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Associated Press International
March 28, 2015 Saturday 11:50 AM GMT
Azerbaijan insists European Games safe despite violence
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
MOSCOW
MOSCOW (AP) - Azerbaijan insists its hosting of the European Games in
June will be safe despite clashes over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region last week which left at least three dead.
Azerbaijan and neighboring Armenia, which backs the separatists, have
remained technically at war since a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in
the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Azerbaijan foreign ministry spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev told The
Associated Press in e-mailed comments that the games would not be
affected by the fighting, pointing out that the region affected is
more than 400 kilometers from the venues and that fighting is confined
to the separatist region.
He added that "safety and a peaceful environment for both the athletes
competing in the Games and for the spectators in attendance will be
provided."
The defense ministry of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region said
three of its soldiers were killed and another four were wounded last
week while repelling an Azerbaijani incursion.
It said an unspecified number of Azerbaijani invaders were killed
during the clash, which lasted about two hours. Azerbaijan's Defense
Ministry, in turn, blamed the Armenian side for the clash and claimed
that 20 Armenian soldiers were killed or wounded. The conflicting
claims couldn't be independently verified.
Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region and some adjacent territory have
been under the control of Armenian soldiers and local ethnic Armenian
forces since a 1994 cease-fire that ended a six-year war.
Earlier this month, the Armenian Olympic Committee said it would
participate in the European Games, with head Gagik Tsarukyan saying
the decision to compete was "based on sporting reasons alone."
He added "it is important to keep sport independent from politics."
Hajiyev declined to detail specific security measures which will be
used to protect the capital Baku during the June 12-28 games.
"In accordance with the international procedures and standards
designed for such large-scale sport events all necessary safety,
security and civil emergency measures are being undertaken by the
relevant authorities of Azerbaijan," he said.
Protests during the games will not be allowed unless they take place
within a specified venue with the permission of the authorities, he
added.
Hajiyev said that it is a "well known principle that one's freedom
should not come at the expense of others and mutual respect shall
always be prevailed."
"Beyond specified venues, deliberate attempts to disrupt the traffic
and public transport and affect daily routine of others particularly
during the large scale events is inappropriate," he added.
Azerbaijani politics is dominated by the ruling party of President
Ilham Aliyev and large-scale protests are rare.
Azerbaijan has hosted an increasing number of international events in
recent years and is due to host a Formula One Grand Prix from next
year.
However, Baku has yet to host a multi-sports event on the scale of the
inaugural European Games, which are likely to include around 6,000
athletes in 20 sports. Azerbaijan failed in bids to host the 2016 and
2020 Olympics.
As well as the separatist conflict, Islamist terrorism has been a
sporadic security threat in Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, although
attacks are rare. In 2007, a grenade attack on a mosque left three
dead.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
March 28, 2015 Saturday 11:50 AM GMT
Azerbaijan insists European Games safe despite violence
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
MOSCOW
MOSCOW (AP) - Azerbaijan insists its hosting of the European Games in
June will be safe despite clashes over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh
region last week which left at least three dead.
Azerbaijan and neighboring Armenia, which backs the separatists, have
remained technically at war since a conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in
the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Azerbaijan foreign ministry spokesman Hikmet Hajiyev told The
Associated Press in e-mailed comments that the games would not be
affected by the fighting, pointing out that the region affected is
more than 400 kilometers from the venues and that fighting is confined
to the separatist region.
He added that "safety and a peaceful environment for both the athletes
competing in the Games and for the spectators in attendance will be
provided."
The defense ministry of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh region said
three of its soldiers were killed and another four were wounded last
week while repelling an Azerbaijani incursion.
It said an unspecified number of Azerbaijani invaders were killed
during the clash, which lasted about two hours. Azerbaijan's Defense
Ministry, in turn, blamed the Armenian side for the clash and claimed
that 20 Armenian soldiers were killed or wounded. The conflicting
claims couldn't be independently verified.
Azerbaijan's Nagorno-Karabakh region and some adjacent territory have
been under the control of Armenian soldiers and local ethnic Armenian
forces since a 1994 cease-fire that ended a six-year war.
Earlier this month, the Armenian Olympic Committee said it would
participate in the European Games, with head Gagik Tsarukyan saying
the decision to compete was "based on sporting reasons alone."
He added "it is important to keep sport independent from politics."
Hajiyev declined to detail specific security measures which will be
used to protect the capital Baku during the June 12-28 games.
"In accordance with the international procedures and standards
designed for such large-scale sport events all necessary safety,
security and civil emergency measures are being undertaken by the
relevant authorities of Azerbaijan," he said.
Protests during the games will not be allowed unless they take place
within a specified venue with the permission of the authorities, he
added.
Hajiyev said that it is a "well known principle that one's freedom
should not come at the expense of others and mutual respect shall
always be prevailed."
"Beyond specified venues, deliberate attempts to disrupt the traffic
and public transport and affect daily routine of others particularly
during the large scale events is inappropriate," he added.
Azerbaijani politics is dominated by the ruling party of President
Ilham Aliyev and large-scale protests are rare.
Azerbaijan has hosted an increasing number of international events in
recent years and is due to host a Formula One Grand Prix from next
year.
However, Baku has yet to host a multi-sports event on the scale of the
inaugural European Games, which are likely to include around 6,000
athletes in 20 sports. Azerbaijan failed in bids to host the 2016 and
2020 Olympics.
As well as the separatist conflict, Islamist terrorism has been a
sporadic security threat in Muslim-majority Azerbaijan, although
attacks are rare. In 2007, a grenade attack on a mosque left three
dead.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress