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EVERYONE WILL CRACK DOWN ON CFE;
by Artem Yerkanyan
Agency WPS
Source: Novoe Vremya (Yerevan), July 19, 2007, p. EV
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 23, 2007 Monday
Azerbaijan stated its claims against the CFE after Russia
A LOOK FROM YEREVAN: THE CFE CONTRADICTS THE INTERESTS OF AZERBAIJAN;
Will the withdrawal of Moscow from the CFE change the geopolitical
situation in the South Caucasus?
Will the withdrawal of Moscow from the CFE change the geopolitical
situation in the South Caucasus? Most likely, we will notice
repercussions of the harsh step taken by the Kremlin too. The matter
is about our main ally and the country that has a military presence in
four of the six recognized and recognized states of the South Caucasus.
The stance of Yerevan is unambiguous and very simple. Armenia believes
in the efficiency of the CFE and sees in it efficient mechanisms
for restraining the armament race. Expressing its regret about the
disputes that have appeared between Russia and Western countries,
Yerevan expects that by the way of a dialogue it will be possible to
smooth down the contradictions and the CFE will remain a guarantee
of stability on the continent. The reaction of Azerbaijan was not
as clear. As usual, Baku used this pretext for verbal attacks at
Armenia again.
Azerbaijan tries to attract attention to its claims that Baku
accuses it of not only all mortal sins but also of breaching the
CFE requirements.
Let us try to find out which breaches are meant. It is known that
the CFE stipulates quotas for conventional arms for all participating
countries. Having signed the CFE 15 years ago, Armenia and Azerbaijan
undertook the observance of these quotas and the provision of
transparency of the process of refilling arsenals. So, Azerbaijan
breaches the limits set for it according to all parameters. Let
us start with tanks. Armenia and Azerbaijan are allowed to have
no more than 220 tanks. Meanwhile, according to Russian military
sources, at the end of 2006 there were 296 tanks and 706 combat
armored vehicles in Azerbaijan (the information was published in
Russian Voenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer). Armenia stringently observes
the undertaken obligations and feels content with 192 tanks and 338
armored personnel carriers. The military aviation fleet of Azerbaijan
is oversaturated too and does not fit CFE requirements. According
to the same source, currently Azerbaijan has 61 combat airplanes and
helicopters and 46 airplanes and helicopters of auxiliary aviation.
In the air force of Armenia, everything is within the limits of the
quotas: seven combat airplanes, 12 combat helicopters and 26 airplanes
and helicopters of auxiliary aviation, overall 45 aircraft.
This is quite sufficient for the provision of its defense capability
because the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has a well armed army of its
own too. According to independent Russian experts, the air force of
Nagorno-Karabakh has 11 combat aircraft. According to various sources,
the army of Nagorno-Karabakh has from 177 to 316 tanks and about 300
combat infantry vehicles. Incidentally, armament of the army of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not within the quotas of Armenia because
Nagorno-Karabakh is not a part of our country.
Unfortunately, being an unrecognized state, the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic cannot join the CFE. At any rate, being isolated by the
international community, Stepanakert manifested good will and undertook
unilateral obligations to follow CFE limitations.
Nagorno-Karabakh has not breached requirements of the CFE, which
cannot be said about Azerbaijan.
Incidentally, Baku diplomats recognize the fact that Azerbaijan
breaches the CFE terms indirectly. Commenting on claims of
international experts who confirm significant exceeding of the
established limits, the head of the press service of the Foreign
Ministry of Azerbaijan tells fairy tales that the Defense Ministry
simply does not manage to scrap the old one on time. This is reportedly
the reason why experts notice non-compliance of the arsenals with
the stipulated quotas.
It is clear that the CFE contradicts the interests of Azerbaijan
because monitoring done by international organizations in the framework
of the CFE allows revealing of the militarist course pursued by
Baku. Azerbaijan, continuing the armament race, tries to avoid
international control. That is why Aliev's Administration tries
to discredit the CFE using a convenient pretext. Along with this,
whereas Moscow has had sufficiently serious reasons to refuse to
participate in the CFE, Baku cannot invent any serious arguments yet.
