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ECAC and ICAO informed of Azerbaijanâ€™s concern over Armeniansâ€™ construction in Khankendi airport

26 December 2011 10:38 (UTC +04:00)

Within the framework of the 137th meeting of the ECAC in Paris on December 14-15, Director of the Administration Arif Mammadov met with President of the ECAC Catalin Radu and director of the ICAOâ€™s European and North Atlantic Office Luis Fonseca de Almeida. At the meeting with ECAC President, director of Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Administration focused on the illegal construction in Khankendi airport located in the occupied Azerbaijani territory and explained the position of Azerbaijanâ€™s civil aviation. ECAC leadership was informed of Azerbaijanâ€™s concern over some forcesâ€™ attempts to damage the flight safety in the region.

In his meeting with Regional Director of the ICAO European and North Atlantic Office Louis Fonseca de Almeida, Mammadov emphasized the organizationâ€™s role in the prevention of flights to Khankendi airport without relevant permission. Azerbaijan says that the plans of some air companies to open flights to this airport are increases the threat for the regional flights. According to the rules of the Civil Aviation Convention, the sides decided to continue consultations on this issue on the basis of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

The European Commission proposed to begin negotiations on â€œjoint airspaceâ€ agreement with Azerbaijan in the beginning of 2012.

Armenians began the main construction of Khankendi airport in 2008. Its opening has been scheduled to May 9, 2011, but was postponed until uncertain time for technical reasons.

Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Administration stated that the construction of airport in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan and flights carried out to Khankendi from other countries without permission of Baku are illegal. Baku said it would use all measures considered by the legislation, including physical destruction of the planes, against the illegal flights.