Armen Press
July 7 2004

NO ROAD SURRENDERED TO AZERBAIJAN, ARMENIAN DEPUTY DM SAYS

YEREVAN, JULY 7, ARMENPRESS: Deputy defense minister Mikael
Harutunian denied on Tuesday allegation of some political figures
that a road connecting two Armenian towns of Ijevan and Noyemberian
was surrendered to the Azerbaijani side. “The road (built in Soviet
times) was working and will be working,” Mikaelian told a group of
journalists, whom the ministry took to the northern province of
Tavush, bordering with Azerbaijan and where a string of heavy
skirmishes between the two rival nations’ troops were reported last
month.
The road stretching along the border was the scene of surprise
attacks on Armenian vehicles, buses and local farmers. “We have taken
appropriate measures to ensure the road’s security,’ Mikaelian said.
The reporters were then driven along five Armenian villages, located
on the border, which are supplied with water from Jokhaz water
reservoir.
The latest skirmishes erupted after Azerbaijani troops tried to
occupy a hill near the regional town of Ijevan which overlooks the
water reservoir. Mikaelian said Armenian forces responded by moving
their positions forward in order to defend the water pumping facility
supplying irrigation water to five nearby villages. Mikaelian said
the location is being now reinforced, adding also that any such
attempt in future will be retaliated .