ARMENIA MAY BOYCOTT BAKU EUROVISION AFTER SOLDIER SHOT DEAD
RIA Novosti
24/02/2012
ARMENIA
Eurovision 2011
A group of more than 20 Armenian singers have said they will boycott
the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest in Azerbaijan between May 22 and 26
after an Armenian border guard was shot by an Azeri sniper while on
patrol, Armenian media reported on Friday.
“We declare that we refuse to take part in the Eurovision contest in
Baku,” the singers said in a joint statement, filed to the European
Broadcasting Union late on Thursday.
The statement came after the Armenian Defense Ministry said on
Thursday that the Armenian soldier, Albert Adibekyan, who served at
the Armenian-Azerbaijani border, was killed by an Azeri sniper.
Armenia already filed an application to take part in the Eurovision,
however, this does not mean that the country will take part, the head
of the Armenian singers’ delegation, Goar Gasparyan said.
Gasparyan also added that Azerbaijan has yet to provide security
guarantees for Armenian singers.
Adibekyan’s death triggered outrage from Armenia amid the ongoing
24-year long conflict between the two Caucasus states for the breakaway
Nagorny Karabakh region.
Karabakh has remained under Armenian control since the late 1980s,
when the region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.
The conflict is estimated to have left more than 30,000 people dead
on both sides between 1988 and 1994.
Russia has been mediating peace talks for nearly two decades.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
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