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Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 16 2012
Airport in Karabakh
16 October 2012 - 8:58am
Orkhan Sattarov. Exclusively to VK
The situation over the planned airport in Nagorno-Karabakh which
caused a sharp reaction from Baku is involving more and more
participants. The Azerbaijani information agency APA cites independent
diplomatic sources as saying that Azerbaijan and Turkey have achieved
an agreement on closing their airspace for Armenia if the airport in
Nagorno-Karabakh is launched into operation.
Several Turkish PMs developed a project of a corresponded resolution
in the parliament. An agreement between civil aviation administrative
structures of Azerbaijan and Turkey was reached, according to the
agency. It is interesting that this information spread a week ago
wasn't disposed either by Baku or Ankara: it means purposeful stove
piping - a direct signal to Yerevan. Closing of the Turkish air space
would be a serious challenge for Armenia.
It seems Armenia understood the signal and decided to relocate the
missile defense system S-300 to the Azerbaijani border. The analysis
of recent pictures made from space shows changes which might seriously
influence the missile defense situation in the Caucasus.
The military analysis center located in the US, IMINT, published
satellite pictures of Russian and Armenian missile defense systems in
the region. `The pictures show appearance of new S-300 complexes in
Armenia and the Georgian province of Abkhazia. Both places of
dislocation have a great potential for launching,' the expert Sean
O'Connor says. Turan reports that till 2008 Armenia imported
components of at least three S-300s and changed old S-125 for defense
of Yerevan. Russia located two more S-300s in the province of Syunik
near Goris and Kagnut in 7 km from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2010. `The
systems use the mobile radar 5N63S and the low height radar,' the same
source notes.
S-300s situated near Nagorno-Karabakh can cover the airport near
Khankendi as a supplement to S-125 situated there. Moreover, such
location of S-300 covers the existing air gap and enables Armenia to
block the air communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhichyvan.
The situation over the airport might cause escalation of the conflict
and even resumption of hostilities. If Azerbaijan tried to intercept a
plane of separatists in the Karabakh sky by means of fighter
aircrafts, Armenia would use its missile defense system and a
full-scaled military operation would begin.
The situation is worsened by the fact that presidential elections will
take place in both republics next year. None of leaders want to yield
in such a delicate issue, considering sensitive perception of
everything connected with Nagorno-Karabakh by both sides. Operation of
the KArabakh airport without negative consequences for Armenia means a
failure of Azerbaijan; yielding to Azerbaijan and Turkey by Armenia
means another slap in the Armenian authorities' face.
Speaking about the legal aspect of the problem, all trumps belong to
Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized even by Armenia and
conduction of flights by the separatist regime violates the air space
of Azerbaijan which is legally recognized by the international
society.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/32612.html
Oct 16 2012
Airport in Karabakh
16 October 2012 - 8:58am
Orkhan Sattarov. Exclusively to VK
The situation over the planned airport in Nagorno-Karabakh which
caused a sharp reaction from Baku is involving more and more
participants. The Azerbaijani information agency APA cites independent
diplomatic sources as saying that Azerbaijan and Turkey have achieved
an agreement on closing their airspace for Armenia if the airport in
Nagorno-Karabakh is launched into operation.
Several Turkish PMs developed a project of a corresponded resolution
in the parliament. An agreement between civil aviation administrative
structures of Azerbaijan and Turkey was reached, according to the
agency. It is interesting that this information spread a week ago
wasn't disposed either by Baku or Ankara: it means purposeful stove
piping - a direct signal to Yerevan. Closing of the Turkish air space
would be a serious challenge for Armenia.
It seems Armenia understood the signal and decided to relocate the
missile defense system S-300 to the Azerbaijani border. The analysis
of recent pictures made from space shows changes which might seriously
influence the missile defense situation in the Caucasus.
The military analysis center located in the US, IMINT, published
satellite pictures of Russian and Armenian missile defense systems in
the region. `The pictures show appearance of new S-300 complexes in
Armenia and the Georgian province of Abkhazia. Both places of
dislocation have a great potential for launching,' the expert Sean
O'Connor says. Turan reports that till 2008 Armenia imported
components of at least three S-300s and changed old S-125 for defense
of Yerevan. Russia located two more S-300s in the province of Syunik
near Goris and Kagnut in 7 km from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2010. `The
systems use the mobile radar 5N63S and the low height radar,' the same
source notes.
S-300s situated near Nagorno-Karabakh can cover the airport near
Khankendi as a supplement to S-125 situated there. Moreover, such
location of S-300 covers the existing air gap and enables Armenia to
block the air communication between Azerbaijan and Nakhichyvan.
The situation over the airport might cause escalation of the conflict
and even resumption of hostilities. If Azerbaijan tried to intercept a
plane of separatists in the Karabakh sky by means of fighter
aircrafts, Armenia would use its missile defense system and a
full-scaled military operation would begin.
The situation is worsened by the fact that presidential elections will
take place in both republics next year. None of leaders want to yield
in such a delicate issue, considering sensitive perception of
everything connected with Nagorno-Karabakh by both sides. Operation of
the KArabakh airport without negative consequences for Armenia means a
failure of Azerbaijan; yielding to Azerbaijan and Turkey by Armenia
means another slap in the Armenian authorities' face.
Speaking about the legal aspect of the problem, all trumps belong to
Azerbaijan. Nagorno-Karabakh is not recognized even by Armenia and
conduction of flights by the separatist regime violates the air space
of Azerbaijan which is legally recognized by the international
society.
http://vestnikkavkaza.net/analysis/politics/32612.html