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    Categories: 2020

Ural Airlines explains why it refused to evacuate citizens of Armenia, other CIS states from China

Panorama, Armenia
Feb 4 2020

Ural Airlines has been allowed to transport only Russian citizens from China via charter flights since February, RIA Novosti reported, citing the air company’s press service.

"According to the decision of the Russian government, Ural Airlines has suspended regular flights to China (01.02.2020). Since that day, the airline has operated only charter flights. The applications have been submitted to the Chinese aviation authorities. According to the authorization, the airline has the right to transport exclusively Russian citizens,” the carried said in a press release.

Separately, Kommersant newspaper reported that around 70 citizens of CIS countries were not allowed to board a Ural Airlines flight at China's Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. 

In a statement on 2 February, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said given the coronavirus outbreak in China, a number of international airlines were gradually limiting their flights from Beijing and other Chinese cities. The ministry advised Armenian citizens in China to contact the given airline in advance to clarify information about the flight.

The ministry said on 1 February Ural Airlines rejected registration of a group of Armenian citizens, who were later compensated for the tickets.

“The Embassy and the Foreign Ministry of Armenia are taking measures to prevent such developments. At the same time, we inform that the Embassy is constantly in contact with all Armenian citizens who have been registered and is responding to all inquiries,” the statement read.

Later the Foreign Ministry said that Armenian citizen Susanna Aghajanyan had been evacuated from Wuhan and transported to Kazakhstan upon her own request as a result of cooperation with the Kazakh authorities. 

Emil Lazarian: “I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS