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YEREVAN. – The focus of Defense Minster of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan about the helicopter developments is worth of respect, John Heffern, the US Ambassador to Armenia, told the media on Friday in Yerevan.

The Embassy has followed the aftermath of the aircraft downing very carefully, consulting with Washington after every meeting with officials in Yerevan, including Deputy Minister and Minister of Defense and Foreign Affairs. That was done to obtain a firm understanding of what had happened, and to work with the parties on the way ahead to avoid a tit-for-tat increase in the tension over the terrible event, Heffern told.

“What impressed me the most about my meeting with the Minister of Defense was his focus on retrieval of the remains of the three airmen killed on the helicopter. His primary focus was to get the remains back to their families for a respectful and honorable burial”, Heffern stressed.

“That’s exactly what he was able to do. So I have a great respect for him his focus on that, and for his ability to get that done”, he added.

Asked whether the U.S. were able to extend aid in fact-finding if requested, Heffern told that Minister Ohanyan asked for one thing: a statement on behalf of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs to urge Azerbaijan to assist with the recovery of servicemen’s bodies. 

“It was early in the process, three days after the downing of the helicopter. I’ve talked over the phone to [US co-chair] Mr. Warlick, and we talked to his French and Russian counterparts. And, probably the next day, the co-chairs did issue a statement calling for exactly that”, Heffern underscored.

Whether that statement actually prove helpful is not obvious, but, Heffern added, it was very important for him that the diplomats we were able to fully meet Minister’s request.

“Armenia was able to recover the remains, and that’s a respectful thing, an honorable thing to do for the airmen who have been killed”, Heffern concluded.

According to the Ministry of Defense of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a Mi-24 helicopter of the NKR Defense Army was downed, in a violation of the ceasefire, on Novermber 12, in the eastern sector of the line of contact between Karabakh and Azerbaijan. The adversary has been holding the crash site under a heavy fire for several days, denying access to the crew members on board. On November 22 the NKR Army has conducted a successful operation to retrieve the bodies. The body of one pilot and remains of two others, as well as pieces of fuselage have been removed.

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