Armenia’s defense ministry says azeri president responsible for deaths of Armenian and Azeri conscripts

YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. Armenia’s defense ministry accused today Azerbaijan of killing an Armenian conscript and wounding another one on Friday. The two conscripts, Norayr Petrosyan and Arthur Asoyan, were shot and wounded at an army outpost near the town of Agarak in the southeastern province of Syunik, which borders Azerbaijan’s Nakhichevan exclave. Both were rushed to a hospital in Agarak, but doctors there failed to save Petrosyan’s life.

In a strongly-worded statement the Armenian defense ministry blamed the death of the Armenian soldier, killed by an Azeri sniper from a distance of around 800 meters, on Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev.” “President Aliyev bears direct responsibility not only for the deaths of Armenian but also Azerbaijani soldiers,’ it said.

"We have enough evidence to conclude that both conscripts were shot by an Azerbaijani sniper from a distance of 700-800 meters," the statement said.

The Armenian defense ministry said the incident was engineered by Azerbaijani regime in a bid to destabilize the situation on the border between Armenia and Nakhichevan that was relatively peaceful  and remind voters in Nakhichevan (ahead of next presidential election in Azerbaijan slated for autumn)  who they owe their lives and well-being.

"Once again we remind that the direct responsibility for the deaths of Armenian or Azerbaijani servicemen lies with Azerbaijani president and its regime", the statement said.

In the light of these developments the Armenian defense ministry said it is extremely important that the sides to the conflict reconcile and start applying a mechanism designed to investigate border incidents as quick as possible. It also urged the OSCE Minsk Group to use all possible instruments to make Azerbaijani authorities approve that mechanism.

"The ministry of defense of Armenia shares the grief over the death of Norayr Petrosian and expresses its support to his family, friends and colleagues. We also wish speedy recovery to Arthur Asoyan,’ the statement said.

Armenian military prosecutors started a criminal case into the death of Norayr Petrosyan under points 6 and 13 of Part 2 of Article 104 of the Criminal Code (murder committed in a manner dangerous to the lives of many people on the grounds of ethnic, racial, religious hatred or religious fanaticism.) --0---