AZERBAIJAN DENIES SENDING TANKS TO FRONT LINE IN KARABAKH
Azadliq, Azerbaijan
Feb 9 2014
Azerbaijan's Defence Ministry has denied reports alleging that tanks
were sent to the frontline in the Karabakh conflict zone.
"Reports about tanks moving towards the frontline zone are off the
mark," Azadliq newspaper quoted the country's Defence Ministry as
saying in a response to a query from Anspress.com website.
The ministry went on to say that Armenian troops violated the
cease-fire up to 2,000 times in the period between 21 January - 8
February, adding that "in all cases, the opposite side was suppressed
by retaliatory fire".
It said that additional measure are taken to prevent cease-fire
violations which are "constant" in the frontline zone. "In line with
the defence minister's instructions, all relevant measures have been
taken and are being taken," the ministry said.
BBCM note: Azerbaijan has lost three soldiers in reported frequent
cease-fire violations on the line of contact between 19 and 31
January. According to reports, cease-fire violations continue to take
place despite the recent pledge that the sides will not violate truce
during the 7-23 February Sochi Olympics.
The Azeri defence minister, the chief of the army's General Staff and
other high-ranking officers visited military units at the frontline,
Azerbaijani TV station ANS reported on 8 February.
Baku and Yerevan are locked in a conflict over Azerbaijan's
Armenian-populated breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh. Following a
war in the early 1990s, the two countries agreed on a cease-fire in
1994 but a final peace treaty has not been signed yet despite years
of negotiations. Since mid-January 2014, the two countries have traded
accusations of cease-fire violations.
[Translated frm Azeri]