Simon Fraser: Karabakh conflict settlement depends on will of both sides
Karabakh conflict depends on the will of both parties, and the international community can support the efforts in this direction. As the Azerbaijani news agency Turan reported Deputy Foreign Minister of the UK, Simon Fraser at a briefing in the Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, expressed his opinion, commenting on the plans of opening the Stepanakert airport.
Simon Fraser said that he had discussed the issue in Yerevan too and according to his opinion, "in this situation, one must refrain from actions with unpredictable consequences."
The material notes that the request for commenting on the opinion of international human rights organizations that say that the West sacrifices human rights in Azerbaijan for the sake of the energy interests, Fraser said that "the government of the Great Britain has always supported the human rights and freedom of expression in Azerbaijan." He reported that he had been meeting with the local civil society activists.
"Turan" notes that to the question whether he knew about the dispersal of a peaceful protest in Baku and the arrest of its members, Fraser said yes. "Frazier even said that he had touched upon these issues in meetings with the officials. True, he immediately added that human rights "were not the only topic of his talks," the report says.
To the question whether the topic of reforming the electoral law in the context of the upcoming presidential elections in Azerbaijan was discussed, Fraser said that the issue was discussed, but without the details of the electoral law. He noted that the UK is for holding elections in a transparent environment, while ensuring the freedom of expression and opportunities of the citizens to express their opinions in a non-violent manner. "This refers not only to Azerbaijan, but to all countries," said Fraser.
On 18 January Azerbaijani government approved of the Rules of using the air space of the Republic of Azerbaijan. According to the rules frontier air space with the width of 25 km is established, and has a special regime of use. Stipulated the possibility of establishing in the airspace of Azerbaijan prohibited areas and areas with limited flights. The possibility of establishing prohibited areas and areas with limited flights in airspace of Azerbaijan was stipulated. Violations of the right of using the country's airspace are considered the operation without request, warning the Azerbaijani Air Force, without the permission of the operative organ, failing the command flight control or fighter interceptors , as well as flights in prohibited areas or zones of flight restrictions without special permission. The adopted document provides the ability to open fire in the direction of flying objects in the NKR territory and to shoot down Armenian civilian aircrafts.
Earlier the Head of Information Department of the NKR President David Babayan said in the interview to Panorama.am that the Azerbaijani government's decision to allow the Azerbaijani air force shooting down civilian aircraft over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, is a manifestation of terrorism and the international community must undertake corresponding steps and to make a harsher review. David Babayan noted that the most effective response to Azerbaijan’s behavior will be that the first passengers of the first flight were the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.
“In this way we will demonstrate that such conduct and manner of Azerbaijan is unacceptable for the international community and modern politics," D. Babayan noted. "By this step the international community will show Azerbaijan its place which, in my opinion, will also affect the policies of Baku too."