Authorities have the right to use any means to release hostages - Garnik Isagulyan (video)
Artsakh war participant Vitaly Balasanyan is ready to resume negotiations between the authorities and the gunmen cordoned off in a police station in Yerevan’s Erebuni district. “He is waiting for such a request by the gunmen, but the negotiations will not be conducted on the terms proposed by the armed group,” Chairman of the National Security Party, Garnik Isagulyan, said on July 29. He reminds that from 2004 to 2009 he was Advisor to the Armenian President on security affairs during the presidency of Robet Kocharyan. Talking to reporters in Yerevan, Mr Isagulyan stressed that from the very first day of the attack on the police building, he had done everything to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. “The authorities agreed to our proposal to replace the hostages inside the seized police building but the members of the Sasna Dzrer group refused it. We proposed that four of us enter the premises but the gunmen again refused the offer, they agreed to see only Balasanyan. The negotiations were progressing the result was evident. As a result of the talks, about 65 journalists with 30 cameramen were allowed to enter the area of the seized compound. We had a preliminary agreement that the gunmen must not appear before journalists with guns, but they broke the agreement. When they began to fire into the air, Vitaly Balasanyan asked the group to leave the area. The gunmen have violated all terms.” Mr Isagulyan says he has never labeled those guys but now that the authorities have made numerous proposals and appeals that the wounded need medical assistance, the gunmen refuse to transfer their comrade to hospital. Serzh Sargsyan has announced that if they group demonstrates goodwill, they will ony be punished within the framework of laws and constitutional norms. I think a mild punishment would have been applied in their case. After the gunmen took an ambulance crew hostage, I announced that they are terrorists and security forces have the right to taken any means to release the hostages. Those insisting the Sasna Dzrer members do not different from them and are also terrorists, who seek bloodshed. If I were to decide, I would take tougher actions,” he said. Garnik Isagulyan also spoke about Alek Yenigomshyan, a member of the Founding Parliament movement arrested this week for his assistance to the gunmen. Isagulyan said in Geneva Yenigomshyan was going to blow up an Armenian benefactor and not the Turkish Embassy as many say. ‘as a result, he lost his hand and eyesight,’ isagulyan said.
