On April 14, President of the Republic of Artsakh Bako Sahakyan held a working meeting in the main building of the Stepanakert airport.

Head of the Civil Aviation Department Dmitry Atbashyan, airport director Arthur Karapetyan and other officials delivered reports.

Mr. Sahakyan noted that the airport should comply with international requirements.

He gave certain instructions to heads of relevant structures for proper implementation of the activities, the Central Information Department at the Artsakh President’s Office reported.

Earlier, Baku threatened to shoot down civilian planes flying to Karabakh after reopening of Stepanakert airport. As Baku's state aviation agency said it has informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) that the region's airspace was closed and any flights would be unauthorized. "According to the law on aviation, it is even possible to physically destroy airplanes which are heading there," Arif Mammadov, director of Azerbaijan's Civil Aviation Administration, said in comments to local media. "We asked the ICAO to notify the opposing side in order to prevent incidents," he said.

Azeri threats to shoot down planes bound for Stepanakert will not frighten Karabakh, according to the head of the central information department at the office of the Artsakh President. As David Babayan stated that “the threats are a proof that medieval psychology is prevalent in Azerbaijan. Those who issue them do not simply lack in self-possession, but openly support Nazi values.”