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AZERBAIJAN DOWNS HELICOPTER IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Associated Press International
November 12, 2014 Wednesday 11:39 PM GMT
by AIDA SULTANOVA, Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - The armed forces of Azerbaijan shot down and
destroyed an Armenian military helicopter in the Nagorno-Karabakh
region on Wednesday, the defense ministries of both countries said.
The incident threatened to set off another cycle of violence between
the two South Caucasus neighbors over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is
part of Azerbaijan but along with some surrounding territory has
been under the control of Armenian soldiers and local Armenian forces
since a 1994 cease-fire.
"This is an unprecedented escalation, and the consequences for the
Azerbaijani side will be painful," Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman
Artsrun Ovannisian told The Associated Press.
Azerbaijan said its forces shot down the Russian-made Mi-24 helicopter
gunship after it tried to attack its positions.
Nagorno-Karabakh said the helicopter belonged to its armed forces
and was on a training flight near the cease-fire line. All three
crew members on board were killed, a high-ranking officer with the
Nagorno-Karabakh forces told the AP. The officer was speaking on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release
the information.
There have been sporadic clashes in the two decades since the
cease-fire ended a six-year war, but tensions rose sharply over the
summer and 19 soldiers were killed in multiple confrontations.
Last month, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia met in Paris with
French President Francois Hollande in an effort to ease tensions. But
years of diplomatic efforts under the auspices of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe have made little visible progress
in resolving the dispute.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry denounced the Azerbaijani action as a
"criminal provocation." "The Azerbaijani side is grossly violating
the commitments on the peaceful resolution of the conflict reached
during the recent summits," it said in a statement.
The U.S. State Department denounced the incident as well.
"Today's events are yet another reminder of the need to redouble
efforts on a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
including reducing tensions and respecting the cease-fire," State
Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.
___
AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report from
Washington and Associated Press writer Avet Demourian in Yerevan,
Armenia, contributed to this report.
From: Baghdasarian
Associated Press International
November 12, 2014 Wednesday 11:39 PM GMT
by AIDA SULTANOVA, Associated Press
BAKU, Azerbaijan
BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) - The armed forces of Azerbaijan shot down and
destroyed an Armenian military helicopter in the Nagorno-Karabakh
region on Wednesday, the defense ministries of both countries said.
The incident threatened to set off another cycle of violence between
the two South Caucasus neighbors over Nagorno-Karabakh, which is
part of Azerbaijan but along with some surrounding territory has
been under the control of Armenian soldiers and local Armenian forces
since a 1994 cease-fire.
"This is an unprecedented escalation, and the consequences for the
Azerbaijani side will be painful," Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman
Artsrun Ovannisian told The Associated Press.
Azerbaijan said its forces shot down the Russian-made Mi-24 helicopter
gunship after it tried to attack its positions.
Nagorno-Karabakh said the helicopter belonged to its armed forces
and was on a training flight near the cease-fire line. All three
crew members on board were killed, a high-ranking officer with the
Nagorno-Karabakh forces told the AP. The officer was speaking on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release
the information.
There have been sporadic clashes in the two decades since the
cease-fire ended a six-year war, but tensions rose sharply over the
summer and 19 soldiers were killed in multiple confrontations.
Last month, the leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia met in Paris with
French President Francois Hollande in an effort to ease tensions. But
years of diplomatic efforts under the auspices of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe have made little visible progress
in resolving the dispute.
The Armenian Foreign Ministry denounced the Azerbaijani action as a
"criminal provocation." "The Azerbaijani side is grossly violating
the commitments on the peaceful resolution of the conflict reached
during the recent summits," it said in a statement.
The U.S. State Department denounced the incident as well.
"Today's events are yet another reminder of the need to redouble
efforts on a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
including reducing tensions and respecting the cease-fire," State
Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters.
___
AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee contributed to this report from
Washington and Associated Press writer Avet Demourian in Yerevan,
Armenia, contributed to this report.
From: Baghdasarian