AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT TO PRESS RUSSIA FOR WELL-FOUNDED EXPLANATION OF ARMAMENT SUPPLY TO ARMENIA
Trend
Jan 15 2009
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 15 /Trend News, J.Babayeva/ Azerbaijani
Parliament will demand a well-grounded explanation from Russia
regarding its illegal armament supply to Armenia.
"On the first day of the Azerbaijani Parliament’s spring session
(Feb. 1), the MPs will speak on the Russian free armament supplies
worth 800 million dollars to Armenia," MP Aydin Mirzazade, deputy
chairman of the Azerbaijani standing parliamentary commission on
security and defense, told Trend News on Jan. 15.
An address to the State Duma may be adopted as a result of discussions,
he said.
On Jan. 15, Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry condemned Russia for
strengthening the military force of Armenia, which has occupied
Azerbaijani territory, by supplying armaments worth 800 million dollars
to the country. Earlier, Azerbaijani media reported about an armament
supply from the Armenia-based 102nd Russian military base in Gumri
to Armenia.
On Jan. 14, Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov conveyed
to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov the reply from the
Russian Defense Ministry to Azerbaijan’s inquiry about the alleged
armament supply from the Armenia-based 102nd Russian military base
in Gumri to Armenia. The reply did not satisfy the Azerbaijani
side and the Foreign Minister urged for more detailed explanation,
said Polukhov.
Earlier, the Russian Ambassador had been invited to the Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministry to explain the media reports about Russian armament
supply to Armenia.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.