THEY IN BAKU CALL "A CANARD" THE REPORT OF ARMENIAN SPECIAL SERVICES THAT THEY HAVE CAUGHT AN AZERI SPY

Regnum, Russia
Aug. 31, 2006

"The reports of the press center of the National Security Service
of Armenia is one more canard and is due to the starting electoral
campaign in that country," the head of the Center for Public Relations
of the National Security Ministry of Azerbaijan Arif Babayev says in
an talk with a REGNUM correspondent.

To remind, on September 5 the court of the first instance of Gegarkunik
region of Armenia will start the trial of Rustem Valiakhmetov, who
is facing the charge of espionage. They in the press center of the
National Security Service of Armenia have told REGNUM that Valiakhmetov
was arrested on December 28, 2005.

"He is an agent of the Service for Special Missions of Azerbaijan and
was sent to Armenia for spying. He is facing the charge of espionage
under Article 302 of the Criminal Code of Armenia," reports the
press center.

Meanwhile, Babayev says that neither the National Security Ministry
nor any other ministry of Azerbaijan has "Service for Special
Missions." Babayev says that he hears the name of Rustem Valiakhmetov
for the first time.