Bryza voices message of U.S. to Azerbaijan: aircrafts will fly to Karabakh

Bryza voices message of U.S. to Azerbaijan: aircrafts will fly to Karabakh
March 21, 2011 - 20:50 AMT 16:50 GMTPanARMENIAN.Net - The statement of U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza on unacceptability of force application by Azerbaijan against civilian planes flying to Nagorno Karabakh was surprising.

It was Bryza’s response to the statement of Arif Mammadov, director of Azerbaijan's Civil Aviation Administration, who said that Azerbaijan will shoot down civilian planes flying to Karabakh after reopening of Stepanakert airport.

The U.S., which turns a blind eye on bellicose statements of Azerbaijan, permanent ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan resulting in Armenian soldiers’ death, active arming of the Azerbaijani armed forces, this time unequivocally hinted that Baku is free in its actions but within strictly defined boundaries.

Washington cannot but understand that even an attempt to shoot down an aircraft flying to Karabakh will immediately turn into a war, what was clearly stated by Stepanakert.

“Any slight attempt Azerbaijan might take will be fraught with unpredictable repercussions for Azerbaijan itself,” head of the Central Information Department at the Office of the Artsakh President David Babayan said.

Moreover, Bryza voiced a message of the U.S. to Azerbaijan that airplanes will fly to Karabakh. “We urge the sides to work together to resolve all issues of commercial aviation safety prior to the planned opening of a new airport in Nagorno-Karabakh,” Bryza said in an interview with RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service. The airport in Stepanakert is scheduled to be put into operation in May 2011.

Taking into consideration the tense situation in Arab countries and the military operation of allied forces in Libya, the U.S. does not need another hot spot, the more so as Russia and due to fair reasons, possibly, Iran will not stand aside, what may turn into a global catastrophe.

Due to this very reason Washington decided to shorten Azerbaijan’s leash, which is too long sometimes.