ARMINFO News Agency
September 14, 2006 Thursday

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY CONTINUES NEGOTIATIONS WITH GEORGIAN PARTY
REGARDING DETENTION OF ARMENIAN CITIZENS

The Foreign Ministry of Armenia continues negotiating with the
Georgian party regarding detention of Armenian citizens, Arman
Kirakosyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, told journalists,
Thursday.

"These are very serious negotiations as they concern a great number
of Armenian citizens," A. Kirakosyan said.

Earlier, "Azg" Armenian newspaper wrote that about 100 citizens of
Armenia are kept in prisons in Georgia. Article 334.2 of the Georgian
Criminal Code stipulates a 2,000 USD fine for violation of the
Georgian-Russian border. A repeated violation of the border leads to
5 years of imprisonment. The newspaper reported that the above
citizens of Armenia are sentenced to imprisonment for violation of
the above article. The newspaper explains that a visit to Abkhazia or
South Ossetia from the territory of Russia is considered a violation
of the Georgian border.