DEMANDING ARMEN SMBATIAN’S RESIGNATION
Support A1+!“Hima” youth movement has issued an open letter to RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian. The letter goes:
“On July 17 Levon Chakhmakhchyan, Senator of the Russian Duma and Armenian friend of Robert Kocharyan, was sentenced to 9 years in prison for bribery in the Russian Federation. The court proved his guilt. In addition, all the documents, references, and certificates, except for residence certificate, the Prosecutor’s Office declared to be forged. Unfortunately, among the forged documents was the positive reference letter given by the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia to Levon Chakhmakhchian, a heavy criminal (see www.1tv.ru/owa/win/ort6_main.main?p_news_title_id=124731&p_news_razdel_id=7). Once again Russia rains blows to the Republic of Armenia, accusing it of providing a fake reference to a criminal.
Therefore, considering the abovementioned, we, representatives of the youth of the sovereign Republic of Armenia, voice our deep concern about the fact and demand that Armenian Ambassador to Russia Armen Smbatian be immediately recalled to Yerevan to elucidate the situation. If it is proved that the statement of the RF Prosecutors’ Office is truthful, we demand the resignation of Armen Smbatian as an individual, whose behaviour does not comply with the image of a citizen of the Republic of Armenia and that of an Armenian diplomat. The contrary proved, we demand that the foreign minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan make a corresponding statement and send a note of protest against the Russian Federation. In any other case we will encourage the belief that the Republic of Armenia serves as the stronghold of Russia in the South Caucasus.”
HIMA Youth Movement
