Azernews.Az

No foreign aircraft can fly through Azerbaijani territory without Baku`s authorization, the state aviation body said commenting on the Armenian intention to open an airport in Khankandi, the center of the self-proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh republic run by ethnic Armenians in occupied Azerbaijani territories.

The state civil aviation administration told Trend news agency that in the event of flights to Khankandi without permission of the Azerbaijani side, it would be considered a violation of Azerbaijan`s airspace and the issue would be addressed by the government.

``Our position on this issue is clear. We adhere to the norms of international law and no foreign aircraft can fly over our territory without our permission,`` the aviation administration said.

Nagorno Karabakh and seven surrounding Azerbaijani regions have been occupied by Armenian armed forces since a 1990s war that killed an estimated 30,000 people and ousted up to one million Azerbaijanis from their homes. The separatist regime in Nagorno Karabakh declared so-called independence at the time of the Soviet collapse in 1991, but it has not been recognized by the world community.

The administration recalled the recent statement by the OSCE Minsk Group, which is brokering settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, that the conflict parties should refrain from the use of force and observe the norms of international law in this matter.

``It`s in our interests. We support this decision,`` the administration said.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ICAC) support Azerbaijan`s position on the issue.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has pledged to be the first passenger on a flight to Khankandi.

The spokesman for Azerbaijani state airline AZAL, Maharram Safarli, said earlier that Armenia has no right to operate the airport in Khankandi as this would run counter to all international conventions and would not be allowed by any international organization, including ICAO.