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RUSSIAN SECURITY OFFICIAL SAYS ARMS SUPPLIES TO AZERBAIJAN 'LEGAL'
http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/47164/armenia_russia_arms_supplies_azerbaijan
KARABAKH | 25.06.13 | 09:53
Photo: www.president.am/Archive photo
A senior Russian official has effectively confirmed the sale of $1
billion worth of Russian tanks, artillery systems and other weapons to
Azerbaijan, which was reported by a Moscow newspaper earlier this
month.
While visiting the Russian military base in Gyumri as part of his
three-day trip to Armenia, Nikolay Patrushev, the secretary of
Russia's Security Council, told Armenian media on Monday that the deal
was a legitimate one and did not threaten Russia's ally in the South
Caucasus, Armenia.
"Russia engages in trade with all countries and any country can
legally buy weapons from Russia," he said when asked to comment on the
report by Russia's Vedomosti newspaper.
The report prompted serious concern among analysts and members of the
Armenian opposition, but official Yerevan dismissed such concerns,
saying that the reported deliveries would not change the balance of
forces between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have a dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
"I think the presence of Russian servicemen [on Armenian soil] is a
guarantee that there will be no negative developments in Armenia,"
said Patrushev, according to RFE/RL's Armenian Service.
On Sunday, the Russian official was also received by Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan. According to the presidential press service,
during the meeting the parties discussed "a wide range of issues
related to cooperation between the two allied states".
"Regional developments and challenges as well as the current state of
the negotiation process on the Karabakh settlement were also
addressed," the statement added.
http://www.armenianow.com/karabakh/47164/armenia_russia_arms_supplies_azerbaijan
KARABAKH | 25.06.13 | 09:53
Photo: www.president.am/Archive photo
A senior Russian official has effectively confirmed the sale of $1
billion worth of Russian tanks, artillery systems and other weapons to
Azerbaijan, which was reported by a Moscow newspaper earlier this
month.
While visiting the Russian military base in Gyumri as part of his
three-day trip to Armenia, Nikolay Patrushev, the secretary of
Russia's Security Council, told Armenian media on Monday that the deal
was a legitimate one and did not threaten Russia's ally in the South
Caucasus, Armenia.
"Russia engages in trade with all countries and any country can
legally buy weapons from Russia," he said when asked to comment on the
report by Russia's Vedomosti newspaper.
The report prompted serious concern among analysts and members of the
Armenian opposition, but official Yerevan dismissed such concerns,
saying that the reported deliveries would not change the balance of
forces between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which have a dispute over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
"I think the presence of Russian servicemen [on Armenian soil] is a
guarantee that there will be no negative developments in Armenia,"
said Patrushev, according to RFE/RL's Armenian Service.
On Sunday, the Russian official was also received by Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan. According to the presidential press service,
during the meeting the parties discussed "a wide range of issues
related to cooperation between the two allied states".
"Regional developments and challenges as well as the current state of
the negotiation process on the Karabakh settlement were also
addressed," the statement added.