You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia
16 killed in Azerbaijan, Armenia clashes
2008-03-06
Azerbaijan accused neighbour Armenia on Wednesday of stoking unrest in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh, following shooting there in which Azerbaijan said 16 soldiers had been killed.
Is there another show playing? We've already seen this one.
The Azeri Defence Ministry said 12 Armenian forces and four Azeri soldiers were killed during clashes in the disputed enclave, seized by pro-Armenian forces from Azerbaijan in a war in the 1990s in which an estimated 35,000 people died. The ministry said the clashes had lasted 13 hours on Tuesday, killing three Azeri soldiers. The fourth serviceman died in a new shootout on Wednesday. Armenia has blamed the Azeri for TuesdayÂ’s incident but has given no clear casualty figures.

A death toll of 16 would mark the worst skirmish in recent years between Muslim Azerbaijan and Christian Armenia, who are still technically at war with each other. “The Armenian side resorted to provocations on the frontline in a bid to switch the attention of the international community and its own citizens from internal tensions to an external enemy,” said an Azeri foreign ministry spokesman.

“Azerbaijan will never resort to provocations, but will give a proper response to them,” Khazar Ibrahim added. The West is closely watching the latest flare-up between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a big oil producer and home to pipelines taking oil and gas from the Caspian Sea to world markets. “We do not want a war in the region,” said a US diplomat in Baku. “We are following the situation very closely and we urge both sides to exercise restraint and avoid any violence.”

Robert Simmons, NATO’s envoy for the region, said the alliance was ready to help facilitate the peace process. “I think there is a chance for settlement and we will work for it,” he was quoted as saying on a visit to Moscow by Russian news agencies. “We are closely watching the peace process.”
Posted by:Fred

#1  map showing why you should care.
Posted by: Phil_B   2008-03-06 04:36  

00:00