“Before we begin our next meeting let’s reinstate once again that our country has been living through difficult and decisive moments these days. I will of course not address the reasons at this stage. It’s not the good time for that now. I will just say that we all need to draw our lessons from this”, – President Serzh Sargsyan said in his opening remarks at a working meeting with the heads of national security service, police, attorney and investigative bodies, that took place today, July 22, according to official press statement.
The head of state was briefed on details of the July 17 armed attack on police station in Yerevan and the events that followed it, including the results of the steps of official bodies undertaken in this period.
The President was also briefed on the process of negotiations with the armed group and other steps that have continuously been undertaken to resolve the crisis, aiming at freeing the hostages, laying down arms and surrendering to law enforcement bodies.
President Sargsyan prioritised that a peaceful resolution shall be reached with all necessary steps employed, including due and comprehensive investigation of all possible offences that took place and ensuring inevitability of punishment for all those guilty.
Certain necessary orders flowing from the current situation have been given to the law enforcement bodies at the end of the meeting.
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According to the press release, President Sargsyan expressed condolences to the family and friends of Colonel Arthur Vanoyan, who was killed during the armed attack on July 17, and elaborated about the situation at large.
The President, in particular, said:
“The sources of this situation are in the most dangerous thinking of our times that issues may be resolved through violence and resort to force. The further evolution of this line of thinking is fraught with dangerous consequences for our country and our statehood.
No issues will be resolved through the use of violence, attacks and hostages in Armenia. We will never allow that. The resolution of this should become the most important maturity test for Armenia, our society and the state.
I call upon the armed men that occupy the police station to exercise restraint and not to endanger others lives with their own provocative actions.
The hostages shall be set free.
The armed group shall lay down arms.
The denouement of the situation shall strictly be adhere to the scope of the Constitution and the laws of the Republic of Armenia.
Every attempt of personal vendetta shall be suspended by law.
It is true, there are many of those feeling discontent in Armenia. But let noone make a mistake and think that they can employ some causes or reasons to wreck the foundations of our statehood.
I call upon our society to employ their political and civil rights in exclusively peaceful and lawful manner. I also urge not to be attracted by those individuals soliciting for extreme steps and provocations. That is fraught with a serious danger of new casualties.
I call upon everyone to realise the serious dangers of such provocations and extreme steps.
My order to you, the representatives of law enforcement agencies, is to continue your mission strictly exercising restraint and according to the law.
We are continuing to employ all possible means to find a final and peaceful resolution to this situation.
I call upon the armed group to lay down arms as soon as possible.
We are, and will continue acting patiently. The life and health of every one of our citizens is important for us.
We did not take to the most customary way of dealing with such situations. We therefore gave the armed group an opportunity to step back. I hope they will become more sober.
But we cannot allow all of our society to become the hostage of this escalation.
I think this situation is already lasting longer than it could actually afford. Not a lot of time passed since April for our society to afford forgetting about what had happened.
Once again, I call upon every one of us to exercise restraint and vigilance – in the name of the Republic of Armenia, and for the sake of our nation’s future”.