Karabakh: Georgia Says Not Responsible for Civilian Flights

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia said in its statement of October 17 that “it is the primary responsibility of the shipping countries to ensure that civil flights are operated in compliance with the standards and principles of the Chicago Convention, which bans the deliberate use of civil aviation for military purposes.”

The statement comes amid continued accusations of Georgia allowing military cargo flights through its territory amid Azerbaijani-Armenian clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Ministry reasserted that Georgian airspace is closed for military flights, while humanitarian and civil flights fully comply with the standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

It stated that “no special permit is required for [civil and humanitarian] flights and civil flights are carried out based on respective notifications and information.”

The Ministry said in case violations are found and substantiated by solid evidence, Georgia will respond accordingly, holding violators accountable under international law.

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