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Independent European Daily Express
Oct 4 2014
Azerbaijan Pursues Drones, New Security Options
Saturday, October 4, 2014 - 08:03Inter Press Service
BAKU, Oct 04 (IPS) - Heightened tensions with longtime foe Armenia
over breakaway Nagorno Karabakh and mediator Russia EURO (tm)s Ukrainian
adventure appear to be pushing Caspian-Sea energy power Azerbaijan
ever more strongly toward a military strategy of self-reliance.
The strategy comes via two approaches: first, a build-up in
Azerbaijani-made military equipment, including drones co-produced with
Israel; and, second, a new defense troika with longtime strategic
partners Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation,
and neighbouring Georgia, a NATO-member-hopeful.
Nor is this a strategy just left to paper. On Sep. 11, Azerbaijani
Defense Minister Yaver Jamalov announced to reporters that Azerbaijan
plans to export 100 drones, co-produced at a local Azerbaijani-Israeli
plant, to EURO oeone of the NATO countries. EURO The remarks headlined the
country EURO (tm)s first international defense-industry show, ADEX-2014, held
on Sep. 11-13 in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
Jamalov did not specify the country or the terms of the sale, but the
prospect of the deal reinforces the fact, long clear in foreign
policy, that Baku sees itself as a regional military force that need
no longer pay heed to the likes or dislikes of Russia.
While Azerbaijan has spent EURO oeseveral billion dollars EURO over the last
decade importing a range of Russian-made military equipment, politics
now have become an issue, commented military expert Azad Isazade, a
former Azerbaijani defense-ministry official.
As it looks on the plans for a trade union with Azerbaijani enemy
Armenia, Baku increasingly feels that Moscow EURO (tm)s interests in
resolving the 26-year-long Karabakh conflict are more closely aligned
with those of Armenia, where Russia already has troops stationed.
By focusing its attention on its own military-production capabilities
or on military partnerships with other countries, EURO oethe Azerbaijani
government wanted to balance the pro-Armenian position of Moscow, EURO
Isazade said.
Elhan Shahinoglu, head of the non-profit Atlas Research Center in
Baku, agreed. EURO oeI think that after the last meeting of the
Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian presidents in Sochi [in August],
[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev has lost any hope that Moscow is
going to play a positive role in the Karabakh conflict EURO (tm)s
resolution, EURO he commented.
The Kremlin EURO (tm)s support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine
and intervention in the conflict there does little to reassure Baku on
this point.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has not specifically addressed such
misgivings, but, in his opening remarks at ADEX-2014, commented that
EURO oein the current world, countries have to keep facing new security
challenges, which make cooperation and the exchange of modern military
technologies more important. EURO
Azerbaijan is due to receive 100 Russian-made T-90C tanks in early
2015, but the shipment is based on a 2010 contract, Trend news agency
reported, citing an adviser to Russia EURO (tm)s state-owned weapons-export
company, Rosobornexport. Azerbaijan has not announced any more such
contracts.
Defense Minister Jamalov claims that Azerbaijan expects by the end of
2015 to be able to meet almost all of its own needs for ammunition and
tank and artillery shells, formerly mostly supplied by Russia, Belarus
and Ukraine.
Israel, which imports most of its natural gas from Azerbaijan, appears
to play a leading role in Azerbaijan EURO (tm)s makeover into a
materiel-manufacturer. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon visited
Azerbaijan for the first time this month to meet President Aliyev and
attend ADEX-2014.
At the exhibition, Azerbaijan presented models of two drones produced
in conjunction with an unnamed Israeli company EURO " one for
reconnaissance ( EURO oeAerostar EURO ) and one for combat-missions (
EURO oeOrbiter 2M EURO ).
Overall, 200 companies from 34 countries, including the United States
and Russia, took part in the event, which featured products ranging
from armored troop carriers to sniper guns.
Only one contract with an Azerbaijani company was signed during the
show, however, an Azerbaijani defense-industry representative
commented to EurasiaNet.org.
South Africa EURO (tm)s Paramount Group, a privately owned defense company
which claims to be the largest in Africa, plans to create a joint
venture with Azerbaijan EURO (tm)s private AirTechService to work on upgrades
to military helicopters and some jets.
