RUSSIAN DAILY RED-FACED OVER FAKE PRESIDENT INTERVIEW

Agence France Presse
September 22, 2009 Tuesday 3:39 PM GMT

One of Russia’s most popular newspapers issued a sheepish apology on
Tuesday for running a fake interview with the president of the former
Soviet republic of Armenia.

Moskovsky Komsomolets had run the interview on Monday — when Armenia
marked its annual independence day — calling it an "exclusive" based
on a lengthy meeting in President Serzh Sarkisian’s presidential
palace.

"In fact, the president of the Republic of Armenia, Serzh Sarkisian,
did not give an interview to Moskovsky Komsomolets. An unprepared
article was published through the fault of the editor on duty,"
it said on its website.

"Those responsible were disciplined," the broadsheet said, adding that
the interview had been based on previous Sarkisian statements presented
as answers to "hypothetical questions" that he was not actually asked.

"We hope our regrettable mistake will not spoil anyone’s holiday,"
the newspaper said.

In the fake interview, Sarkisian praised Armenia’s close ties to Russia
and discussed various issues affecting his small Caucasus country,
including its rapprochement with longtime foe Turkey.