreign Ministry also appealed to
    other friendly countries, in particular, to Russia and France, which
    through their diplomatic missions in Malabo could help the detained
    pilots. Diplomats of the French embassy have already visited the
    Armenian prisoners and noted that their state of health is
    satisfactory.

    Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan sent a letter to the Kongo
    Foreign Ministry calling for its help in securing the release of the
    Armenian pilots. The Armenian Foreign Ministry also appealed to the
    International Red Cross Committee and the International Amnesty
    Organization.

    If need be, the Armenian Foreign Ministry is prepared to send its
    diplomats to Equatorial Guinea so as to resolve the issue on the spot.
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