Nagorny Karabakh Republic [NKR] blames fires on Azerbaijan

Arminfo, Yerevan
17 Jul 06

Stepanakert , 17 July: The purposefully hostile actions of the
Azerbaijani side are the cause of the fire on the border between the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] and Azerbaijan, a statement of the
NKR foreign ministry has said.

The statement, in particular, notes that as a result of the work of
a special commission of the NKR, irrefutable information has been
produced which shows that these actions of the Baku government
are aimed at undermining the NKR economy and depriving it of the
possibility of progress. In order to disguise their actions, the
Azerbaijani authorities from the very start launched large-scale
propaganda both in the local and foreign media, trying to shift
the blame onto the Karabakh side, which is the continuation of
the propaganda and psychological warfare against the people of the
Nagornyy Karabakh republic and a clumsy attempt to cover up the act
of aggression.

[Passage omitted: some details of 2001 Karabakh talks]

"We would like to inform the whole international community and
especially the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group that if no measures
are taken against Azerbaijan’s hostile actions, the Stepanakert
government reserves the right to take retaliatory action to ensure
the republic’s security," the statement reads.

It also recalls that fires have intensified on the border between
Azerbaijan and Nagornyy Karabakh since early June 2006. The situation
causes serious concern on the part of the Karabakh authorities since
it poses a threat to the NKR’s security and its people.

A special commission has been set up in the NKR to look into the
circumstances and causes of the fire. The commission comprises
members of ministries and departments in charge of security issues.
Firefighting brigades and the emergencies department of the NKR,
as well as local administrations and residents, have been mobilized
to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading. Round-the-clock
services have been organized in all communities in order to prevent
emergencies.

Nevertheless, the situation in those districts, which has been
aggravated by the continuing fire, is fraught with unpleasant long-term
consequences for the agriculture of the NKR and the republic’s food
security. The area of wheat fields damaged by fires on the border
with Azerbaijan has dramatically increased.