Azerbaijan Says Soldier Killed In Attack By Ethnic Armenian Forces

AZERBAIJAN SAYS SOLDIER KILLED IN ATTACK BY ETHNIC ARMENIAN FORCES

Associated Press Worldstream
October 10, 2005 Monday 2:07 PM Eastern Time

BAKU, Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani soldier was killed during a firefight with ethnic
Armenian forces near the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Azerbaijan’s military said Monday.

The 19-year-old conscript was killed Sunday in the gunfire exchange
on the cease-fire line that separates Azerbaijani and Armenian-backed
troops, Defense Ministry spokesman Ilgar Verdiev said.

Verdiev said the Armenian forces started the shooting, and Azerbaijani
forces responded. Armenian officials could not be immediately be
reached for comment.

Nagorno-Karabakh and swaths of surrounding territory inside Azerbaijan
have been under control of ethnic Armenians since a six-year war
against Azerbaijan ended with a 1994 cease-fire. The enclave’s status
remains unresolved, and tensions remain high along the cease-fire
line with both sides regularly exchanging fire.

Emil Lazarian

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia . See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.” - WS