US ambassador to Armenia: attacks on civil aircraft unacceptable
05.11.2012,
17:32
Attacks on civil aircraft are unacceptable, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John A. Heffern told journalists Monday in commenting the situation on Stepanakert airport to be opened soon.
YEREVAN, November 5. /ARKA/. Attacks on civil aircraft are unacceptable, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John A. Heffern told journalists Monday in commenting the situation on Stepanakert airport to be opened soon, Novosti-Armenia reported.
Stepanakert airport built and equipped in line with international standards and can handle up to 100 passengers per hour. The airport was designed to allow international flights in future. The first flight to be operated is Stepanakert-Yerevan-Stepanakert; other flights are scheduled for the future.
From time to time Azerbaijani officials make statements with threats to use force against aircrafts flying to Karabakh.
In July 2012, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs stated they received guarantees that no force will be used against civil aircrafts.
Being a representative of OSCE Minsk Group co-chair country and guided by its statements on the issue, Heffern urged the parties against provocative actions. Any attacks on civil aircraft are unacceptable, he said.
The Karabakh conflict started in 1988 when prevailingly Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh declared withdrawal from Azerbaijan. On December 10, 1991, a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh where 99.89% voted for independence from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan responded by large-scale military operations that led to loss of control not only over Nagorno-Karabakh itself, but also over seven adjoining areas. About 25-30 thousands people were killed and about a million had to leave their homes during the military operations.
A trilateral cease-fire agreement was signed on May 12, 2004, and has been followed since then.
The ongoing Karabakh peace process started in 1992 under auspices of OSCE Minsk Group. -0-
