Stepanakert airport must launch operations following the presidential elections in Azerbaijan, political analyst Levon Shirinyan and history expert Gevorg Melkonyansaid

Dwelling on CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha’s remarks on Stepanakert airport, Mr Melkonyan said the organization expressed a clear stance on the issue by condemning shooting down civil airplanes.

Mr Shirinyan, in turn, stressed the need for the CSTO to issue an official statement on the case, underscoring the necessity to set up a commission of independent experts, political analysts and high-ranking military officials.

CSTO head earlier described the Azerbaijani law allowing to shoot down the objects crossing Azeri airspace, including civil planes, as a “bad joke”.

“It’s either incorrect wording, or a bad joke because I perceive Azerbaijan as a civilized country adhering to universal norms. I don’t think that any country believes itself authorized to shoot down a civil aircraft. So, I don’t take the information seriously,” CSTO Secretary General said.