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ESTABLISHMENT OF RUSSIA'S 2ND MILITARY BASE IN ARMENIA WILL COMPLICATE CRITICAL SITUATION IN REGION: AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Alizade / Representative of the Press
Service of Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, Ilgar Verdiyev, said on
25 September that the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base
in Armenia will lead to complications of the critical situation in
the region.
Representatives from Russia's Defense Ministry are on a visit to
Armenia. During their visit to the Armenian capital, they will meet
with senior officials from the Government and the Defense Ministry of
the country. According to certain information, the talks will focus
on the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia.
Russia's 102nd military base is currently located in Gurmi in Armenia.
Military expert, retired colonel-lieutenant Uzeyir Jafarov considers
that the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia will
not be very simple. According to him, currently such a step by the
Russian side does not seem realistic. "It will cause protest among
countries of the region. In addition, establishment of the military
base will be an expensive project. Moreover, opening a military base
envisages implementing a number of political procedures," he said.
According to Jafarov, Russia considers its key task is to expand and
strengthen the military base in Gurmi. The military expert considers
the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia as dangerous
to Azerbaijan. "Official Baku should sharply criticize this issue,"
he said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side should not consider
it as an internal affair of any country. "Firstly the interest and
security of the region should be ensured. The actions of the Russian
side may cause tension in the region taking into consideration
the non-settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. It is possible to forecast sufficient seriousness of this
tension," Jafarov said.
The military expert highlighted Azerbaijan's possibilities to stand
against it. Official Baku should raise this issue at an international
level with a requirement of the grounds for the need of Russia to
establish a 2nd military base in Armenia. "The Azerbaijani side should
raise a serious question with OSCE. Because, Russia, as a member
of the OSCE Minsk Group, has undertaken several obligations in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, but takes steps in complicating
the situation in the region. Official Moscow should explain this,"
Jafarov said.
The Chairman of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, Akif Nagi, said
that through its actions, Russia expands its military opportunities
in the South Caucasus and demonstrates its force to countries of the
region. "The Azerbaijani side should seriously protest to Russia,
who is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group," he said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries started in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding districts. Since 1992 to the present
time, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994,
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time
active hostilities ended. The co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are holding peaceful negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 26 2007
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend I.Alizade / Representative of the Press
Service of Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry, Ilgar Verdiyev, said on
25 September that the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base
in Armenia will lead to complications of the critical situation in
the region.
Representatives from Russia's Defense Ministry are on a visit to
Armenia. During their visit to the Armenian capital, they will meet
with senior officials from the Government and the Defense Ministry of
the country. According to certain information, the talks will focus
on the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia.
Russia's 102nd military base is currently located in Gurmi in Armenia.
Military expert, retired colonel-lieutenant Uzeyir Jafarov considers
that the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia will
not be very simple. According to him, currently such a step by the
Russian side does not seem realistic. "It will cause protest among
countries of the region. In addition, establishment of the military
base will be an expensive project. Moreover, opening a military base
envisages implementing a number of political procedures," he said.
According to Jafarov, Russia considers its key task is to expand and
strengthen the military base in Gurmi. The military expert considers
the establishment of Russia's 2nd military base in Armenia as dangerous
to Azerbaijan. "Official Baku should sharply criticize this issue,"
he said. According to him, the Azerbaijani side should not consider
it as an internal affair of any country. "Firstly the interest and
security of the region should be ensured. The actions of the Russian
side may cause tension in the region taking into consideration
the non-settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. It is possible to forecast sufficient seriousness of this
tension," Jafarov said.
The military expert highlighted Azerbaijan's possibilities to stand
against it. Official Baku should raise this issue at an international
level with a requirement of the grounds for the need of Russia to
establish a 2nd military base in Armenia. "The Azerbaijani side should
raise a serious question with OSCE. Because, Russia, as a member
of the OSCE Minsk Group, has undertaken several obligations in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, but takes steps in complicating
the situation in the region. Official Moscow should explain this,"
Jafarov said.
The Chairman of the Karabakh Liberation Organization, Akif Nagi, said
that through its actions, Russia expands its military opportunities
in the South Caucasus and demonstrates its force to countries of the
region. "The Azerbaijani side should seriously protest to Russia,
who is a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group," he said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries started in
1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani lands including the Nagorno-Karabakh
region and its seven surrounding districts. Since 1992 to the present
time, these territories have been under Armenian occupation. In 1994,
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time
active hostilities ended. The co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
(Russia, France and USA) are holding peaceful negotiations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress