RESOLUTION ON PREVENTING AZERBIJANI MILITARY AGGRESSION

A1+
[03:40 pm] 29 May, 2007

Recently Ilham Aliev made warlike statements in Baku saying that
they had got some military techniques, thus, frustrating the military
balance in the region.

The Armenian part keeps silence, even when Robert Simmon, the Special
Representative of NATO Secretary General in the South Caucasus,
announced that Azerbaijan violated the OSCE agreement on "Convention
of Ordinary Offence Armaments Reduction in Europe".

In an interview to "A1+" 4 months ago the former RA Minister of Defense
Vagharshak Harutyunyan was also alarmed by the fact that Azerbaijan
was breaching the mentioned OSCE agreement, while the Armenian part
was inactive on the problem concerned. The same viewpoint was confirmed
by Mikael Harutyunyan, the present RA Defense Minister.

The RA NA Chairman Tigran Torosyan commented on this issue: "The
position of Armenia is what it is now. The position is expressed
not only by making announcements but by their absence". Mr Torosyan
doubts that by raising the issue, the Armenian part will get benefit
from it. "Unfortunately, such violations cannot be prevented only by
statements". Mr Torosyan noted that if the NATO Official Representative
pointed out this violation, it proved that everyone was aware of it.

Tigran Torosyan mentioned that Armenia had insisted that Azerbaijan
remained true to the agreement and added: "There is no need to remind
it that another time since the situation will not alter".

General Lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan who had participated in
the preparation of the agreement, and was aware of the agreement’s
provisions and the opportunities of the agreement, said: "Taking into
account Aliev’s statements that they had acquired armaments from the
Ukraine, we are obliged to demand from him to fulfill the provisions of
the agreement, since his announcements contradict the agreement". Mr
Harutyunyan quoted the agreement: "To reach power balance, which will
not allow sudden attacks or sudden commence of military actions".

Vagharshak Harutyunyan noted that the "Convention of Ordinary Offence
Armaments Reduction in Europe" agreement signed within the frameworks
of the OSCE provides the security of Armenia.

"The power balance is the basis of security, and if we manage to
prevent Azerbaijan from breaching the agreement, we will ensure
Armenia’s security, and will prevent Azerbaijani’s possible attack on
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia",- said Vagharshak Harutyunyan to "A1+".

"The agreement allows holding an inspection and the country where
the inspection is to be held guarantees the responsibility of
security. According to the first provision of the 16-th Article of
the agreement, a consultative group is to be set up to check the
agreement implementations", said Mr Harutyunyan.

"Coming out of this provision Armenia should raise the issue of
consultative group in the OSCE, CoE, UNO, CIC and NATO. All instances
should be informed about Azerbaijani activities, it should be done
during the meetings of the concerned parties. The position of the
participating states may also influence on Azerbaijan to fulfill the
agreement. No European country will encourage Azerbaijan in its actions
since it may be dangerous for everyone", stated Vagharshak Harutyunyan.

To our question, why NATO does not take measures, Mr Harutyunyn
mentioned: "NATO is not a member of the agreement and its not competent
of doing so. The RA Minister of Foreign Affairs should officially
raise this issue at all instances".

In Mr Harutyunyan’s point of view, if Armenia raises the question
consistently, the way Azerbaijan raises the issues of fires, refugees
and the "occupied" territories at all possible instances that will be
viewed as a serious step. The Azerbaijani action to disturb armament
balance contradicts the statements of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.

This means that Azerbaijan does not fulfill the requirements of the
OSCE Minsk Group. "We demand Azerbaijan to fulfill the international
agreement, and if it does not do so then how can they trust this
country?

The former Minister of Defense finds that Armenia should not stay
inactive having such lever, while Azerbaijan does not a lever and
carries out anti-Armenian propagates. The topic touched by Vagharshak
Harutyunyan is becoming actual today. "This issue is a serious problem
of debate for the OSCE, EU and NATO and we should be ready to it".