CAPTURED ARMENIAN RELEASED IN SOUTH SUDAN - MINISTRY
Interfax
Jan 17 2012
Russia
An Armenian citizen who was being held in South Sudan, has been
released, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Igran Balayan told
Interfax.
"Contact has been established with the Armenian man. He is free
and safe. The South Sudanese authorities have no claims against our
citizen," Balayan said.
The ministry spokesman told Interfax earlier that Armenian was closely
cooperating with Russia on this matter.
"Work is carried out in various formats, including in direct contact
with the South Sudanese authorities," Balayan said.
On December 28, 2011, an Antonov-32 airplane owned by Sudanese
company Park Air was detained in South Sudan while performing a
Khartoum-Sarjas-Fallujah-El Obeid-Khartoum flight for another Sudanese
company, White Nile Petroleum, which operates oil fields in the states
of Jonglei and Upper Nile.
Shortly after loading began at the airport, the crew, which apart
from Russian citizen Popkov, also included nationals of Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Armenia and Sudan, were arrested by local security services
and escorted to a military camp three kilometers from the airport,
which they are still being held. No formal explanation has been given
for the arrest.
Interfax
Jan 17 2012
Russia
An Armenian citizen who was being held in South Sudan, has been
released, Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Igran Balayan told
Interfax.
"Contact has been established with the Armenian man. He is free
and safe. The South Sudanese authorities have no claims against our
citizen," Balayan said.
The ministry spokesman told Interfax earlier that Armenian was closely
cooperating with Russia on this matter.
"Work is carried out in various formats, including in direct contact
with the South Sudanese authorities," Balayan said.
On December 28, 2011, an Antonov-32 airplane owned by Sudanese
company Park Air was detained in South Sudan while performing a
Khartoum-Sarjas-Fallujah-El Obeid-Khartoum flight for another Sudanese
company, White Nile Petroleum, which operates oil fields in the states
of Jonglei and Upper Nile.
Shortly after loading began at the airport, the crew, which apart
from Russian citizen Popkov, also included nationals of Ukraine,
Uzbekistan, Armenia and Sudan, were arrested by local security services
and escorted to a military camp three kilometers from the airport,
which they are still being held. No formal explanation has been given
for the arrest.