Schiff: Azerbaijan's horrendous conduct threatens to destabilize entire region

YEREVAN, November 13. /ARKA/. U.S. Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif) has condemned the shootdown of a Karabakh helicopter by Azerbaijani troops saying this action may destabilize the entire region. “The apparent shootdown of an unarmed helicopter over the territory of the NKR [Nagorno-Karabakh Republic] demonstrates Azerbaijan’s callous disregard for human life and its willingness to engage in provocative acts of violence to distract from its domestic problems,” he said. “This horrendous conduct threatens to destabilize the entire region.” On Wednesday, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's defense ministry reported that Azerbaijani troops downed a helicopter of Nagorno-Karabakh army during its training flight. Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 when Karabakh, mainly populated by Armenians, declared its independence from Azerbaijan. On December 10, 1991, a few days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, a referendum took place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and the majority of the population (99.89%) voted for secession from Azerbaijan. Afterwards, large-scale military operations began. As a result, Azerbaijan lost control over Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven regions adjacent to it. Some 30,000 people were killed in this war and about one million people fled their homes. On May 12, 1994, the Bishkek cease-fire agreement put an end to the military operations. Since 1992, talks brokered by OSCE Minsk Group are being held over peaceful settlement of the conflict. The group is co-chaired by USA, Russia and France. -0---