AZERBAIJAN ANGRY THAT ZORY BALAYAN WAS NOT ARRESTED BY TURKISH AUTHORITIES

ArmenPress
Sept 28 2004

BAKU, SEPTEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: A Baku-based Ekho daily regretted
that Zory Balayan, a prominent Armenian publicist, was not detained
by Turkish border guards on Turkish-Syrian border, when entering
Turkey from Syria to meet with residents of an Armenian village in
Turkey. “Taking into consideration that the well-known Armenian
“terrorist” is outside Armenia (Balayan is on board of a ship,
replicated from medieval Armenian merchant vessels, sailing to
Europe-Armenpress) Azeri authorities intend to start a sweeping
manhunt after him,” the daily writes. To remind, Azerbaijan had asked
Interpol to arrest Balayan, whom it accuses of masterminding a series
of terrorist acts in Azerbaijan, but Interpol has dropped the case.

Z. Orduj, an Azeri parliament member, was quoted by the daily
as saying that he was going to ask the government at a regular
parliament session to request that Balayan be arrested and extradited
by the authorities of those countries which the vessel crew is pass
through. “Balayan regularly comes up with threats against Turkey and
the Turkish authorities should treat him just like Abdullah Ocalan,”
the Azeri deputy stated.