STEPANAKERT AIRPORT TO BE LAUNCHED TILL LATE SEPTEMBER
tert.am
11.09.12
The reconstructed airport of Nagorno-Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert,
will be put into operation until the end of September, according to
the chief of the country's Civil Aviation Department, Dmitry Adbashyan.
Earlier plans to launch the airport were delayed due to the summer
period and the beginning of September.
Speaking to Tert.am, Adbasyan said the delays were linked to the
implementation of expert proposals. A normative act elaborated by
independent experts who conducted inspections at the airport in May
said the construction complies with the ICAO (International Convention
on Civil Aviation) standards.
"The act predominantly focused on technical imperfections, i.e. what
has to be done to eliminate the remaining shortcomings," Adeshyan
noted.
According to him the shortcomings are now 99% overcome, with the
Department working on legal details.
"A second group of narrow specialists is working now, after which we
will issue permission for putting the airport into operation," he said.
Asked whether [Azerbaijani axe-killer] Ramil Safarov's extradition,
pardoning and glorification as a hero, as well as the international
alarm over the processes could serve as political motives for
delaying further the airport's operation, he answered, "There are no
circumstances we could turn attention to or take into consideration."
The OSCE Minsk Group had earlier confirmed that the airport's opening
would not affect Nagorno-Karabakh's status. It called upon the
conflicting parties to ensure that the flights over their territories
are carried out in accordance with the norms and principles of
international law.
Despite the warning, however, Azerbaijan has several times threatened,
on the level of different officials, to shoot down the aircrafts
flying over Karabakh.
In May 2011, the head of the Azerbaijani State Civil Aviation
Department, Arif Mamedov said the official Baku has a right to destroy
the air-planes landing at the airport.
Armenia's response came soon afterward, with President Serzh
Sargsyan characterizing the Azerbaijani officials' statements as
morbid fantasies.
"The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have a right to benefit from air
transport services," the president said, promising to be the first
passanger to fly to Stepanakert.
tert.am
11.09.12
The reconstructed airport of Nagorno-Karabakh's capital, Stepanakert,
will be put into operation until the end of September, according to
the chief of the country's Civil Aviation Department, Dmitry Adbashyan.
Earlier plans to launch the airport were delayed due to the summer
period and the beginning of September.
Speaking to Tert.am, Adbasyan said the delays were linked to the
implementation of expert proposals. A normative act elaborated by
independent experts who conducted inspections at the airport in May
said the construction complies with the ICAO (International Convention
on Civil Aviation) standards.
"The act predominantly focused on technical imperfections, i.e. what
has to be done to eliminate the remaining shortcomings," Adeshyan
noted.
According to him the shortcomings are now 99% overcome, with the
Department working on legal details.
"A second group of narrow specialists is working now, after which we
will issue permission for putting the airport into operation," he said.
Asked whether [Azerbaijani axe-killer] Ramil Safarov's extradition,
pardoning and glorification as a hero, as well as the international
alarm over the processes could serve as political motives for
delaying further the airport's operation, he answered, "There are no
circumstances we could turn attention to or take into consideration."
The OSCE Minsk Group had earlier confirmed that the airport's opening
would not affect Nagorno-Karabakh's status. It called upon the
conflicting parties to ensure that the flights over their territories
are carried out in accordance with the norms and principles of
international law.
Despite the warning, however, Azerbaijan has several times threatened,
on the level of different officials, to shoot down the aircrafts
flying over Karabakh.
In May 2011, the head of the Azerbaijani State Civil Aviation
Department, Arif Mamedov said the official Baku has a right to destroy
the air-planes landing at the airport.
Armenia's response came soon afterward, with President Serzh
Sargsyan characterizing the Azerbaijani officials' statements as
morbid fantasies.
"The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have a right to benefit from air
transport services," the president said, promising to be the first
passanger to fly to Stepanakert.