ARA ABRAHAMIAN: RELEASE OF ARMENIAN PILOTS – OUR COMMON VICTORY

Pan Armenian News
11.06.2005 07:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The release of the Armenian pilots is our common
victory, President of World Congress of Armenians Ara Abrahamian
stated at today’s press conference dedicated to the release of 6
Armenian pilots held in jail in Equatorial Guinea. In his words,
Armenia did much for the release. “I cannot say it was easy”, he
noted. According to him, the Armenian government has been negotiating
the pilots’ release for over a year with several officials, including
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, visiting the African country. Ara
Abrahamian himself took the advantage of international contacts. As
result the Pope, UNESCO President and Russian Foreign Minister appealed
to the leadership of Equatorial Guinea. “There are people who think too
highly of my service. It is not true and will do harm not only to me
but also to all Armenian people. All I did was for the consolidation
of Armenian people”, he said. “For the first time we bought to the
Diaspora’s notion that there is a state, which is not indifferent
to the fate of its citizens independently of their location”, Ara
Abrahamian noted. “Though each country has its own laws I am convinced
our pilots are innocent and I am happy they are free now”, he said. At
the same time he added that he has undertaken some commitments to
the leadership of Equatorial Guinea and noted that they will aim at
the solution of social and financial problems available in the country.