KARABAKH OFFICIAL DENIES AZERI REPORTS OF ARSON IN OCCUPIED DISTRICTS

Arminfo
23 May 07

Yerevan, 23 May: The head of the press service of the Nagornyy Karabakh
republic (NKR) Defence Ministry, Senor Hasratyan, today described as
"clumsy propaganda" statements by Azerbaijani officials that Armenian
forces "are setting fire to the territory of [Azerbaijan’s] Fuzuli
and Cabrayil Regions again."

"This information has nothing in common with reality," Hasratyan told
Mediamax today. He said that by initiating such steps, Azerbaijan is
trying to discredit Nagornyy Karabakh in the eyes of the international
community.

"Similar attempts were made last year too, but the OSCE special
mission, which included independent experts, established that
Azerbaijan’s claims were phoney," he said.