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Azadliq, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2012
Azerbaijan not to down Armenian planes - military expert
An Azerbaijan military expert has ruled out that his country will down
Armenian planes if the Xankandi airport is opened in Azerbaijan's
breakaway region, opposition Azadliq paper said on 4 October.
"We have always taken a soft stance on this matter. And our enemies
have used this well. We should 'thank' the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
that they encouraged Armenians to this extent. Several months ago they
issued a statement that no problem can be made to the operation of the
Xankandi airport. Such remarks encouraged Armenians. The leader of the
separatists said that the opening of the airport does not yet mean
that flights will be carried out. They too sense that the situation
can spin out of control," the paper quoted military expert Uzeyir
Cafarov as saying.
The expert said in case the airport in Xankandi starts operating,
Azerbaijan will most likely shut its airspace to Armenia, "which might
lead to the dire situation" in that country.
Cafarov also said that Armenia was "taking advantage" of the Ramil
Safarov case to open the Xankandi airport.
The military expert said there were powers interested in the
intensification of the situation over the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that some international
organizations were among those powers.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: Baghdasarian
Oct 4 2012
Azerbaijan not to down Armenian planes - military expert
An Azerbaijan military expert has ruled out that his country will down
Armenian planes if the Xankandi airport is opened in Azerbaijan's
breakaway region, opposition Azadliq paper said on 4 October.
"We have always taken a soft stance on this matter. And our enemies
have used this well. We should 'thank' the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
that they encouraged Armenians to this extent. Several months ago they
issued a statement that no problem can be made to the operation of the
Xankandi airport. Such remarks encouraged Armenians. The leader of the
separatists said that the opening of the airport does not yet mean
that flights will be carried out. They too sense that the situation
can spin out of control," the paper quoted military expert Uzeyir
Cafarov as saying.
The expert said in case the airport in Xankandi starts operating,
Azerbaijan will most likely shut its airspace to Armenia, "which might
lead to the dire situation" in that country.
Cafarov also said that Armenia was "taking advantage" of the Ramil
Safarov case to open the Xankandi airport.
The military expert said there were powers interested in the
intensification of the situation over the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, adding that some international
organizations were among those powers.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: Baghdasarian