Danger At Armenian-Turkish Border

DANGER AT ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER

Hakob Badalyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 23 February 2015, 13:18

The head of Russian border guards, Major General Vyacheslav Biryukov
announced during the oath ceremony at Armavir border guard unit that
the Russian border guards will protect the external borders of Armenia
and the CIS.

Recently the Russian border service has been in focus of attention
though it is strange that only recently. It is strange because the
Armenian public and political forces are strangely used to the thought
that the external borders of independent Armenia must be guarded by
the border troops of another state.

However, it is even stranger that the Armenian public has been quite
inert towards most scandalous episodes of the activities of this
service. For example, some time ago there was an incident in Syunik
when people with the insignia of the Russia Federal Security Service
limited the mobility of RA citizens, Member of Parliament Zaruhi
Postanjyan in Syunik region without any explanation. In addition,
they stopped her 30 km off the state border which is beyond their
zone of competence.

What were the Russian border guards doing 30 km off their zone of
competence? Nobody ever explained this incident. The Russian border
guard service had some correspondence with Hovik Abrahamyan, and the
issue was closed. Perhaps the letter was about export of produce
from Armenia to Russia and border issues relating to their export
were mentioned, and the sides agreed.

A few months later the Russian border guard service was in the
headlines again. This time it was a tragedy, the manslaughter in
Gyumri, according to the official version, by the serviceman of the
Russian 102nd military base Valery Permyakov. He killed a family of 7,
including two kids, in Gyumri.

Again according to the official version, 18 hours after the murder
the Russian border guards arrested Permyakov when he was trying to
cross the section of the Armenian-Turkish border entrusted to them.

Everything is normal until this moment.

The abnormal thing starts when the Russian border guards hand
Permyakov to the Russian military base without explaining or notifying
the Armenian side whereas they had to hand him to the Armenian law
enforcement bodies, and even the Armenian prosecutor general confessed
there is such obligation.

Hence, the border guard department of the Russian Federal Security
Service violated the laws of the Republic of Armenia, it hid the
person suspected of terrorism against the citizens of Armenia from
the Republic of Armenia.

Before pledging reliable protection of the border Vyacheslav
Biryukov should give the Armenian society explanations for this
obvious violation.

At the same time, there seems to be nobody to demand explanations
from the Russian border guards. The Armenian government does not dare
to address the Russian border guards and prosecutor general’s office
relating to Permyakov’s case. The story of the letter of the Armenian
prosecutor general was ridiculous, or rather a tragicomedy.

In fact, there are doubts whether the border guards caught Permyakov
and whether he could ever walk 20 km in freezing cold in an unfamiliar
place with police combing the area.

There are doubts that the version of the border guards has been
invented to cover up how Permyakov appeared in the Russian military
base. There are doubts that the Armenian law enforcement bodies found
him but the Russians demanded him back or it is also possible that
Permyakov himself walked to the military base after committing the
crime or task.

To shed light on this story, the Russian border guard service has to
account for the reason of this breach, how the trespasser illegally
appeared under the jurisdiction of the military base.

Unless there is no answer to this question, the statements about
defending the Armenian border are not only ridiculous but also
dangerous. Unless there is a clear answer to the question about
Permyakov, the Armenian-Turkish border which is under the control of
the Russian border guards is simply in danger, it is not known who
they catch and whom they hand, and the Republic of Armenia does not
receive any information or justification.

If the Armenian border is to be defeated with such breaches, it is
not defense but threat, and if the Russian border guards are ever
defending anything at the border of Armenia, it is the national
interests of the Russian Federation.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress