RPA: Stepanakert airport construction is beyond OSCE MG authority

PanARMENIAN.Net - Head of the Republican Party of Armenia parliamentary group Galust Sahakyan said that the airport construction in Stepanakert is beyond the authority of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.

“Discussion of the Stepanakert airport is beyond the authority of the Co-Chairmen, and the airport will be constructed anyway,” Sahakyan told a briefing in the Armenian parliament, commenting on the April 14 statement of the OSCE Minsk Group.

In their joint statement, the Co-Chairs expressed their concern that the planned opening of an airport in Nagorno-Karabakh could lead to further increased tensions. They cautioned that the operation of flights to and from this airport could not be used to support any claim of a change in the current status of Nagorno-Karabakh under international law. The Co-Chairs urged the sides to reach an understanding in keeping with international conventions and agreements, as well as current practice between Armenia and Azerbaijan for flights over their territory. The Co-Chairs welcomed assurances from the sides that they will reject any threat or attack against civil aircraft, pursue the matter through diplomatic steps, and refrain from politicizing the issue.