If the US assistant secretary of state is really concerned about the Azerbaijani saboteurs standing trial in Nagorno-Karabakh, we can organize a meeting, a spokesperson for the Nagorno Karabakh president has said, commenting on Victoria Nuland’s reported call for returning the men to Azerbaijan.
If Nuland cares for saboteurs, we can organize a meeting: Davit Babayan
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 18, ARTSAKHPRESS: In comments to Tert.am, David Babayan questioned the credibility of the report by the Azerbaijani media which he said might have misrepresented the US official’s statement.
“Probably, it was out of politeness that she said 'we will consider the issue'," he esaid.
The saboteurs were rendered harmless in the vicinities of Nagorno-Karabakh’s Karvatchar village before the crossborder skirmishes in August. One of them, Hasan Hasanov, later died. The other two, Shahbaz Guliev and Dilham Askerov, where handed over to Nagorno-Karabakh where they are now facing trial.
Azerbaijan had earlier proposed a swap with the body of the Armenian civilian who died after being held hostage in the country in summer and the family of five, which was at the time being held captive. But the proposal met a strong rebuff by the Defense Ministry’s spokesperson who considered such a deal a trading. “We aren’t on Baku’s market,” Artsrun Hovhannisyan said.
Commenting on the trial in Baku, the presidential spokesman said that it is open and transparent, and fully in line with “the highest standards of democracy”. “Those people have pleaded guilty and asked the president of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) to consider mitigating the [precautionary] measure,” Babayan noted.
He added that the co-chairs of the OSC E Minsk Group are visiting the second Armenian republic later today to meet with the president and the ministers of foreign affairs and defense.
