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Azerbaijani Defense Ministry Rejects `Laughable' Armenian Statement
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Asbarez
BAKU (RFE/RL)-Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has rejected as
`laughable' a claim by Yerevan that Russia could back Armenia in case
of a renewed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani
Service reports.
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian told RFE/RL on August 25 he
had `no doubts' that under an agreement signed with Russia last week,
Moscow would openly support Armenia in the event of a new conflict
with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh that `became a threat to the
Republic of Armenia.'
But Eldar Sabiroglu, the head of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
press service, on August 26 rejected that claim.
Sabiroglu told ANS-TV that `it is our land and it is occupied by
Armenia. The Armenian separatists must be driven out of there at all
cost.'
Referring to the updated Russian-Armenian agreement, Sabiroglu said:
`This agreement is between two states, it is up to them. But this
protocol cannot hinder or stop the Azerbaijani Army.'
He also said Azerbaijan had no choice but to upgrade its armed forces
by acquiring new weaponry.
Nagorno-Karabakh, an historic Armenian territory is populated
completely by indigenous Armenians. The region was invaded by the
Azerbaijani Armenia after it declared its independence from Soviet
rule in 1991. Baku's incursion and earlier attempts at ethnic
cleansing in the late 1980s prompted a war that left some 30,000 dead.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic remains unrecognized by the world
community and international mediators have so far failed to broker a
final peace accord between Azerbaijan. Baku continues to threaten
renewed war in the region and regularly violates a cease-fire regime
in place since 1994.
From: A. Papazian
Friday, August 27th, 2010
Asbarez
BAKU (RFE/RL)-Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has rejected as
`laughable' a claim by Yerevan that Russia could back Armenia in case
of a renewed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, RFE/RL's Azerbaijani
Service reports.
Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian told RFE/RL on August 25 he
had `no doubts' that under an agreement signed with Russia last week,
Moscow would openly support Armenia in the event of a new conflict
with Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh that `became a threat to the
Republic of Armenia.'
But Eldar Sabiroglu, the head of the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
press service, on August 26 rejected that claim.
Sabiroglu told ANS-TV that `it is our land and it is occupied by
Armenia. The Armenian separatists must be driven out of there at all
cost.'
Referring to the updated Russian-Armenian agreement, Sabiroglu said:
`This agreement is between two states, it is up to them. But this
protocol cannot hinder or stop the Azerbaijani Army.'
He also said Azerbaijan had no choice but to upgrade its armed forces
by acquiring new weaponry.
Nagorno-Karabakh, an historic Armenian territory is populated
completely by indigenous Armenians. The region was invaded by the
Azerbaijani Armenia after it declared its independence from Soviet
rule in 1991. Baku's incursion and earlier attempts at ethnic
cleansing in the late 1980s prompted a war that left some 30,000 dead.
The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic remains unrecognized by the world
community and international mediators have so far failed to broker a
final peace accord between Azerbaijan. Baku continues to threaten
renewed war in the region and regularly violates a cease-fire regime
in place since 1994.
From: A. Papazian