Tweet
Interfax, Russia
Feb 13 2013
New Nagorno-Karabakh airport pursues purely humanitarian ends -
Armenian foreign minister
YEREVAN. Feb 13
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are not inclined to politicize the
opening of an airport in Stepanakert, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said.
"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen called for not politicizing the
opening of an airport in Nagorno-Karabakh in their statement. Neither
Karabakh nor Armenia have politicized or intend to politicize this
issue," Nalbandian said at a press conference in Tbilisi in reply to a
question by Azeri public television.
"Azerbaijan is politicizing this issue by its daily statements, so
violating the obligations it has undertaken to the co-chairs. The
co-chairs have also asked them not to use force or threaten to use
force against civilian planes. Neither Armenia nor Karabakh have ever
threatened or are threatening to use force against civilian planes.
Azerbaijan has threatened and is continuing every day to threaten to
use force against civilian planes, and so it is violating its
obligation to the co-chairs not to do so," the Armenian Foreign
Ministry press service quoted Nalbandian as saying.
The Armenian foreign minister also pointed out that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs said the opening of an airport in Stepanakert should
not prejudge Nagorno-Karabakh's status.
"We have never tied the opening of the Stepanakert airport to aspects
of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including
Nagorno-Karabakh's status. Armenia has stated repeatedly at the top
level that the opening of an airport in Stepanakert pursues purely
humanitarian and civilian ends. It is necessary to look at things as
they are rather than foment tensions by statements that go against the
international community's opinion," he said.
va jv
Feb 13 2013
New Nagorno-Karabakh airport pursues purely humanitarian ends -
Armenian foreign minister
YEREVAN. Feb 13
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh are not inclined to politicize the
opening of an airport in Stepanakert, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian said.
"The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen called for not politicizing the
opening of an airport in Nagorno-Karabakh in their statement. Neither
Karabakh nor Armenia have politicized or intend to politicize this
issue," Nalbandian said at a press conference in Tbilisi in reply to a
question by Azeri public television.
"Azerbaijan is politicizing this issue by its daily statements, so
violating the obligations it has undertaken to the co-chairs. The
co-chairs have also asked them not to use force or threaten to use
force against civilian planes. Neither Armenia nor Karabakh have ever
threatened or are threatening to use force against civilian planes.
Azerbaijan has threatened and is continuing every day to threaten to
use force against civilian planes, and so it is violating its
obligation to the co-chairs not to do so," the Armenian Foreign
Ministry press service quoted Nalbandian as saying.
The Armenian foreign minister also pointed out that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs said the opening of an airport in Stepanakert should
not prejudge Nagorno-Karabakh's status.
"We have never tied the opening of the Stepanakert airport to aspects
of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, including
Nagorno-Karabakh's status. Armenia has stated repeatedly at the top
level that the opening of an airport in Stepanakert pursues purely
humanitarian and civilian ends. It is necessary to look at things as
they are rather than foment tensions by statements that go against the
international community's opinion," he said.
va jv