Monday, July 25 2016 03:53

Artsakh War Hero, Major General Vitaly Balasanyan, who negotiated between the authorities and the armed group that has seized the Police Patrol Service Regiment in Yerevan, said President Serzh Sargsyan will invite Jirayr Sefilyan to explaine reality and prospects after "Daredevils of Sasoun" put down arms and surrender.  

Unveiling the details of the negotiations with the armed group, Balasanyan said in a statement:  "Following President Sargsyan's call, the state agencies with which I continue to negotiate, are ready to use every opportunity aimed at peaceful surrender of the armed group. I also urge while it is not still too late and it is still possible to do that, to sober up and fulfill the demand of the Constitution and laws of Armenia. State agencies are ready to provide you with more chances to meet with media representatives for that goal, so that you can explain everyone if needed. But this time it must be done exclusively without arms, transparent for the public and in a safe place for journalists. After that they have to put down the weapons immediately. I also urge the group to give the wounded one, who according to some information is the one who killed the police Colonel, to the authorities while it is not too late. Guys, he needs emergency medical treatment, no one needs any more victims. I think the group members should grasp this final opportunity.  Under my mediation and accompanied by a senior representative of the authorities and with the presence of member of "Founding Parliament" Alek Yenigomshyan, we met with Zhirair Sefilian at "Vardashen" Penitentiary and discussed a number of issues.  Zhirair Sefilian did not say anything. Moreover, he stated that he refuses to demand the President's resignation. Zhirair Sefilian raised issues of national importance, which we promised to convey to the President. We immediately fulfilled our promise and conveyed the issues. The position of the President of the Republic is already known: He is ready to invite Zhirair Sefilian, explain the reality and prospects after the guys put down the weapons and surrender".

On July 23, "Daredevils of Sasoun" released the last two hostages -Deputy Chief of Police of Armenia Major General Vardan Yeghiazaryan and Deputy Chief of Police of Yerevan Colonel Valery Osipyan.  Varuzhan Avetisyan, a member of the armed group said the decision was adopted after a meeting with Georgy Kutoyan, the head of the National Security Service of Armenia, moderated by Major General Vitaly Balasanyan, the Karabakh War Hero. 
Later on the same day, talking to journalists who were delivered to the seized are by 4 Police cars, members of "Daredevils of Sasoun" said they are not going to put down arms and still demand the release of Jirayr Sefilyan and resignation of the president.  According to the Special Investigative Service of Armenia, Sefilyan and his supporters were planning to seize buildings of state importance in early April.  Two-month arrest has been chosen as a measure of restraint against Sefilyan, however, his supporters think the case is a frame-up and the arrest is political persecution for his political views, activities and statements about the territorial losses the Armenian side suffered during the April war.

Alek Yenigomshyan told journalists that together with Vitaly Balasanyan he had met with Jirayr Sefilyan and the latter did not abandon his demand for the president to resign. "To put an end to this issue, I suggest the authorities to provide an opportunity to Sefilyan to voice his views and demands," Yenigomshyan said.