Baku promises not to use force against civil objectsApril 1, 2011 - 16:53 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan never did and never will use force against civil objects, the spokesman for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Elkhan Polukhov stated, expressing bewilderment over the stir raised around the issue. Earlier, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan promised to be the first passenger of the plane bound for the newly built Stepanakert airport. The director of the State Civil Aviation Administration of Azerbaijan Arif Mammadov announced Azerbaijan would shoot down the aircraft that would be landing at the Stepanakert airport. The Azeri side has already managed to complain to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). “We notified that the airspace over Karabakh is closed. The Law on Aviation envisages physical destruction of airplanes landing on this territory,” Mammadov said. Moreover, official Baku considers itself entitled “to destroy any planes that will come to land at the airport of Stepanakert”. According to Mammadov, the ICAO management recommended making every effort to avoid possible negative effects in the region. Earlier, the U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza made a statement unacceptability of force application by Azerbaijan against civilian planes bound for Nagorno Karabakh. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. |