Vitaly Balasanyan urges gunmen to lay down arms, says Sargsyan will meet Sefilyan after it
Members of the Sasna Dzrer group should immediately lay down their arms after which President Sargsyan will invite Jirayr Sefilyan to a meeting, Vitaly Balasanyan, who acted as a mediator between the government and the armed group occupying a police station in Yerevan since July 17, said on July 24. Balasanyan, a lawmaker of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and a participant of the Artsakh war, has revealed some details of the negotiations with the anti-government gunmen who stormed a police patrol building in Yerevan’s Erebuni district last Sunday. Armenpress news agency presented his statement in full. “On the night of July 23, Head of the National Security Service, Geogy Kutoyan, visited the members of the armed group to discuss the release of hostages and other issues. Mr. Kutoyan also suggested that one of the boys, who had been wounded during the attack on July 17, be transferred to hospital where he would be rendered specialized medical care, saying the doctors at the scene might be unable to save his life. Unfortunately, the gunmen refused the offer. Anyway, we sent a surgeon to the police HQ the next morning who was not allowed to provide the necessary assistance. With regard to the release of hostages, I must say that I am satisfied with that part of the negotiations. According to a preliminary agreement, the members of the armed group were provided an opportunity to talk to media representatives as part of a deal struck with the authorities. Unfortunately, the armed men did not respect the main requirement - to talk to journalists without arms. Rather, they organized a show of arms and ammunition and even began to firing guns into the air during a live broadcast. However, following the President’s calls, the government agencies I am negotiating with are ready to exhaust all peaceful means they are using to facilitate the peaceful surrender of the armed group. I call on the group to sober up and comply with the requirements of the country’s Constitution and laws before it is too late to do anything. The country’s state agencies are ready to organize another meeting with media, if needed, in order to explain things to everyone. But this time they are ready to do it entirely without weapons and in an open and safe space for journalists. Immediately after the meeting, the group should immediately put down their weapons. I also call on Sasna Dzrer members to hand over the wounded guy, who, according to reports, killed the police officers. He needs urgent treatment and no one needs another victim. I think they should seize this last opportunity,” Vitaly Balasanyan said in the statement.
