Most experts believe Russia delivers ammo to Armenia: pollA range of media sources released an information about Russia’s having delivered ammunition to Armenia from the Russian 102nd military unit in Gumru with cost of $800 million.
Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov was invited to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on Jan. 13. Russia’s Defense Ministry dismissed reports that $800 million in ammunition was delivered to Armenia
– What is your attitude to the information that Russia delivered ammunition to Armenia?
Trend News correspondents turned to experts and political scientists for comments on the matter.
MP Asim Mollazade, Chairman of the Democratic Reforms Party of Azerbaijan:
– The refutation by the Russian Ministry of Defense causes contradiction to the management of the second Russian contingent in Armenia that stated that the ammunition was delivered under the bilateral agreement, including the list of ammunition, i.e. the exact number of tanks, APCs and artillery mounts.
There is nothing new. In the mid of 1990s an illegal transmission of ammunition was carried out. And official agencies were not informed about it. Today the situation is repeated. Russia provides Armenia with armament in fact. Russia turned Armenia to a military unit. Armenia is Russia’s key arm in the region.
Today Armenia’s policy is the main factor hindering the development of the region. Russia, being the co-chairman of the Minsk Group, assists in settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and, on the other hand, arms one of the conflicting sides.
I think that Azerbaijan should raise the issue in international organizations, and especially in the OSCE.
Svante Cornell, Caucasus Institute Research Director:
-The ammunition delivery once more proves that Russia remains Armenia’s ally. This is not new, as Russia and Armenia have cooperated during the history. In 1990s Russia has already delivered $1 billion in ammunition to Armenia. Sometimes Russia wants to attract Azerbaijan to itself by possible settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
We must understand that Russia has huge investments in Armenia and the Kremlin carries out pro-Armenian policy in the South Caucasus. If the information about Russia’s ammunition deliveries to Armenia is proved, then Azerbaijan will have to re-consider its relations with Russia.
Russian MP Gennadiy Gudkov, Deputy Chairman of the Duma Security Committee:
– This is the attempt to play anti-Russian map. I can exactly say about the position of Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence Ministry. We hold neutral position in this issue. Even when the issue about withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgia was being solved, and many spoke that Russia would deliver weapon and armaments directly to Armenia – this did not occur. Russia waits, when the sides of conflict – Armenia and Azerbaijan – negotiated agreement, and the country will be ready to ensure the guaranty of this agreement to both republics.
Russia will never realize ammunition deliveries to Armenia damaging safety of Azerbaijan and vice versa, because Russia is not interested in retention of tension in the Caucasus region, especially in repetition of armed conflict between two former brother republics.
I think that this is a rumour, but I do not think that it appeared randomly. Such rumours periodically were thrown to the information field, and it seems to me that this is the sequential attempt to complicate the Russia- Azerbaijan relations. I think that such attempts to provoke worsening in the relations between our countries will continue, we would relate to this issue quietly, by giving proper rebuff and by preserving constant course on the development of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia.
Tofig Abbasov, expert of Lider media holding analytical group Lider:
– The freelance visit of Russia’s ambassador to the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is not groundless. The confirmation of the new deal between Moscow and Yerevan is the fact that the Russian side was taken unawares and is covered by the curtain of “inter-governmental agreement”, when has not yet set the final point in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In this case, Moscow roused Yerevan to again roughly violate the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE), and to also ignore quotas for the armaments, established by the corresponding reports of the United Nations.
This incident must be considered in the context of the last peacemaking initiatives of Russia, which attempted to be affirmed as the determining force in the post-Soviet territory.
The shady Russian armament deliveries to Armenia, under whatever pretext they were realized, will negatively affect the fate of Azerbaijani-Russian co-operation agreements, and also will make it necessary for Baku to re-consider its views on the prospect in light of expectations, which were connected with the energy sector, transport and telecommunications.
Sergey Markov, Russian MP, director of Political Studies Institute:
– I think that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved in a more successfully peaceful way. The matter is that within the peace, Azerbaijan is considerably stronger than Armenia.
Certainly, delivering Russian arms will negatively affect the Russian-Azerbaijani relations. I have not detailed information about the recent delivery of the Russian arms to Armenia, but this event is not extraodinary. We know well that fulfilling some obligations Russia repeatedly transferred the armaments to Armenia.
Senan Ogan, director of Turkish-based TURKSAM studies center:
– This is not news that Russia arms Armenia. There are many facts that Russia arms not only Armenia, but also, for example, Greek Cyprus.
This fact is especially dangerous now, since after August war in Georgia this can break balance in the region. It needs to take into account that an agreement on military reconciliation was signed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but this does not mean that in reality there is peace between them.
Despite that Russia was against the armament of Georgia by the West, now Moscow itself pursues this policy with respect to Caucasus. This fact destroys the hopes of Turkey for peace in the region.
Rashad Rzaguliyev, president of Azerbaijani-based Social Researches Fund:
– Undoubtedly, Russia’s supply of arm and ammunition in amount of $800 million to Armenia is an unpleasant fact for Azerbaijan. However, it is possible to make certain conclusions. Russia will increase its military presence in the region, having demonstratively answered the signing of not less demonstrative American-Georgian agreement. The opposition of Russia and the USA in the region will present numerous surprises to us.
The events force Azerbaijan to use the entire political-diplomatic potential to ensure the format of national security fully. I do not think that sharp worsening in the Azerbaijan-Russian relations is looming at the horizon, but undoubtedly certain tension appeared, at which we can only regret. /Trend/