Fires in Karabakh come evidently from the Azeri side

PanARMENIAN.Net - Since the end of May of 2007, there have been periodical fires along the line of contact of the NKR and Azerbaijani armed forces. The NKR Rescue Service is engaged in localization and fire extinguishing. In case of necessity the servicemen of the NKR Defense Army, as well as the civilians come to assist the Rescue Service, the NKR MFA press office reports.



According to head of the NKR Rescue Service's operative department Ashot Verdyan, 24-hour duty has been established in the corresponding zones in all the districts, the number of field fire-rescue points (with a fire-machine and a fire fighters brigade ) increases 5 times compared with last year (there were 18 points in 2006, and 23 - in 2007).



"We react operatively to the alarms of fires and undertake corresponding measures immediately. Under the conditions of techniques lack the fire brigade makes heroism. Last year's experience of fire-fighting now helps the successful localization and prevention of fires. In case of large-scale fires several cars are enabled simultaneously, servicemen and civilians come to assist. Besides the regular points, there are movable posts - by driving around on "UAZes" we control the corresponding territories," Ashot Verdyan noted.



According to head of the NKR Rescue Service fire- rescue department Samvel Hayrumyan, due to the preventive measures the number of fires has been significantly reduced in comparison with last year. According to the data of July 4, 13 hectares of planted areas were burnt in the Hadrut district, 6 hectares in Martouni and 10 hectares in Martakert.



Head of the NKR Rescue Service's Hadrut fire station Roman Mayilyan informed that most frequently fires occur in the districts of Horadiz station, between the posts of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces.



"We don't have any access there, that's why we can't surely speak on the reasons of inflammation. When the fire spreads to our side, we undertake every effort for localization and fire extinguishing. Our fire brigade is on an intensified duty. Servicemen and civilians give help as well," Mayilyan noted.



According to head of the NKR Rescue Service's Martakert fire station Karen Grigoryan, 4 cases of fire were fixed on the territory over the reporting period and the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Fire fighters and rescuers located in the region undertook corresponding measures on localization and fire extinguishing. Prophylactic measures on their prevention have also been taken.



Head of the NKR Rescue Service's Askeran fire station Artur Daniyelian told that according to the data of July 4, planted areas did not catch fire, however, there was a fire which occurred on the territory, controlled by the Azerbaijani troops, and spread to the front lines of the NKR Defense Army, then under the influence of wind changed its direction and did not achieve the posts. On the whole, the fire enveloped 15 km of areas. The fire fighters and rescuers managed to put out the fire.



"Evidently the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Most probably having gathered their harvest, in the lowlands it ripens earlier, the Azerbaijanis burnt down the field. We are ready just now to hold a joint monitoring with the Azerbaijanis to become convinced of the real state of affairs", - Artur Daniyelian noted.



In addition, a Republican headquarters, headed by the NKR Minister of Agriculture Vahram Baghdassaryan, was formed. It aims to ensure cropping without losses. Representatives of interested structures including the NKR Rescue Service are the members of the headquarters.



Earlier the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to the Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office expressing concern over numerous cases of fires from Azerbaijani side across the Line of Contact between armed forces of NKR and Azerbaijan and urged to conduct a crisis monitoring of the borderline area. The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the timely interference of the Office of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office would allow avoiding a repeat of the summer 2006 situation, which had been used by Azerbaijani authorities, in particular, for propaganda and became an additional factor destabilizing the peace process.



In the other note, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs called upon the Office of Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities to take a principled and consistent stand in realization of the OSCE Mission's recommendations, which, as it was noted in the note, "will allow achieving the goals set in the report and creating an efficient mechanism for fire prevention along the line of contact, which may become one of the elements of confidence building measures."