That is why it has to confine its efforts to accusing of the CFE of
"inability to hinder the threat of Armenian aggression."
by Artem Yerkanyan
Agency WPS
Source: Novoe Vremya (Yerevan), July 19, 2007, p. EV
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 23, 2007 Monday
Azerbaijan stated its claims against the CFE after Russia
A LOOK FROM YEREVAN: THE CFE CONTRADICTS THE INTERESTS OF AZERBAIJAN;
Will the withdrawal of Moscow from the CFE change the geopolitical
situation in the South Caucasus?
Will the withdrawal of Moscow from the CFE change the geopolitical
situation in the South Caucasus? Most likely, we will notice
repercussions of the harsh step taken by the Kremlin too. The matter
is about our main ally and the country that has a military presence in
four of the six recognized and recognized states of the South Caucasus.
The stance of Yerevan is unambiguous and very simple. Armenia believes
in the efficiency of the CFE and sees in it efficient mechanisms
for restraining the armament race. Expressing its regret about the
disputes that have appeared between Russia and Western countries,
Yerevan expects that by the way of a dialogue it will be possible to
smooth down the contradictions and the CFE will remain a guarantee
of stability on the continent. The reaction of Azerbaijan was not
as clear. As usual, Baku used this pretext for verbal attacks at
Armenia again.
Azerbaijan tries to attract attention to its claims that Baku
accuses it of not only all mortal sins but also of breaching the
CFE requirements.
Let us try to find out which breaches are meant. It is known that
the CFE stipulates quotas for conventional arms for all participating
countries. Having signed the CFE 15 years ago, Armenia and Azerbaijan
undertook the observance of these quotas and the provision of
transparency of the process of refilling arsenals. So, Azerbaijan
breaches the limits set for it according to all parameters. Let
us start with tanks. Armenia and Azerbaijan are allowed to have
no more than 220 tanks. Meanwhile, according to Russian military
sources, at the end of 2006 there were 296 tanks and 706 combat
armored vehicles in Azerbaijan (the information was published in
Russian Voenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer). Armenia stringently observes
the undertaken obligations and feels content with 192 tanks and 338
armored personnel carriers. The military aviation fleet of Azerbaijan
is oversaturated too and does not fit CFE requirements. According
to the same source, currently Azerbaijan has 61 combat airplanes and
helicopters and 46 airplanes and helicopters of auxiliary aviation.
In the air force of Armenia, everything is within the limits of the
quotas: seven combat airplanes, 12 combat helicopters and 26 airplanes
and helicopters of auxiliary aviation, overall 45 aircraft.
This is quite sufficient for the provision of its defense capability
because the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has a well armed army of its
own too. According to independent Russian experts, the air force of
Nagorno-Karabakh has 11 combat aircraft. According to various sources,
the army of Nagorno-Karabakh has from 177 to 316 tanks and about 300
combat infantry vehicles. Incidentally, armament of the army of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is not within the quotas of Armenia because
Nagorno-Karabakh is not a part of our country.
Unfortunately, being an unrecognized state, the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic cannot join the CFE. At any rate, being isolated by the
international community, Stepanakert manifested good will and undertook
unilateral obligations to follow CFE limitations.
Nagorno-Karabakh has not breached requirements of the CFE, which
cannot be said about Azerbaijan.
Incidentally, Baku diplomats recognize the fact that Azerbaijan
breaches the CFE terms indirectly. Commenting on claims of
international experts who confirm significant exceeding of the
established limits, the head of the press service of the Foreign
Ministry of Azerbaijan tells fairy tales that the Defense Ministry
simply does not manage to scrap the old one on time. This is reportedly
the reason why experts notice non-compliance of the arsenals with
the stipulated quotas.
It is clear that the CFE contradicts the interests of Azerbaijan
because monitoring done by international organizations in the framework
of the CFE allows revealing of the militarist course pursued by
Baku. Azerbaijan, continuing the armament race, tries to avoid
international control. That is why Aliev's Administration tries
to discredit the CFE using a convenient pretext. Along with this,
whereas Moscow has had sufficiently serious reasons to refuse to
participate in the CFE, Baku cannot invent any serious arguments yet.
That is why it has to confine its efforts to accusing of the CFE of
"inability to hinder the threat of Armenian aggression."