YEREVAN (Combined Sources)—US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, on Wednesday, called Azeri threats to shoot down civilian planes “absolutely unacceptable.”
“Such threats are absolutely unacceptable. They do not derive from the principles, which Azerbaijan should be committed to in the negotiation process. We take all principles of settlement seriously, but the principle of non-use of force is the most important,” said Yovanovitch when speaking to journalists.
“As a member of NATO, we consider that the OSCE is the structure where negotiations on the Karabakh conflict settlement are held,” added Yovanovitch said, when asked how NATO will react if the developments at the line of contact become more dangerous.
As a Minsk Group Co-Chair country the United States works in cooperation with Russia and France to make it clear to the parties to the conflict that political negotiations are the only way for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, said the US Ambassador.
Yovanovitch also welcomed the strengthening of NATO-Armenia relations, underscoring that Armenia has been participating in NATO’s Partnership for Peace program since 2004. Armenian peacekeepers help maintain peace and stability in Kosovo, participated in the peacekeeping mission in Iraq, and now in Afghanistan.
She recalled that last fall, the “Armenia 2010” field exercises allowed NATO and partner countries to practice disaster response mechanisms and capabilities and to enhance co-operation in emergency situations. It brought together representatives of 30 member-states and NATO partners. The Ambassador stressed the importance of such events in the context of recent tragic events in Japan.
Yovanovitch also responded to questions about Armenia’s domestic issues, saying that the US cannot interfere in internal political processes in the country, but hailed a recent government announcement of amnesty for opposition supporters.
She emphasized that the US supports principles rather than political figures.
Late last month, Yovanovitch, speaking at Yerevan State University and later in an interview with RFE/RL, urged the government to hold free elections and embark on what she called “deep and difficult” reforms. These comments were viewed by government circles as meddling in Armenia’s domestic matters.
She also issued the customary reiteration of the US call for Armenia and Turkey to normalize relations and sign the now-frozen Turkey-Armenia protocols.
Well of course she would condemn this blatant azeri threat! Its in her best interest too. Don’t Yovanovitch and her state department clowns also use that same air space to travel? Any half alert azeri war mongering idiot aiming a rocket launcher in the sky isn’t going to differentiate between civilian planes and other planes in our air space!
Yovanovitch, normal relations… your customary issuance to Armenia and a Turkey… not possible with the deniers of their Ottoman, and thence subsequent leaderships lack of knowledge of their Turkish Genocide of the Armenian nation… historically recognized by all but not by the Turkeys – and their ‘allies’, sadly.
Manooshag
Well, a bright horizon awaits for the world of Islam and AzerBYjan.. a “clever “Alioff planning some dangerous ideas for Armenian passenger planes!!after all he knows his tribal people mentality..Armenians will fit for his survival in his oil Sheikhdom..just like AzerBYijani’s big brother Ottoman Turkey, when they were losing the war during 1-st World War, they unleashed Turkish criminals from jail-houses, and successfully completed the first Genocide of Century!!
No relations with Turkey whatsoever as long as Turkey denies the Genocide. The blood of our fallen innocent victims can not and should not be substituted for a fews million dollars that Turkish and Armenian businessman will make from an open border. Moreover the millions of dollars that some Armenian businessman will make will undoubtedly be made at the back of our suffering Armenians in the homeland.
To hell with open borders without acceptance of the genocide.
Would Israel have done business with a Germany that denies the Holocaust? Hell No,
Should we sometimes appreciate good work or good advice?
Gee, and it took only about 10 days or so for scaredy-cat Yovanovitch to speak out.
Is she Serbian or Jewish, or are we not suppposed to ask?
The azeris have not changed-they are ill!
I see no difference between yovanoglu and bryza. Both cannot be trusted because both take orders from the same US government that betrayed all of us and our cause for decades. All they keep doing is playing good cop – bad cop while trying to buy time in making us concede everything. I mean you don’t need a doctorate in forensic biochemistry to figure that out
Yovanivitch should see the real face of the wolfs , Turkey and Azeris.
If I’m not mistaking this is the second American official criticizing Aliev; is this prelude to his removal or what?
This is all US-State-Department B.S. – It is automatically expected from politicians and diplomats to strategically misrepresent (i.e. lie), but Yovanovitch blatantly sucks at it. Anyhow, it only took her a week to condemn it (she had to check with the other State Department clown Bryza).
Yovanovitvh went on Armenian media two weeks ago inciting Armenians to revolt (during Levon Ter Petrossian’s demonstaration); and lecturing Armenians on their constitution and the rule of law. Then she says yesterday that the US State Department does not allow interference in the internal affairs affairs of another country. What? B. S. is flowing out of her mouth non-stop. She is on Armenian TV almost every night so-called inaugurating some $10 plastic water pipeline in a remote village for irrigation. Apparently, that’s one of her favorite activities. Meanwhile the US SD allocates US $2 Billion annually to Georgia to ease Georgia’s economic hardship and educate people on corruption.
Haytnum e vor “Hayastan@ Turkerin” khaghakart@ mnalu e
AMN-i azgeri u petutyunneri ar-u-tsakhum.
Gone teghyak e pahum.