The defense industry representative, who asked not to be named, noted,
however, that other countries expected to take an interest in
Azerbaijani materiel include Arab Persian-Gulf states, and, in Central
Asia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
NATO member states Estonia, Bulgaria, Lativa, Lithuania, Poland and
Romania, all of which have indicated they will increase defense
spending in response to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, also feature
among the sales-targets, the representative said.
But weapons manufacturing alone does not provide Azerbaijan with a
sense of security.
Like other former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan, with one eye on the
Karabakh flare-up and another on the Ukrainian civil war, is trying to
find new ways to protect itself from Russian pressure, noted
Shahinoglu.
On Aug. 19, Defense Minister Hasanov met with Georgian Defense
Minister Irakli Alasania and Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz in
the exclave of Nakhchivan, President Aliyev EURO (tm)s ancestral home, to
address the EURO oemilitary-political situation in the region, EURO as the
government-friendly AzerNews put it.
After the meeting, Georgian Defense Minister Alasania, the most
publicly talkative of the three, said the trio plans to defend
collectively regional pipelines and railroads EURO " strategic projects
in which all three already cooperate EURO " in case of military
aggression in any of the three countries.
Joint military exercises also will be held, although the 30,000-troop
exercises currently underway in Azerbaijan only include Azerbaijani
forces.
While one Russian security analyst has questioned the pact EURO (tm)s
significance since Turkey and Azerbaijan already are military allies,
defense expert Isazade countered that Turkey EURO (tm)s presence will
constrain Moscow in its treatment of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and
reassure the international community that energy resources will be
protected.
EURO oeIf there would be just an alliance of Baku and Tbilisi, Moscow
would not care, EURO he elaborated. EURO oeBut Turkey, which is a NATO
member and also has wide links and cooperation with Russia, is an
important factor of stability for the region. EURO
So far, no official response has come from Moscow.
http://www.iede.co.uk/news/2014_5382/azerbaijan-pursues-drones-new-security-options
Oct 4 2014
Azerbaijan Pursues Drones, New Security Options
Saturday, October 4, 2014 - 08:03Inter Press Service
BAKU, Oct 04 (IPS) - Heightened tensions with longtime foe Armenia
over breakaway Nagorno Karabakh and mediator Russia EURO (tm)s Ukrainian
adventure appear to be pushing Caspian-Sea energy power Azerbaijan
ever more strongly toward a military strategy of self-reliance.
The strategy comes via two approaches: first, a build-up in
Azerbaijani-made military equipment, including drones co-produced with
Israel; and, second, a new defense troika with longtime strategic
partners Turkey, a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation,
and neighbouring Georgia, a NATO-member-hopeful.
Nor is this a strategy just left to paper. On Sep. 11, Azerbaijani
Defense Minister Yaver Jamalov announced to reporters that Azerbaijan
plans to export 100 drones, co-produced at a local Azerbaijani-Israeli
plant, to EURO oeone of the NATO countries. EURO The remarks headlined the
country EURO (tm)s first international defense-industry show, ADEX-2014, held
on Sep. 11-13 in the Azerbaijani capital, Baku.
Jamalov did not specify the country or the terms of the sale, but the
prospect of the deal reinforces the fact, long clear in foreign
policy, that Baku sees itself as a regional military force that need
no longer pay heed to the likes or dislikes of Russia.
While Azerbaijan has spent EURO oeseveral billion dollars EURO over the last
decade importing a range of Russian-made military equipment, politics
now have become an issue, commented military expert Azad Isazade, a
former Azerbaijani defense-ministry official.
As it looks on the plans for a trade union with Azerbaijani enemy
Armenia, Baku increasingly feels that Moscow EURO (tm)s interests in
resolving the 26-year-long Karabakh conflict are more closely aligned
with those of Armenia, where Russia already has troops stationed.
By focusing its attention on its own military-production capabilities
or on military partnerships with other countries, EURO oethe Azerbaijani
government wanted to balance the pro-Armenian position of Moscow, EURO
Isazade said.
