AZERI’S TRY TO LULL NKR SOLDIERS INTO DEFECTING WITH PROMISES OF U.S. RESIDENCE

2009/07/30 | 13:34

Society

Certain Azerbaijani news outlets have used the case of an Armenian
soldier who fell into the hands of Azeri forces along the NKR line
of contact to launch a new campaign designed to convince Armenian
soldiers to defect.

The RoA National Security Service issued a statement in response,
refuting Azeri claims that the Armenian soldier defected due to hunger
and the long-term goal of moving to Europe.

The statement also alleges that a certain Azeri expert has called
on NKR forces to defect in whole units since this way it will be
easier to relocat6e them to Europe. It labels these Azeri calls as
"figments of the imagination".

The statement goes on to say that Azerbaijan has even offered Armenian
soldiers advice on making their way through mine fields and how to
hand themselves over to Azeri forces.

During the past few years, eight Azeri soldiers have defected to
the Armenian side. Six of these eventually were relocated to a third
country via the auspices of the United Nations and the International
Red Cross.