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Azerbaijan: Soldier killed by Armenian gunfire near disputed territo

International Herald Tribune, France
Sept 22 2006

Azerbaijan: Soldier killed by Armenian gunfire near disputed
territory
The Associated Press

Published: September 22, 2006

BAKU, Azerbaijan An Azerbaijani soldier was shot and killed by ethnic
Armenian forces near the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Azerbaijani officials said Friday. Armenia denied the report.

The incident occurred Thursday near the Agdam region, not far from
the so-called line of control separating Azerbaijani and Karabakh
forces, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Ilgar Verdiyev said.

The 19-year-old soldier was killed "in the course of the latest
violation by the Armenian side of the cease-fire regime," Verdiyev
said.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Senor Asratyan denied the
shooting.

"We’re already tired of denying these communications. Nevertheless,
we deny it," he said.

The shooting underscores persistent tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, the
mountainous territory that is in Azerbaijan but has been controlled –
along with some surrounding areas – by Karabakh and Armenian forces
since 1994. A shaky cease-fire in 1994 ended the six-year conflict,
in which 30,000 people were killed and about 1 million driven from
their homes.

The lack of resolution over Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status has
hampered development in the strategic South Caucasus region.

The two countries’ presidents have met multiple times this year with
no progress made on the issue, and international mediators have
expressed frustration over both sides’ intransigence.

BAKU, Azerbaijan An Azerbaijani soldier was shot and killed by
ethnic Armenian forces near the disputed territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Azerbaijani officials said Friday. Armenia denied
the report.

The incident occurred Thursday near the Agdam region, not far from
the so-called line of control separating Azerbaijani and Karabakh
forces, Azerbaijani Defense Ministry spokesman Ilgar Verdiyev said.

The 19-year-old soldier was killed "in the course of the latest
violation by the Armenian side of the cease-fire regime," Verdiyev
said.

Armenian Defense Ministry spokesman Senor Asratyan denied the
shooting.

"We’re already tired of denying these communications. Nevertheless,
we deny it," he said.

The shooting underscores persistent tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, the
mountainous territory that is in Azerbaijan but has been controlled –
along with some surrounding areas – by Karabakh and Armenian forces
since 1994. A shaky cease-fire in 1994 ended the six-year conflict,
in which 30,000 people were killed and about 1 million driven from
their homes.

The lack of resolution over Nagorno-Karabakh’s final status has
hampered development in the strategic South Caucasus region.

The two countries’ presidents have met multiple times this year with
no progress made on the issue, and international mediators have
expressed frustration over both sides’ intransigence.

Nahapetian Lilit:
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