Azerbaijan, Baku, July 24 /Trend E.Ismayilov/
No foreign aircraft can fly through the territory of Azerbaijan without the permission of the Azerbaijani side, the state civil aviation administration told Trend, commenting on the Armenian side's intentions to commission the airport in Khankendi - the administrative centre of the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Our position on this issue is clear. We adhere to the norms of international law and no foreign aircraft can fly on our territory without our permission," the administration noted.
The administration pointed to the recent statement by the OSCE Minsk Group that parties should refrain from the use of force and adhere to the norms of international law in this matter.
"It's in our interests. We support this decision," the administration said.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ICAC) also support the position of Azerbaijan on this issue.
The administration said in the event of flights of a plane to Khankendi without the permission of the Azerbaijani side, it will be considered as violator of the air space of Azerbaijan and this issue will be decided by the government.
The Armenian side is planning to open the airport in Khankendi, located in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan. President Serzh Sargsyan promised to be the first passenger which will fly from Khankendi.
As the spokesman of Azerbaijani Airlines AZAL Maharram Safarli said previously, Armenia has no right to operate the airport in Khankendi. It is contrary to all international conventions and will not be allowed by any international organisation, including ICAO.