The administration of civil aviation at the government of Nagorno Karabakh does not yet intend to apply to International Aviation Committee (IAC) of CIS countries for getting a certificate for Stepanakert airport.

As the head of Nagorno Karabakh civil aviation department Dmitry Atbashyan, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, Karabakh will address IAC after accomplishment of airport construction works and upon organization of internal audit.

According to Azerbaijani media sources, Director of Azerbaijani civil aviation General Department Arif Mamedov stated that “IAC will not provide Stepanakert a certificate, and if any states operate flights to NKR, economic sanctions will be imposed on them.”

“Even if Armenia applies, the certificate will not be granted,” Mamedov said confirming Azerbaijan’s threats to destroy Karabakh-bound civil aircrafts.

In response to this, Atbashyan said that Ercan airport situated in unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) has a status of international airport regardless of the republic’s being unrecognized.

“It is not clear if the TRNC airport has a respective certificate for operating flights,” he said.

If Ercan airport has a certificate, the International Aviation community would apply double standards by not providing a similar certificate to Stepanakert airport,” noted the head of Nagorno Karabakh civil aviation department.

Besides, Atbashyan noted that certificate is significant only for those airports which have a status of international. “We do not strive to achieve a status an international airport so far,” said the head of civil aviation management, advising Mamedov not to assume right to speak on behalf of IAC.

Earlier Mamedov noted that Azerbaijan will knock off the planes landing at Stepanakert airport. In response to that the President of Armenia stated that he will be the first passenger of the first plane flying towards Stepanakert. In turn, official Stepanakert said that Azerbaijan will not be able to scare Karabakh with threats.