Azerbaijan, Baku, November 3, /Ternd/
United States urges the parties to find a diplomatic solution to issues relating to the operation of the airport, in keeping with the relevant international agreements, customary international law, and the current practice between Armenia and Azerbaijan with respect to civilian air travel, US State department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a briefing in Washington DC.
She also mentioned that the OSCE-Minsk group issued a statement on this.
"There was one on April 14th, 2011. There was another one just this past July 2012, which represented the views of the United States, France, and Russia in calling for a diplomatic solution", she added.
"We also, in those statements, reiterated that the operation of this airport should not be used to support any claim of change in the status of Nagorno-Karabakh", said Victoria Nuland.
Earlier, Armenian media reported the commissioning of the airport in Khankendi.
The action towards the commissioning of Khojaly airport in Nagorno-Karabakh is dangerous. It violates international law and harms the peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Earlier, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry urged all international companies operating in Khojaly airport to immediately stop their illegal activities in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
"Otherwise, the Azerbaijani side will take the appropriate steps," Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev said earlier.
Commissioning the airport in Khankendi is an open violation of the Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Azerbaijan has banned the use of the airspace of Nagorno-Karabakh occupied by Armenia, as no one can guarantee a safe air corridor in the area, the head of the Azerbaijani Civil Aviation Administration, Arif Mammadov said earlier.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ICAC) also support the position of Azerbaijan on this issue.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.