FIVE IRAQI CITIZENS WITH "FALSE" ARMENIAN PASSPORTS DETAINED IN GEORGIA

Georgian Public Television Channel 1
Feb 19 2009
Georgia

Tbilisi, 19 February: Georgia has detained five Iraqi citizens for
attempting to enter the country with fake passports. The Georgian
Interior Ministry said that they flew into Tbilisi from Yerevan and
were planning to travel to Brazil via the Netherlands. Georgian police
said that prior to arriving in Tbilisi, the Iraqis had contacted
Merab Chelidze, the head of the Georgian Pilots’ Association, who
promised to help them cross the Georgian border without impediment
in exchange for 4,000 euros.

Chelidze has been arrested, as have the Iraqis, who stand accused of
illegally crossing the border. A criminal case has been opened and
an investigation is under way.

[In a statement on the matter published on the Georgian Interior
Ministry’s website, police said the Iraqi citizens had presented
"false" Armenian passports.]