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RUSSIAN ARMS DELIVERY TO AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT VIOLATE BALANCE OF FORCES: EXPERT SAYS
YEREVAN, June 19. / ARKA /. The delivery of $1 billion worth Russian
arms to Azerbaijan will not violate the balance of forces in the
region, Sergey Minasian, an expert from the Yerevan-based Caucasus
Institute said today in interview with Novosti Armenia news agency.
According to media reports, the arms package, signed in a series of
contracts between 2011 and 2012, includes nearly 100 T-90C tanks,
Smerch and TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers and Msta-A and Vena
artillery cannons.
Minasian said the latest delivery of Russian arms to Azerbaijan is
in tune with Moscow's traditional military-technical policy in the
South Caucasus.
"There is nothing new. Russia continues to sell arms and military
equipment to Azerbaijan at market prices, but at the same time
it supplies weapons to Armenia at discount prices and often even
virtually free," Minasian said.
In his words, the weapons supplied to Azerbaijan at market prices are
more contemporary than those delivered to Armenia, but all kinds of
weapons, which Armenia receives, can be upgraded.
"On the other hand, the quality can be offset by quantity. In other
words, if Azerbaijan receives 200 T-90 tanks, it means that Armenia
will receive at least 300 T-72 tanks, which will be upgraded in view
of the terrain and other specifics,' he said.
"In fact, Azeri president Ilham Aliyev is buying expensive toys to
showcase them at military parades on the eve of the next presidential
election and part of Azeris will be happy seeing these weapons and
continue to believe in fairy tale that Baku will soon begin operation
to liberate Nagorno-Karaabkh, a tale which has been said over the last
20 years. Russia is happy too because it has received about a billion,
and perhaps more," said Minasyan.
He argued that Armenia's leadership will also be happy because as a
result it will be able to upgrade Armenia's tanks, artilleries and
other weapons and military equipment.
"Western partners will also be happy because the deal will spark and
intensify anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia. The organizations in
Armenia, which pursue anti-Russian policy, will also be happy because
they will get quite a favorable field for activities," Minasian said.
"The balance of power is not breached. Long before the sale of
arms to Azerbaijan Russian and Armenian sides began the work
to preserve the balance of power along with upgrading Russian
military base in Armenian Gyumri," he said. -0- - See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/russian_arms_delivery_to_azerbaijan_does_not_viola te_balance_of_forces_expert_says/#sthash.4BSCtt7Y.dpuf
YEREVAN, June 19. / ARKA /. The delivery of $1 billion worth Russian
arms to Azerbaijan will not violate the balance of forces in the
region, Sergey Minasian, an expert from the Yerevan-based Caucasus
Institute said today in interview with Novosti Armenia news agency.
According to media reports, the arms package, signed in a series of
contracts between 2011 and 2012, includes nearly 100 T-90C tanks,
Smerch and TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers and Msta-A and Vena
artillery cannons.
Minasian said the latest delivery of Russian arms to Azerbaijan is
in tune with Moscow's traditional military-technical policy in the
South Caucasus.
"There is nothing new. Russia continues to sell arms and military
equipment to Azerbaijan at market prices, but at the same time
it supplies weapons to Armenia at discount prices and often even
virtually free," Minasian said.
In his words, the weapons supplied to Azerbaijan at market prices are
more contemporary than those delivered to Armenia, but all kinds of
weapons, which Armenia receives, can be upgraded.
"On the other hand, the quality can be offset by quantity. In other
words, if Azerbaijan receives 200 T-90 tanks, it means that Armenia
will receive at least 300 T-72 tanks, which will be upgraded in view
of the terrain and other specifics,' he said.
"In fact, Azeri president Ilham Aliyev is buying expensive toys to
showcase them at military parades on the eve of the next presidential
election and part of Azeris will be happy seeing these weapons and
continue to believe in fairy tale that Baku will soon begin operation
to liberate Nagorno-Karaabkh, a tale which has been said over the last
20 years. Russia is happy too because it has received about a billion,
and perhaps more," said Minasyan.
He argued that Armenia's leadership will also be happy because as a
result it will be able to upgrade Armenia's tanks, artilleries and
other weapons and military equipment.
"Western partners will also be happy because the deal will spark and
intensify anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia. The organizations in
Armenia, which pursue anti-Russian policy, will also be happy because
they will get quite a favorable field for activities," Minasian said.
"The balance of power is not breached. Long before the sale of
arms to Azerbaijan Russian and Armenian sides began the work
to preserve the balance of power along with upgrading Russian
military base in Armenian Gyumri," he said. -0- - See more at:
http://arka.am/en/news/politics/russian_arms_delivery_to_azerbaijan_does_not_viola te_balance_of_forces_expert_says/#sthash.4BSCtt7Y.dpuf