Azerbaijan’s threats to shoot down Artsakh-bound aircrafts unacceptable for U.S.March 23, 2011 - 16:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie L. Yovanovitch said the U.S. considers Azerbaijan’s threats to eliminate aircrafts flying to Stepanakert airport to be unacceptable. “Similar threats do not proceed from the principles, which should be observed by Azerbaijan in a peace resolution of the Karabakh conflict,” Yovanovitch said in Yerevan, answering a question of a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. According to her, the U.S. attaches importance to all the three principles for the Karabakh conflict settlement, but the most important one is non-use of force. Earlier, Baku threatened to shoot down civilian planes flying to Karabakh after reopening of Stepanakert airport. As Baku's state aviation agency said it has informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that the region's airspace was closed and any flights would be unauthorized. "According to the law on aviation, it is even possible to physically destroy airplanes which are heading there," Arif Mammadov, director of Azerbaijan's Civil Aviation Administration, said in comments to local media. "We asked the ICAO to notify the opposing side in order to prevent incidents," he said. Stepanakert airport will be ready for operation in May 2011. Top stories President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Partner news | Surveying works underway in Armenia’s Kirants Surveying works are underway in the Armenian village of Kirants in the northern Tavush province. Ameriabank's Trade Finance portfolio enriched with four prestigious awards from EBRD and IFC Ameriabank received the awards from international financial institutions in recognition of its trade finance operations. Armenian Economy Minister to make trip to UAE May 20-22 A delegation led by Minister of Economy Gevorg Papoyan will travel to the UAE capital of Abu Dhabi on May 20-22 Pillars installed in Armenian border village of Kirants In the Armenian village of Kirants, three border markers have been installed, and border guards stand next to them. |