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BAKU: Azerbaijan-Israel Arm Deal Not Directed Against Iran

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  • BAKU: Azerbaijan-Israel Arm Deal Not Directed Against Iran

    AZERBAIJAN-ISRAEL ARM DEAL NOT DIRECTED AGAINST IRAN

    TODAY.AZ
    30 March 2012

    Dr Brenda Shaffer, Israel's foremost expert on Azerbaijan, suggests
    it is highly unlikely that Israel's sale of drones and anti-aircraft
    missile defence systems to Azerbaijan in a $1.6bln arms deal points
    to a bilateral defence pact against Iran.

    If Azerbaijan is bolstering its defence systems, this is more likely to
    be a display of strength intended for Armenia, which currently occupies
    20 per cent of it territory, the expert told The Guardian on Friday.

    "Azerbaijan is bordered by Russia, Iran and Turkey. Its economy
    is dependent on the safe export of oil, which requires regional
    stability," Shaffer said.

    More than 30 per cent of the Iranian population are ethnic Azeris,
    the expert said and added that Azerbaijan tries to maintain friendly
    relations with Iran as it does Israel.

    "It would be very wary of allowing itself to take a step that might
    seen as aggressive," Shaffer suggests.

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