THE JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE OF JOHN ORDWAY AND SERJ SARGSSYAN
Support A1+!“BAGHRAMYAN AVENUE IS NOT THE PLACE TO DANCE”
”I think Office of Prosecutor has the power to appraise the Police actions. And the appraisal was voiced yesterday”, Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sargssyan said referring to the events on April 13 night during the joint press conference with USA Ambassador in Armenia John Ordway in Talin in connection with opening of the hospital reconstructed by finance of USA Government.
”Policemen had to protect the social order and they did it. I don’t think it is right to disturb the vital functions of a big city through 2000 or 4000 people. I don’t consider Baghramyan Avenue to be the place to dance. People didn’t have to attack policemen with stones or bottles”, Minister commented.
OPPOSITION FIGURES MUST BE RELEASED
”Tension must lessen and the arrested people and Opposition representatives must be set free”, USA Ambassador John Ordway said over the recent events during the joint press conference with Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sargssyan.
”I think the emotions must now relax. A political dialogue must be launched, aimed at solution of political and economic problems in Armenia. Both parts must promise to apply only political methods during the political strife”, Ambassador said.
DEFENSE MINISTER COMMENTING UPON BEATING JOURNALISTS
”If someone possesses a camera or a dictaphone, it doesn’t mean that he or she is a journalist. I think journalists especially during such measures must produce something to prove them to be journalists”, Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sargssyan said referring to the assaults to journalists during the recent events.
”I don’t want to justify anyone. But if the law machinery demands to respect law, everybody must obey it”, Minister explained.
”I consider it is bad to beat in general. It is not strange to me that journalists react to beating more morbidly if it happens to any of them. It is beyond my commission to call what happened on Baghramyan Avenue as “beating”, and I think law enforcement bodies are to engage in it”, Minister added.
THOSE BEATING JOURNALISTS MUST BE PUNISHED
”Office of General Prosecutor must do its best to call the people who did violence to account”, USA Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway said over beating journalists.
”I am sure journalists have the right to obtain information. We all know that it is sometimes dangerous to be a journalist. But Police must protect journalists when some criminal elements commit violence towards them”, Ambassador stated.
“RENDERING HARMLESS” THE OLD MAN IN OPPOSITION
After Armenian Defense Minister Serj Sargssyan and USA Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway had visited Talin hospital, reconstructed by finance of USA Government policemen roughly put an old man of about 70 into a car and took him away. It happened after Serj Sargssyan “had condemned beating in general” at the press conference.
Probably, the old man had come to the hospital to meet Defense Minister or USA Ambassador or to say something. He was looking for a journalist to voice his concern about the events in the country.
