Armenian State Commission: "Statements on unwillingness of Armenian soldier to return to Armenia is a result of activity of Azerbaijani special services"

Statements on "unwillingness" of the Armenian soldier Paruyr Simonyan to return to Armenia are the result of the 'activity' of the Azerbaijani special services, Andranik Mkrtumyan, Colonel, Head of the Armenian Armed Forces General Staff Operative Department Frontier Representation Office, told ArmInfo. P. Simonyan was taken hostage on 25 May 2008. Azerbaijani party reported that the soldier refuses returning to Armenia. "We have received no single letter from Paruyr over that period of time, just oral messages. We are sure by 100 percent that his 'unwillingness' to return is nothing but the influence by Azerbaijani special services", A. Mkrtumyan said. He mentioned that last year the Azerbaijani party again took similar measures regarding another Armenian soldier Hambartsoum Asatryan. "It is their practice. Every time they hostage an Armenian soldier they declare that he refuses to return. These are also attempts to recoup for Samir Mamedov", he said. S. Mamedov, an Azerbaijani soldier, deserted to the Armenian party and refused to return to Azerbaijan. He was deported to a third country with help of an authoritative international organization.

As regards the information in the Azerbaijani press in connection with the interview with Azerbaijani soldier Rafig Hasanov, who deserted to the Armenian party on 8 October 2008, A. Mkrtumyan said that Hasanov deserted to the Armenian party voluntarily in daytime. "The interview with Hasanov was held at his request. He told what he thought and felt", A. Mkrtumyan said.

/ArmInfo/