Armenian Catches Shevardnadze Eye, Wins Soviet Visa
WASHINGTON — Soviet Foreign Minister Eduard A. Shevardnadze said today a visa has been granted to an Armenian emigrant who halted the official’s motorcade at the State Department to appeal for permission to visit his ailing mother.
“He’s been granted a visa,” Shevardnadze said as he entered the department for another round of talks with Secretary of State George P. Shultz.
Ambarsam Khlgatian, 61, had stationed himself across the street from the building’s diplomatic entrance Thursday carrying a placard that read, “Gorbachev, Let Me Visit My Dying Mother.”
As the motorcade started for the Soviet Embassy, Khlgatian dashed into the street carrying his placard. The motorcade stopped and startled security agents wrestled Khlgatian to the ground.
Shevardnadze left his limousine to talk to the demonstrator for a few minutes.
“He said, ‘Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,’ ” Khlgatian said afterward.
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