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Armenian aide calls for systematized fight against terrorism

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  • Armenian aide calls for systematized fight against terrorism

    Armenian aide calls for systematized fight against terrorism

    Ayots Ashkhar, Yerevan
    3 Sep 04

    Text of Vaan Vardanyan report by Armenian newspaper Ayots Ashkhar on
    3 September headlined "International terrorism threatens everybody"

    An interview with the president's advisor on security issues, Garnik
    Isagulyan.

    [Garnik Isagulyan] The fight against international terrorism should
    be systematized. First of all, superpowers should accept that it is
    inadmissible to use such groups in the fight against each other. When
    they get out of hand, they start acting against their former sponsor,
    i.e. a boomerang effect takes place.

    The second important problem is to prevent the phenomena that feed
    international terrorism. First of all, this envisages the strict
    registration of people who have served in special units of the armies
    or other structures of different countries. Because if such people
    fall under the influence of any ideological or religious sect, they
    become very dangerous.

    And finally, stable cooperation is necessary between the special
    services on all issues related to terrorism - ranging from information
    exchanges to joint actions. No country of the world is insured against
    terrorism today.

    [Ayots Ashkhar correspondent] Let's take Armenia. We are going to send
    sappers and drivers to Iraq. Do you not worry that as representatives
    of other nations, they might be taken hostage as well?

    [Isagulyan] We have only expressed our readiness to take part in the
    reconstruction of Iraq, sending there sappers and drivers who will
    not participate in the armed actions by the coalition forces against
    local groups. Certainly, one may object to this in the sense that even
    journalists of different countries have been taken hostage. But this
    is being done mainly against the countries whose armed forces have
    participated in the war. For this reason, they traditionally demand
    the withdrawal of their armed forces from Iraq as a condition for
    releasing the hostages. I think that Armenia's top leadership took
    these conditions into account when taking such a decision.

    Although it is not right to say that we are absolutely insured against
    danger. That's to say, countries that are hostile to us may try to plan
    any terrorist acts and then justify them by the fact that Armenia has
    sent troops to Iraq. But I do not think such a danger is realistic.

    [Correspondent] Does it mean that Armenia is more protected than the
    powerful countries of the world?

    [Isagulyan] No, it does not. Our privilege is that we are comparatively
    a monoethnic country. If in Russia they link terrorism mainly to the
    Chechens, it is very difficult to differ them from representatives of
    other Caucasus nations living in Russia. This complicates the work of
    the special services because they cannot arrest all the dark people
    in order to expose just one terrorist.

    In Armenia it is easier to notice and register foreigners entering
    Armenia. Of course, this does not mean that we are in a perfect state
    and are simply insured. Our special services should be very attentive
    in this matter. Over the past 15 years, the national security system
    in Armenia has not reached a flawless level. On the contrary, there
    was an outflow of professional personnel, and it is difficult to say
    that those who came instead are quite professional. We should pay
    special attention to the national security service. Because today,
    as well as in the future, much depends on the ability of this service
    to ensure national security.

    [Correspondent] And finally Karabakh. For many years, Azerbaijan has
    been trying to present Karabakh to the world community as a centre
    training terrorists. How "fruitful" is such propaganda by Azerbaijan?

    [Isagulyan] Neither the special services of Azerbaijan, nor Azerbaijan
    itself are at a level where their "information" and reports would
    mean anything to the special services of superpowers.

    The world community differs Karabakh from other unrecognized countries.
    Although the world community's attitude towards Karabakh may be
    compared with their position on Northern Cyprus and Kosovo. That's
    to say, the world accepts the NKR as a well-governed territory with
    all the attributes of a state, where the situation is under control
    and normal elections are conducted. This is a country which has taken
    the path of democratic development, not a territory where some groups,
    which have unclear goals, have become masters, while the same cannot
    be said for Azerbaijan.

    Under the Soviets, there was a brunch of the KGB in Baku and a special
    training centre where representatives of "Islamic" countries were
    trained. I do not think that this fact is so imperceptible that it
    does not lead to certain conclusions in the world community.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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