Seyran Ohanyan, Ruben Hayrapetyan talked over phone
We have no right to lose anyone, especially military personnel and doctors, Armenia's Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said in connection with the June 17 brawl at the Harsnakar Restaurant which led to the death of military doctor Vahe Avetyan.
The minister calls on everyone to create an atmosphere of mutual tolerance in Armenia in order to avoid repetition of a similar tragedy in the future.
"I think that people occasionally become inflamed with passion and try to put forward their visions and ideas, their "ego." Anyway, as we mature and grow older, we should realize that all differences must be settled by peaceful means rather than by power or blows," Seyran Ohanyan told A1+.
Minister Ohanyan says he has had a telephone conversation with the restaurant owner Ruben Hayrapetyan who is presently in Ukraine.
"We both condemned the tragic incident. We think that the public needn't organize more campaigns and protests. We should leave it to the law enforcement bodies to investigate the case and identify those guilty," said Mr. Ohanyan.
In his turn, Chief of Armenian Police, Lieutenant-General Vladimir Gasparyan says they are doing everything to ensure objective investigation of the incident.
"We shall provide open, transparent and unbiased investigation into the case. I think we will put an end to arrogance and lawlessness in this country," he said.
Later, he said that the law on bodyguards is included in the parliament agenda. The adoption of the draft law will help regulate the field and curb oligarchs.
"Let the oligarchs work well and be honest, in that case they will not need bodyguards," said Mr. Gasparyan.
Regarding the act of Lieutenant Colonel Vardan Samvelyan, a senior official at the Defense Ministry's capital regiment, who attempted to blow up the Harsnakar Restaurant, Seyran Ohanyan said, "If each of us succumbs to his emotions, what is to become of us? We must be tolerant and respect our laws."
"I think he was under the influence of alcohol," said Vladimir Karapetyan.
