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STILL IN LIMBO: STEPANAKERT RE-STATES OPENING OF AIRPORT, BAKU RE-ISSUES THREATS
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
Karabakh | 04.06.12 | 13:51
Last week Tigran Gabrielyan, heading the Civil Aviation Department
of Nagorno Karabakh, stated that the Stepanakert airport will be put
into operation this summer.
These are daring words, taking into account the fact that a year ago
even the opening date was announced of the "first flight", however
it never took place.
The Karabakh authorities' statement made in March of 2011 announcing
that the airport was scheduled to open shortly, on May 9, stirred
a whirlpool of outrage in Azerbaijan; Arif Mamedov, director of
Azerbaijan's State Department of Civil Aviation, said that official
Baku holds the right to destroy the planes that would land at
Stepanakert airport.
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan responded saying that Azeri
statements are words of sick people.
"The population of Nagorno Karabakh has a right to use air transport
services. I can only say that I - President of Armenia - will be the
first passenger of that plane," he said.
Nonetheless, on May 9, 2011 the Armenian president did not become
"the first passenger" as the airplane never took off. It was then
that speculations started that Baku might actually fulfill their
threat and fire on the Armenian plane.
Then US ambassadors in Baku and Yerevan - Mathew Bryza and Mari
Yovanohich respectively - called the Azeri threat "unacceptable". This
position forced the Azeri side to moderate the tone of its statements.
Elhan Polukhov, Azeri foreign ministry spokesperson, stated:
"Azerbaijan has never applied force against civilians and will never
do so."
Bryza then stressed that all the flight security issues had to be
solved between Armenia and Azerbaijan before the opening of the
airport.
It's hardly worth noting that "flight security issues" have never
been discussed between Baku and Yerevan, since Azerbaijan's Defense
Ministry has recently released another statement flushed with threats
along its usual lines.
"In accordance with international norms, in case the air space of the
Azerbaijani Republic is trespassed, Azerbaijan's anti-aircraft forces
will react to the aircraft the same way border guards would respond
to trespassers of the state land border. After a warning signal the
liner-trespasser will be shot down regardless of its type and nature".
Apparently, high-ranking officials will offer comments on the situation
and the issue will most probably be discussed during US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton's visit to Yerevan and Baku, which begins today.
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow
Karabakh | 04.06.12 | 13:51
Last week Tigran Gabrielyan, heading the Civil Aviation Department
of Nagorno Karabakh, stated that the Stepanakert airport will be put
into operation this summer.
These are daring words, taking into account the fact that a year ago
even the opening date was announced of the "first flight", however
it never took place.
The Karabakh authorities' statement made in March of 2011 announcing
that the airport was scheduled to open shortly, on May 9, stirred
a whirlpool of outrage in Azerbaijan; Arif Mamedov, director of
Azerbaijan's State Department of Civil Aviation, said that official
Baku holds the right to destroy the planes that would land at
Stepanakert airport.
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan responded saying that Azeri
statements are words of sick people.
"The population of Nagorno Karabakh has a right to use air transport
services. I can only say that I - President of Armenia - will be the
first passenger of that plane," he said.
Nonetheless, on May 9, 2011 the Armenian president did not become
"the first passenger" as the airplane never took off. It was then
that speculations started that Baku might actually fulfill their
threat and fire on the Armenian plane.
Then US ambassadors in Baku and Yerevan - Mathew Bryza and Mari
Yovanohich respectively - called the Azeri threat "unacceptable". This
position forced the Azeri side to moderate the tone of its statements.
Elhan Polukhov, Azeri foreign ministry spokesperson, stated:
"Azerbaijan has never applied force against civilians and will never
do so."
Bryza then stressed that all the flight security issues had to be
solved between Armenia and Azerbaijan before the opening of the
airport.
It's hardly worth noting that "flight security issues" have never
been discussed between Baku and Yerevan, since Azerbaijan's Defense
Ministry has recently released another statement flushed with threats
along its usual lines.
"In accordance with international norms, in case the air space of the
Azerbaijani Republic is trespassed, Azerbaijan's anti-aircraft forces
will react to the aircraft the same way border guards would respond
to trespassers of the state land border. After a warning signal the
liner-trespasser will be shot down regardless of its type and nature".
Apparently, high-ranking officials will offer comments on the situation
and the issue will most probably be discussed during US Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton's visit to Yerevan and Baku, which begins today.