YEREVAN. – Azerbaijan will not take single step in connection with the operation of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic capital city’s Stepanakert Airport, unless, of course, Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has lost his mind, Giro Manoyan, Director of the International Secretariat of the Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party Bureau and Head of the Armenian Cause Office, said during a press conference on Wednesday. 

“Some threats are being made, but there is an agreement that the airport must open. Today, Azerbaijan and Turkey are attempting to blame Armenia for the situation created as a result of the Azerbaijan-Hungary arrangement, by linking it [that is, the situation] to the airport,” Manoyan stated, and stressed that the airport will operate as normal and Azerbaijan cannot do anything about it.   

He noted that the information, according to which Turkey could close its airspace to Armenia, is inaccurate and yet another threat.   

As to the reason why the Stepanakert Airport’s first flight is being delayed, Kiro Manoyan said he believes this is due to purely technical reasons. In his words, the airport’s opening is a contributing factor to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.  

Photo by Sona Barseghyan