Azerbaijan, Baku, March 29 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
The Armenian side's action on considering civilian flights to the airport of Khojaly, situated in the Azerbaijani occupied territories does not correspond to the norms of international law, the Azerbaijani Civil Aviation Administration told Trend today.
"Our position on this issue is unchanged," the administration said. "The Armenian side's actions are wrong and do not correspond to international law."
The administration said it has repeatedly appealed to international organisations regarding the possible start of illegal civilian flights to the occupied territories by the Armenian side. The organisations have repeatedly confirmed the validity of the Azerbaijani side's position.
The commissioning of the airport is an open violation of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (adopted on December 7, 1944 in Chicago).
Other actions regarding illegal civil flights will be made by relevant state bodies in the case of necessity, the administration said.
Azerbaijan banned the use of its airspace over Nagorno-Karabakh occupied by Armenia, as no one can guarantee safe flights in the area.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ICAC) also support the position of Azerbaijan on this issue.
Earlier, head of General Administration of Civil Aviation under the Armenian government Artyom Movsisyan said that he will allow carrying out civil aircraft flights in the Azerbaijani occupied territories. He refused to name the specific date. The flights will be served by 19-seater Armenian aircraft and the duration will last 45-50 minutes.
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.