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Azerbaijan attempts to negotiate with Taliban to take remainders of Afghanistan-crashed plane and bodies â€“ UPDATED

Azerbaijan attempts to negotiate with Taliban to take remainders of Afghanistan-crashed plane and bodies â€“ <font color=red>UPDATED </font>

09 July 2011 10:02 (UTC +04:00)

Baku. Ali Ahmadov â€“ APA. The Azerbaijani side is attempting to negotiate with the Taliban forces along with the official agencies of Afghanistan, in order to investigate the crash of the freight plane in Afghanistan, come closer to the site of crash and take the bodies and remainders of the plane, Azerbaijani co-chair of the commission set up to investigate the causes of the Azerbaijani planeâ€™s crash in Afghanistan, vice-president of Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) Ilham Amirov said at the press conference, APA reports.

He noted that because of the battles, it was impossible to come closer to the site.

â€œAfghanistanâ€™s Transport Ministry together with the NATO forces twice attempted to come closer to the site. But in both attempts the helicopters were shot. Therefore, they were obliged to move away. Despite this, they could take photos in the second attempt. According to the photos it was determined that the crashed plane belonged to us,â€ he said.

He also noted that there is a strong possibility that the plane was shot down by Taliban.

â€œAzerbaijan sent a special plane to Afghanistan to bring the bodies and flight recorder. The plane has been waiting at Kabul airport for two days,â€ he said.

According to Ilham Amirov, the site, where the plane crashed, is very unfavorable.

â€œThere are precipitous rocks there, it takes three hours to climb up. Azerbaijan appealed to Afghanistan and asked to blockade the territory by NATO forces so that the experts can work there. But it was impossible. The third attempt to come closer will be made today. Negotiations are being held to contact Taliban again,â€ he said.

The commission set up for investigation of accident took place in Afghanistan is represented by the representatives of Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and IFAS. There are representatives of Silk Way avia company inside the commission too. Vice-president of AZAL Ilham Amirov leads the commission on the Azerbaijani side.

On July 6, 2011, at about 00.10, while preparing to land in Bagram airport, the communication with IL-76 4K-AZ 55 belonging to Azerbaijanâ€™s Silk Way aviation company suddenly broke off and its view disappeared in radars. According to statement made by Azerbaijan State Civil Aviation Administration, the aircraft collided with unknown object in the air. It is supposed that the aircraft collided with unknown object in the air. Earlier, a representative of the movement "Taliban" Zabibulla Modzhahid told Afghan media that Azerbaijani plane was shot down by Taliban.

The plane implementing the flight on Baku-Bagram route with 18 tons of cargo took off from Heydar Aliyev International Airport at 21.26 (local time of Baku), on July 5, 2011. Before this flight the plane flied on Kuwait-Baku route and no disorder was recorded during this flight.

Ä°l-76 4K-AZ 55 aircraft was produced in 2005 and last time it passed tech inspection in February of 2011 and next time in June. All 9 members of crew team have been dead. 5 of them are the citizens of Azerbaijan, 4 â€“ Uzbekistan.