Elhan Shahinoglu, head of the non-profit Atlas Research Center in
Baku, agreed. EURO oeI think that after the last meeting of the
Azerbaijani, Armenian and Russian presidents in Sochi [in August],
[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev has lost any hope that Moscow is
going to play a positive role in the Karabakh conflict EURO (tm)s
resolution, EURO he commented.
The Kremlin EURO (tm)s support for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine
and intervention in the conflict there does little to reassure Baku on
this point.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has not specifically addressed such
misgivings, but, in his opening remarks at ADEX-2014, commented that
EURO oein the current world, countries have to keep facing new security
challenges, which make cooperation and the exchange of modern military
technologies more important. EURO
Azerbaijan is due to receive 100 Russian-made T-90C tanks in early
2015, but the shipment is based on a 2010 contract, Trend news agency
reported, citing an adviser to Russia EURO (tm)s state-owned weapons-export
company, Rosobornexport. Azerbaijan has not announced any more such
contracts.
Defense Minister Jamalov claims that Azerbaijan expects by the end of
2015 to be able to meet almost all of its own needs for ammunition and
tank and artillery shells, formerly mostly supplied by Russia, Belarus
and Ukraine.
Israel, which imports most of its natural gas from Azerbaijan, appears
to play a leading role in Azerbaijan EURO (tm)s makeover into a
materiel-manufacturer. Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon visited
Azerbaijan for the first time this month to meet President Aliyev and
attend ADEX-2014.
At the exhibition, Azerbaijan presented models of two drones produced
in conjunction with an unnamed Israeli company EURO " one for
reconnaissance ( EURO oeAerostar EURO ) and one for combat-missions (
EURO oeOrbiter 2M EURO ).
Overall, 200 companies from 34 countries, including the United States
and Russia, took part in the event, which featured products ranging
from armored troop carriers to sniper guns.
Only one contract with an Azerbaijani company was signed during the
show, however, an Azerbaijani defense-industry representative
commented to EurasiaNet.org.
South Africa EURO (tm)s Paramount Group, a privately owned defense company
which claims to be the largest in Africa, plans to create a joint
venture with Azerbaijan EURO (tm)s private AirTechService to work on upgrades
to military helicopters and some jets.
The defense industry representative, who asked not to be named, noted,
however, that other countries expected to take an interest in
Azerbaijani materiel include Arab Persian-Gulf states, and, in Central
Asia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
NATO member states Estonia, Bulgaria, Lativa, Lithuania, Poland and
Romania, all of which have indicated they will increase defense
spending in response to the Ukrainian-Russian conflict, also feature
among the sales-targets, the representative said.
But weapons manufacturing alone does not provide Azerbaijan with a
sense of security.
Like other former Soviet republics, Azerbaijan, with one eye on the
Karabakh flare-up and another on the Ukrainian civil war, is trying to
find new ways to protect itself from Russian pressure, noted
Shahinoglu.
On Aug. 19, Defense Minister Hasanov met with Georgian Defense
Minister Irakli Alasania and Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz in
the exclave of Nakhchivan, President Aliyev EURO (tm)s ancestral home, to
address the EURO oemilitary-political situation in the region, EURO as the
government-friendly AzerNews put it.
After the meeting, Georgian Defense Minister Alasania, the most
publicly talkative of the three, said the trio plans to defend
collectively regional pipelines and railroads EURO " strategic projects
in which all three already cooperate EURO " in case of military
aggression in any of the three countries.
Joint military exercises also will be held, although the 30,000-troop
exercises currently underway in Azerbaijan only include Azerbaijani
forces.
While one Russian security analyst has questioned the pact EURO (tm)s
significance since Turkey and Azerbaijan already are military allies,
defense expert Isazade countered that Turkey EURO (tm)s presence will
constrain Moscow in its treatment of Georgia and Azerbaijan, and
reassure the international community that energy resources will be
protected.
EURO oeIf there would be just an alliance of Baku and Tbilisi, Moscow
would not care, EURO he elaborated. EURO oeBut Turkey, which is a NATO
member and also has wide links and cooperation with Russia, is an
important factor of stability for the region. EURO
So far, no official response has come from Moscow.
http://www.iede.co.uk/news/2014_5382/azerbaijan-pursues-drones-new-security-options