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KARABAKH AIRPORT BUILT WITH TURKISH MACHINERY
Hurriyet
July 25, 2011
Turkey
Turkey's Demirci Makina has provided metal raw materials for the
ongoing construction of a Nagorno-Karabakh airport, Dmitri Atbashian,
according to the president of Armenia's national airliner, Demirci
has no direct sales to both Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia, says the
head of the Turkish company.
The opening of the Nagorno-Karabakh airport, which was supposed to take
place in May, was postsoned as the construction work was not finalized,
according to officials. The opening may take place in upcoming months.
The machinery used in shaping metal components at a newly constructed
airport in the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh were manufactured
by an Ankara-based firm that has denied making any direct sales to
either Armenia or Karabakh.
"We have not directly sold any products to Karabakh. We cannot make
any direct sales to Armenia because we have to register [any] products
that we would be exporting there with the Ministry of State in charge
of foreign trade. One of the countries that we have sold our products
to may have later sold those products to Armenia," Muhammed Demirci,
one of the owners of Demirci Machinery, whose products were used in
the airport's construction, told the Hurriyet Daily News by phone.
Iran example
"A similar event also occurred with regard to Iran. A product sold
to Dubai was sent off to Iran. Our company, on the other hand, cannot
conduct direct trade with Iran due to the sacntions [enacted] by the
United States" due to the Islamic republic's nuclear program, he said.
There is no political reason as to why Turkish products were selected
for the construction of the airport apart from suitable prices,
the president of Armenia's national airliner, Dmitri Atbashian,
recently told the Daily News by email.
"We bought materials not just from Turkey but also from many other
countries to construct the airport in accordance with international
standards. We have yet to understand why Demirci Machinery is so
frequently brought up and why the subject has acquired a political
dimension. We bought those products because we thought their prices
were suitable, that is all," said Atbashian, who is also the president
of the Karabakh administration's airline, adding that disputes over
Karabakh's new airport are caused by Azerbaijan's belligerent attitude.
Atbashian, who is also an experienced pilot, said the machines produced
by the firm were bought from a company based in Armenia.
The airport is due to open in May.
Traveling is a right
The airport's construction has prompted anger in Azerbaijan, which
subsequently threatened to shoot down any civilian planes using the
airport. In response to Azerbaijan's threats, Armenian President
Serge Sarkisian said he would board the first flight to Karabakh.
"The international community should give an appropriate response to
Azerbaijan regarding such threats to civilian flights," he said.
Everyone in the world reserves the right to freely travel from one
place to another, and this right has been enshrined by international
treaties, Atbashian said, adding that the people of Karabakh should
also be able to take advantage of this right.
"Before everything else, there is a matter of conscience here. We
cannot conduct any such trade while the rights of our kin are
being trampled upon. They have also come to visit our firm from the
Azerbaijan Embassy to obtain information, and we have also communicated
to them what we have told you. We have humanitarian concerns, not
commercial ones," Demirci said.
Turkey unilaterally closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support
of its close ally Azerbaijan in the conflict. New protocols that were
signed in 2009 to re-establish relations between Turkey and Armenia
have yet to go into effect.
Atbashian also rebuffed claims that the airport had not yet opened up
due to international pressure. "We are not facing up against any [form]
of pressure. We are only making the final touches to open our airport
to service in accordance with international standards," he said.
"The flights will be conducted between Karabakh and Armenia first. We
believe that the Stepanakerd Airport [in Karabakh] could also be
granted international status in the future, as in the example of
northern Cyprus. International flights are conducted to Azerbaijan
and many other countries from Ercan Airport [in northern Cyprus,]"
Atbashian said.
From: Baghdasarian
Hurriyet
July 25, 2011
Turkey
Turkey's Demirci Makina has provided metal raw materials for the
ongoing construction of a Nagorno-Karabakh airport, Dmitri Atbashian,
according to the president of Armenia's national airliner, Demirci
has no direct sales to both Nagorno-Karabakh or Armenia, says the
head of the Turkish company.
The opening of the Nagorno-Karabakh airport, which was supposed to take
place in May, was postsoned as the construction work was not finalized,
according to officials. The opening may take place in upcoming months.
The machinery used in shaping metal components at a newly constructed
airport in the contested region of Nagorno-Karabakh were manufactured
by an Ankara-based firm that has denied making any direct sales to
either Armenia or Karabakh.
"We have not directly sold any products to Karabakh. We cannot make
any direct sales to Armenia because we have to register [any] products
that we would be exporting there with the Ministry of State in charge
of foreign trade. One of the countries that we have sold our products
to may have later sold those products to Armenia," Muhammed Demirci,
one of the owners of Demirci Machinery, whose products were used in
the airport's construction, told the Hurriyet Daily News by phone.
Iran example
"A similar event also occurred with regard to Iran. A product sold
to Dubai was sent off to Iran. Our company, on the other hand, cannot
conduct direct trade with Iran due to the sacntions [enacted] by the
United States" due to the Islamic republic's nuclear program, he said.
There is no political reason as to why Turkish products were selected
for the construction of the airport apart from suitable prices,
the president of Armenia's national airliner, Dmitri Atbashian,
recently told the Daily News by email.
"We bought materials not just from Turkey but also from many other
countries to construct the airport in accordance with international
standards. We have yet to understand why Demirci Machinery is so
frequently brought up and why the subject has acquired a political
dimension. We bought those products because we thought their prices
were suitable, that is all," said Atbashian, who is also the president
of the Karabakh administration's airline, adding that disputes over
Karabakh's new airport are caused by Azerbaijan's belligerent attitude.
Atbashian, who is also an experienced pilot, said the machines produced
by the firm were bought from a company based in Armenia.
The airport is due to open in May.
Traveling is a right
The airport's construction has prompted anger in Azerbaijan, which
subsequently threatened to shoot down any civilian planes using the
airport. In response to Azerbaijan's threats, Armenian President
Serge Sarkisian said he would board the first flight to Karabakh.
"The international community should give an appropriate response to
Azerbaijan regarding such threats to civilian flights," he said.
Everyone in the world reserves the right to freely travel from one
place to another, and this right has been enshrined by international
treaties, Atbashian said, adding that the people of Karabakh should
also be able to take advantage of this right.
"Before everything else, there is a matter of conscience here. We
cannot conduct any such trade while the rights of our kin are
being trampled upon. They have also come to visit our firm from the
Azerbaijan Embassy to obtain information, and we have also communicated
to them what we have told you. We have humanitarian concerns, not
commercial ones," Demirci said.
Turkey unilaterally closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support
of its close ally Azerbaijan in the conflict. New protocols that were
signed in 2009 to re-establish relations between Turkey and Armenia
have yet to go into effect.
Atbashian also rebuffed claims that the airport had not yet opened up
due to international pressure. "We are not facing up against any [form]
of pressure. We are only making the final touches to open our airport
to service in accordance with international standards," he said.
"The flights will be conducted between Karabakh and Armenia first. We
believe that the Stepanakerd Airport [in Karabakh] could also be
granted international status in the future, as in the example of
northern Cyprus. International flights are conducted to Azerbaijan
and many other countries from Ercan Airport [in northern Cyprus,]"
Atbashian said.
From: Baghdasarian