AZG Armenian Daily #165, 15/09/2005

Russia

SCENARIO OF RESCUING ARMENIAN PILOTS HELPS TO RESCUE RUSSIAN SAILORS

“The Russian foreign minister applied to me with a letter a month ago and a
half ago, asking to help in the case of the Russian sailors imprisoned in
Nigeria, using my international ties,” Ara Abrahamian, chairman of the World
Congress of Armenians, sated in the interview to Azg.

As you know, the Nigerian authorities arrested and imprisoned the crew of
the African “Pride” ship, accusing them of oil smuggling. 15 members of the
crew are Russian citizens. The inquiry opened against them lasts for two
years already.

Ara Abrahamian, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, said that the process he
participated in lasted three months. They created a separate group that
worked in three main directions. At first, they spared no efforts to secure
good living conditions for the sailors, to improve their health and safety
in the Nigerian prison. Soon, the sailors were transferred to a separate
place, where there was a drug store. Ara Abrahamian’s working group also
established relations with the leadership of the prison.

Besides, some of the families of the sailors were rendered financial aid.

Secondly, the working group directed their efforts to achieve positive
results in the court procedure. Ara Abrahamian said that the lawyers hired
for the Russian sailors didn’t defend them properly, so they decided to
change them and hire a new lawyer. He said they hired a local Nigerian
lawyer who proved to be a good one.

At present, the sailors are staying at the Russian Embassy to Nigeria. Ara
Abrahamian’s assistant is staying with them.

Thirdly, Ara Abrahamian’s working group began cooperation negotiations with
the Nigerian authorities. Ara Abrahamian and Nigerian President achieved
certain agreements on cooperation.

In general, the strategy was the same that was elaborated and applied when
rescuing the 6 Armenia pilots from the Equatorial Guinea. Ara Abrahamian
said that the current stage of the works was implemented with the direct
cooperation of Sergey Lavrov, Russian foreign minister.

“I believe that the sailors will return to their motherland till December,
“Ara Abrahamian assured.

The Russian press highly evaluated the efforts of Ara Abrahamian in rescuing
the Russian Sailors.

Having witnessed the results of Ara Abrahamian’s successful negotiations in
the case of the six Armenian pilots, we hope that soon the Russian sailors
will return to their families.

By Aghavni Harutyunian