ARMENIAN RENEGADE SOLDIER SEEKING TRANSFER ABROAD

Assa-Irada
July 24 2008
Azerbaijan

An Armenian soldier who voluntarily crossed to the Azerbaijani
territory has turned down his citizenship and is seeking transfer
to a third country. Representatives of the International Committee
of the Red Cross met with Paruyr Stepanian on Thursday. Although he
had sought the participation of journalists as he intended to make
a statement, the meeting was held behind closed doors. Head of the
ICRC delegation in Azerbaijan, Martin Amacher, had refused to hold
discussions with the serviceman, saying media presence was counter
to the international conventions joined by the country. The Armenian
serviceman told the Baku-based ANS TV channel after the meeting
that he had crossed over to Azerbaijan due to cases of torture in
Armenias military and lawlessness in the country. Stepanian said
he had requested the ICRCs assistance in arranging his transfer to
a third country. The organization has yet to respond to the renegade
servicemans request. Chief of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministrys military
police department, Rovshan Maharramov, said another reason for the
Armenian servicemans move was his admitting that the Armenia-occupied
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh region is part of Azerbaijan and his refusing
to undergo military service in another states territory. Stepanian
said that not only him but also other soldiers were abused in the
Armenian army. He has therefore turned down his citizenship and has
no intention to go back to Armenia, Maharramov said.