Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.14
Trend:
Chairman of the Council of State Support to NGOs under the President of Azerbaijan, MP Azay Guliyev has sent an appeal to international organizations with regard to the attack of Armenian helicopter which violated Azerbaijan's airspace, the Council of State Support to NGOs said on Nov.14.
The appeal was sent to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier, President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy, President of European Parliament Martin Schulz, and the presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries, Barack Obama (the US), Vladimir Putin (Russia) and Francois Hollande (France).
Armenia has planned to conduct military exercises from the 6th till 16th of November, by involving a 40,000-strong army on the occupied territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, according to the appeal.
"Armenian air forces have made provocative flights over the contact line for the last three days," said the appeal.
"On Nov. 12, at 13:45 (UTC/GMT +4 hours) an Armenian military helicopter Mi-24 flying 1,700 meters northeast of the Kengerli village of Aghdam (Karabakh region) violated Azerbaijan's airspace and therefore, Azerbaijani Armed Forces shot down the Armenian helicopter as the result of continuing Armenian provocation."
Guliyev said Azerbaijan has declared its airspace over the occupied territories a no-fly zone, and, in an appropriate manner, has notified all the member states of the ICAO.
"An illegal entry of Armenian military helicopters into Azerbaijan's airspace is continuation of violent policy and aggression towards Azerbaijan, as well as policy of intrusion on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Azerbaijan," said the MP.
"However, instead of taking concrete steps towards starting to work on the Comprehensive Peace Agreement draft as an outcome of the Paris meeting, these deliberate provocative attempts of Armenia are aimed at escalating the situation, undermining the negotiation process and maintaining the current status quo."
The main reason for tension is the presence of the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, said Guliyev.
As stated by Azerbaijan on many occasions, the Armenian side bears all responsibility for escalation of already tense situation, said the appeal.
"Therefore, on behalf of the Council on State Support to NGOs under the Auspices of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, I appeal to you to undertake all needed measures in order to find the fastest way possible for the peaceful resolution of the conflict and the establishment of peace and stability in the region by urging, first and foremost, the withdrawal of all armed forces of the Republic of Armenia from the occupied territories of the Republic of Azerbaijan, following the requirement of four UN resolutions."
On Nov. 12, at 13:45 (UTC/GMT +4 hours), an Armenian Mi-24 helicopter flying 1,700 meters northeast of the Kengerli village of Azerbaijan's Aghdam district attacked the Azerbaijani army positions. The helicopter was shot down by the Azerbaijani side.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.
