Russian frontier guards must prove Turkish shepherd was armed – Armenian expert

Head of the Modus Vivendi center Ara Papyan believes Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs must demand that Russian frontier guards produce proofs that the Turkish shepherd crossed the Armenian-Turkish border armed and was the first to shoot.
 
The proofs must be provided to Turkey. Otherwise, the incident gives rise to speculations.

The 35-year-old shepherd Mustafa Ulker crossed the Armenian border on the evening of July 31. Armenian and Turkish sources offered contradictory versions of the incident. According to the Turkish sources, “Armenian guards” opened fire on him when he was searching for his lost cow that had wandered across the border. According to the Russian frontier guards, two young Turks crossed over into Armenia to steal sheep.

After being warned by the Russian frontier guards, the young men laughed at them. The frontier guards fired two shots into the air, but one of the Turks allegedly opened fire on them. The Armenia Border Department of the Russian Federal Security Service reported that one of the Turks was shot dead.

“I think that the Russian frontier guards took much more radical steps that they normally take. If the shepherd turns to have not been armed, it gives rise to speculations,” Papayan told Tert.am.

“If it is proved that the Russian frontier guards were the first to open fire, I suppose that it was done to build up tension between Armenia and Turkey. But if it was an armed attack, the Russian frontier guards had no alternative,” he said.

Armenia’s foreign office must demand clear proofs from the Russian side that the Turkish shepherd was armed and was the first to open fire. “A gun is the best proof and the Russian frontier guards must produce it to the Turkish side. So we must, first of all, cooperate with the Russian side,” Papyan said.

“Turkey has not missed its chance to shape negative sentiments against Armenia. Of course, it was a Russian frontier guard that shot the Turkish shepherd dead. However, Turkey is justly stating that this is Armenia’s territory and is taking advantage of the incident to tarnish our reputation throughout the world,” he said.

According to him, the incident may prove a decisive factor in the Armenia-EU association agreement.