Tweet
BAKU RENEWS THREATS TO DOWN CIVILIAN PLANES IN KARABAKH
http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/30877/karabakh_civilian_planes_azerbaijan_shoot_down
Karabakh | 07.07.11 | 12:30
Photo: www.wikitravel.org
Azerbaijan has renewed its threats to down civilian planes flying to
and from Stepanakert, indicating that its earlier policy was still
in force.
Earlier this year officials in Baku began to make threats to shoot
down civilian planes landing or taking off from an airport near the
capital of Karabakh as the local authorities were pressing ahead with
plans to complete the reconstruction of the terminal.
Later, however, Baku officially toned down its rhetoric after
hearing condemnation from various international instances. Karabakh
authorities, meanwhile, postponed indefinitely the opening of the
airport that had expected to go into operation already in May.
However, they cited "technical reasons" for the decision.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, however, director
of Azerbaijan's State Civil Aviation Administration Arif Mammadov
reiterated the earlier statements on downing planes.
"This is the right of the Azerbaijani side, according to the law on
aviation. Whether this right will be implemented or not, it is for
he government to decide," Mammadov said, as quoted by the Azerbaijani
APA News Agency.
Mammadov also announced that the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee
would not grant an approval certificate to Nagorno-Karabakh to operate
the airport in Stepanakert.
Head of Nagorno-Karabakh's Civil Aviation Department Dmitry Atbashyan
responded by saying that an airport situated in the unrecognized
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an international status
despite it being an unrecognized entity. He further explained that a
certificate was necessary only for airports that have an international
status.
"We do not yet strive to achieve an international airport status,"
said Atbashyan, according to PanArmenian.net.
http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/30877/karabakh_civilian_planes_azerbaijan_shoot_down
Karabakh | 07.07.11 | 12:30
Photo: www.wikitravel.org
Azerbaijan has renewed its threats to down civilian planes flying to
and from Stepanakert, indicating that its earlier policy was still
in force.
Earlier this year officials in Baku began to make threats to shoot
down civilian planes landing or taking off from an airport near the
capital of Karabakh as the local authorities were pressing ahead with
plans to complete the reconstruction of the terminal.
Later, however, Baku officially toned down its rhetoric after
hearing condemnation from various international instances. Karabakh
authorities, meanwhile, postponed indefinitely the opening of the
airport that had expected to go into operation already in May.
However, they cited "technical reasons" for the decision.
Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, however, director
of Azerbaijan's State Civil Aviation Administration Arif Mammadov
reiterated the earlier statements on downing planes.
"This is the right of the Azerbaijani side, according to the law on
aviation. Whether this right will be implemented or not, it is for
he government to decide," Mammadov said, as quoted by the Azerbaijani
APA News Agency.
Mammadov also announced that the CIS Interstate Aviation Committee
would not grant an approval certificate to Nagorno-Karabakh to operate
the airport in Stepanakert.
Head of Nagorno-Karabakh's Civil Aviation Department Dmitry Atbashyan
responded by saying that an airport situated in the unrecognized
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus has an international status
despite it being an unrecognized entity. He further explained that a
certificate was necessary only for airports that have an international
status.
"We do not yet strive to achieve an international airport status,"
said Atbashyan, according to PanArmenian.net.