Tweet
LACK OF RESPONSE TO RUSSIAN COMMANDER'S REMARKS
Turan news agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2013
Baku, 31 October: It seems that in its concern over the fate of
Orxan Zeynalov [Azerbaijani national charged with murder in Russia]
the Azerbaijani government has finally lost its bearings and its
statements about defending national interests sound preposterous.
In recent weeks the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, parliament,
prosecutor-general, the Azerbaijani embassy in Moscow and many others
are only busy with defending the national dignity of Azerbaijanis in
Russia. It appears that for all these and other government bodies the
case of Orxan Zeynalov has assumed such crucial importance that they
have lost the ability to see or hear anything else.
Otherwise, our diplomats, politicians and statesmen would not fail
to notice a scandalous statement by Andrey Ruzinskiy, commander of
military base No 102 in Armenia.
In an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper back on 10 October
this colonel said:
"The military and political situation in the military base's zone of
responsibility remains troubled and is characterized by the existence
of a number of destabilizing factors linked to the possibility of an
escalation of the confrontation in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
zone. If the Azerbaijani leadership was to adopt a decision to restore
jurisdiction over Nagornyy Karabakh by forceful means, the military
base could enter into an armed conflict in accordance with the Russian
Federation's treaty obligations with the framework of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization [CSTO]".
Did Baku respond to this and did the embassy in Moscow submit a note
to the Russian Foreign Ministry?
Yes, they reacted - by sending two notes and demanding that Orxan
Zeynalov's rights be protected.
Experience shows that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and other
agencies respond rapidly to negative reports about violations of
human rights and democracy, to the criticism of the ruling family
and corruption in the country. These are the government's priorities.
It follows that threats by foreign country to resort to military force
against Azerbaijan are not important enough to warrant a response -
that is, this issue is not a priority.
It is very interesting that the Russian Defence Ministry did not
disavow Col Ruzinskiy's statement, although Collective Security
Treaty Organization Chairman Nikolay Bordyuzha has repeatedly said
that Nagornyy Karabakh is not a zone of responsibility for the CSTO,
since de jure this is Azerbaijan's territory.
As for military base No 102 in Armenia, it has a complement of 13 main
combat subunits and 17 comprehensive support subunits. It includes a
surface-to-air missile division equipped with S-300V surface-to-air
missiles, a surface-to-air missile division armed with BUK-M1-2
surface-to-air missiles, a Smerch rocket-propelled artillery battery,
and an airbase with a squadron of MiG-29 warplanes. According to
some reports, the number of servicemen stands at 3,000 people and
continues to increase.
During joint exercises with the Armenian armed forces this year
they worked on managing military operations, repelling attacks,
counteroffensive against a retreating opponent and others.
Ruzinskiy also said that the Erebuni airbase is to be reinforced -
combat and military-transport helicopters will be located alongside
MiG-29 fighters. The entire package of requisite bilateral documents
has already been signed, the colonel said.
[Translated from Russian]
Turan news agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 31 2013
Baku, 31 October: It seems that in its concern over the fate of
Orxan Zeynalov [Azerbaijani national charged with murder in Russia]
the Azerbaijani government has finally lost its bearings and its
statements about defending national interests sound preposterous.
In recent weeks the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, parliament,
prosecutor-general, the Azerbaijani embassy in Moscow and many others
are only busy with defending the national dignity of Azerbaijanis in
Russia. It appears that for all these and other government bodies the
case of Orxan Zeynalov has assumed such crucial importance that they
have lost the ability to see or hear anything else.
Otherwise, our diplomats, politicians and statesmen would not fail
to notice a scandalous statement by Andrey Ruzinskiy, commander of
military base No 102 in Armenia.
In an interview with the Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper back on 10 October
this colonel said:
"The military and political situation in the military base's zone of
responsibility remains troubled and is characterized by the existence
of a number of destabilizing factors linked to the possibility of an
escalation of the confrontation in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
zone. If the Azerbaijani leadership was to adopt a decision to restore
jurisdiction over Nagornyy Karabakh by forceful means, the military
base could enter into an armed conflict in accordance with the Russian
Federation's treaty obligations with the framework of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization [CSTO]".
Did Baku respond to this and did the embassy in Moscow submit a note
to the Russian Foreign Ministry?
Yes, they reacted - by sending two notes and demanding that Orxan
Zeynalov's rights be protected.
Experience shows that the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry and other
agencies respond rapidly to negative reports about violations of
human rights and democracy, to the criticism of the ruling family
and corruption in the country. These are the government's priorities.
It follows that threats by foreign country to resort to military force
against Azerbaijan are not important enough to warrant a response -
that is, this issue is not a priority.
It is very interesting that the Russian Defence Ministry did not
disavow Col Ruzinskiy's statement, although Collective Security
Treaty Organization Chairman Nikolay Bordyuzha has repeatedly said
that Nagornyy Karabakh is not a zone of responsibility for the CSTO,
since de jure this is Azerbaijan's territory.
As for military base No 102 in Armenia, it has a complement of 13 main
combat subunits and 17 comprehensive support subunits. It includes a
surface-to-air missile division equipped with S-300V surface-to-air
missiles, a surface-to-air missile division armed with BUK-M1-2
surface-to-air missiles, a Smerch rocket-propelled artillery battery,
and an airbase with a squadron of MiG-29 warplanes. According to
some reports, the number of servicemen stands at 3,000 people and
continues to increase.
During joint exercises with the Armenian armed forces this year
they worked on managing military operations, repelling attacks,
counteroffensive against a retreating opponent and others.
Ruzinskiy also said that the Erebuni airbase is to be reinforced -
combat and military-transport helicopters will be located alongside
MiG-29 fighters. The entire package of requisite bilateral documents
has already been signed, the colonel said.
[Translated from Russian]