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ARMENIA SLAMS BAKU'S NEW KARABAKH FLIGHT THREATS
asbarez
Thursday, November 1st, 2012
The Stepanakert Airport
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Armenia on Thursday condemned Azerbaijan's renewed
threats to forcibly halt planned commercial flights to Nagorno-Karabakh
and warned of "adequate" retaliation against Baku.
The Azerbaijani government reiterated on Wednesday its strong
opposition to the reopening of a newly reconstructed airport near
the Karabakh capital Stepanakert. Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar
Sabiroglu said the Armenian side's plans to launch a regular flight
service between Stepanakert and Yerevan without Baku's permission
would violate international law.
"Second, one must take into account the fact that we are in a state
of war," news agencies quoted Sabiroglu as saying. "And third, if
they [the Armenians] resort to that step, they will get an adequate
response. That is, the Azerbaijani army will perform its duties."
Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly issued such warnings before.
Some of them have openly stated that the Azerbaijani military would
shoot down civilian aircraft entering Karabakh.
The authorities in Stepanakert and Yerevan have brushed aside such
threats. General Movses Hakobian, the commander of Karabakh's Army,
warned earlier this week that his forces are capable of destroying
air targets deep inside Azerbaijani territory.
"This year, for instance, the [Karabakh] Defense Army's air-defense
forces tracked 2,226 flights in Azerbaijan's airspace," Hakobian told
journalists. "Namely, they flew within our firing range and could
have been shot down."
"I go to Yerevan very often, and in order to reassure our
public I promise to fly there every time," after the launch of
Stepanakert-Yerevan flights, he said.
Artsrun Hovannisian, the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman,
cited Hakobian's comments when asked by RFE/RL's Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am) to comment on the latest Azerbaijani threats. He also
said any use of force against civilian aircraft would run counter to
international law.
"We are always ready to take corresponding actions," said Koryun
Nahapetian, chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on defense
and security. "That could take the form of statements or appropriate
military actions. So rest assured that our authorities are doing
everything in this regard, and there is no need to be concerned."
International mediators seeking a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict said in July that they have "received renewed assurances
from the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force
against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps,
and refrain from politicizing the issue."
asbarez
Thursday, November 1st, 2012
The Stepanakert Airport
YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Armenia on Thursday condemned Azerbaijan's renewed
threats to forcibly halt planned commercial flights to Nagorno-Karabakh
and warned of "adequate" retaliation against Baku.
The Azerbaijani government reiterated on Wednesday its strong
opposition to the reopening of a newly reconstructed airport near
the Karabakh capital Stepanakert. Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar
Sabiroglu said the Armenian side's plans to launch a regular flight
service between Stepanakert and Yerevan without Baku's permission
would violate international law.
"Second, one must take into account the fact that we are in a state
of war," news agencies quoted Sabiroglu as saying. "And third, if
they [the Armenians] resort to that step, they will get an adequate
response. That is, the Azerbaijani army will perform its duties."
Azerbaijani officials have repeatedly issued such warnings before.
Some of them have openly stated that the Azerbaijani military would
shoot down civilian aircraft entering Karabakh.
The authorities in Stepanakert and Yerevan have brushed aside such
threats. General Movses Hakobian, the commander of Karabakh's Army,
warned earlier this week that his forces are capable of destroying
air targets deep inside Azerbaijani territory.
"This year, for instance, the [Karabakh] Defense Army's air-defense
forces tracked 2,226 flights in Azerbaijan's airspace," Hakobian told
journalists. "Namely, they flew within our firing range and could
have been shot down."
"I go to Yerevan very often, and in order to reassure our
public I promise to fly there every time," after the launch of
Stepanakert-Yerevan flights, he said.
Artsrun Hovannisian, the Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman,
cited Hakobian's comments when asked by RFE/RL's Armenian service
(Azatutyun.am) to comment on the latest Azerbaijani threats. He also
said any use of force against civilian aircraft would run counter to
international law.
"We are always ready to take corresponding actions," said Koryun
Nahapetian, chairman of the Armenian parliament committee on defense
and security. "That could take the form of statements or appropriate
military actions. So rest assured that our authorities are doing
everything in this regard, and there is no need to be concerned."
International mediators seeking a peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict said in July that they have "received renewed assurances
from the sides that they will reject any threat or use of force
against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps,
and refrain from politicizing the issue."