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AZERBAIJANI SNIPER KILLS ARMENIAN SOLDIER: YEREVAN
Agence France Presse
February 23, 2012 Thursday 4:24 PM GMT
An Azerbaijani sniper shot dead an Armenian soldier on the border
between the enemy ex-Soviet states on Thursday, the defence ministry
in Yerevan said.
The 20-year-old soldier, named as Albert Adibekian, died from a
gunshot wound to the head, the ministry said.
"The provocation by snipers from the Azerbaijani armed forces
which resulted in the killing of soldier Adibekian will receive its
response," defence ministry spokesman Davit Karapetian told AFP.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are locked in a long-running conflict over
the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, where 22 soldiers were
reportedly killed along the front line amid frequent skirmishes in
2011 -- although Thursday's incident happened a significant distance
away from Karabakh.
Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized Karabakh from Azerbaijan
in a war in the 1990s that left some 30,000 people dead, but despite
years of negotiations since the 1994 ceasefire the two sides have
not signed a final peace deal.
Russian-mediated talks between the enemies last month ended with
promises to speed up the peace process but no public steps towards
signing the 'basic principles' roadmap deal which is seen as key to
a future settlement.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly threatened to use force to win back Karabakh
if negotiations fail to yield satisfactory results, but Yerevan has
warned of large-scale retaliation if Baku launches any military action.
Agence France Presse
February 23, 2012 Thursday 4:24 PM GMT
An Azerbaijani sniper shot dead an Armenian soldier on the border
between the enemy ex-Soviet states on Thursday, the defence ministry
in Yerevan said.
The 20-year-old soldier, named as Albert Adibekian, died from a
gunshot wound to the head, the ministry said.
"The provocation by snipers from the Azerbaijani armed forces
which resulted in the killing of soldier Adibekian will receive its
response," defence ministry spokesman Davit Karapetian told AFP.
Armenia and Azerbaijan are locked in a long-running conflict over
the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, where 22 soldiers were
reportedly killed along the front line amid frequent skirmishes in
2011 -- although Thursday's incident happened a significant distance
away from Karabakh.
Armenian separatists backed by Yerevan seized Karabakh from Azerbaijan
in a war in the 1990s that left some 30,000 people dead, but despite
years of negotiations since the 1994 ceasefire the two sides have
not signed a final peace deal.
Russian-mediated talks between the enemies last month ended with
promises to speed up the peace process but no public steps towards
signing the 'basic principles' roadmap deal which is seen as key to
a future settlement.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly threatened to use force to win back Karabakh
if negotiations fail to yield satisfactory results, but Yerevan has
warned of large-scale retaliation if Baku launches any military action.