Nagorno Karabakh: Reason of arsons – deliberate actions of Azerbaijani side

Regnum, Russia
July 18 2006

On July 18, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic issued a statement on the wildfires on the Nagorno Karabakh
territory bordering to Azerbaijan. REGNUM introduces the text of
the statement:

"The fires on the Nagorno Karabakh territory bordering with Azerbaijan
have been taking place since early June 2006. The situation is a
subject of serious concern for the Karabakh leadership, since it
poses a threat for the security of the NKR and its population.

A special commission formed by the representatives of the ministries
and departments responsible for security issues has been established
in the NKR to study the circumstances and reveal the reasons of the
fires. The subunits of fire-prevention service, the NKR Department
for Emergency Situations and the leadership of local administrations
and population have been mobilized for the localization of the centers
of the fires and non-admission of fire spreading. A twenty-four-hour
duty has been organized in all the communities to prevent emergency
situations.

However, the situation in the regions that is deteriorating due to
the fires is pregnant with unfavorable long-term consequences for the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic agriculture and food security. The number
and area of the fires at wheat fields on the territories bordering
with Azerbaijan have sharply risen.

As a result of the work of the NKR special commission, the
incontestable data have been received that indicate that the reasons
for the fires were the Azerbaijani party’s intentional hostile
activities. By these actions the official Baku pursues a goal to erode
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic economy and deprive it of the possibility
of progressive development. In order to conceal its intentions, the
Azerbaijani leadership from the very outset has launched a wide-ranging
propaganda both in the local and foreign mass media, trying to lay the
blame on the Karabakh side, which is a continuation of a propaganda
and psychological war against the Nagorno Karabakh Republic people
and is an awkward attempt to screen the act of aggression.

We would like to remind that as early as in 2001, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic authorities suggested via the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement a package of measures on
establishing confidence between the conflict parties. In particular,
we offered cooperation in fire prevention on pastures and agricultural
territories in the bordering regions. To our regret, the official
Stepanakert’s initiative was not then supported in Baku and was not
honored with due attention by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.

Moreover, as early as June 15, 2006, the NKR Ministry of Foreign
Affairs addressed a request to the Office of the OSCE Chairman-in
Office’s Personal Representative to hold a crisis monitoring on
territory bordering with Azerbaijan to estimate the real situation
on the spot and refute the Azerbaijani party’s vain accusations.

We draw the attention of the whole international community and
especially the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to the Stepanakert’s
right, in case Azerbaijan’s hostile activities are not addressed to,
to undertake adequate response measures to ensure the Republic’s
security".