Azerbaijan, Baku, April 21 /Trend, M.Aliyev/
Armenia's opening an airport in Khankendi in occupied Azerbaijani territory does not have any meaning, since the tourists will not visit the area of conflict, the chairman of the "Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan Republic" Public Union Bayram Safarov said.
"Opening an airport in Khankendi does not have great importance, since Armenia is still obliged to ask permission from Azerbaijan to use it," he told reporters on Thursday.
Safarov considers another ploy the intention of the Armenian side to develop air connection in the occupied Azerbaijani territories.
"Tourists will not visit the area of conflict," he said.
Armenia plans to open the airport in Khankendi in May. Armenian President said on Thursday that he will be the first passenger of an aircraft, which will depart from Khankendi.
Armenia has no right to operate the airport in Khankendi, built in the Azerbaijani occupied territories. This contradicts all international conventions and will not be allowed by any international organizations, including an influential organization such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), AZAL spokesman Maharram Safarli said earlier.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. - are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding regions.