Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 30, 2004, Monday

ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTER DOESN’T RULE OUT THE OPPORTUNITY OF
HOSTING U.S. BASES IN AZERBAIJAN

“Azerbaijan is very likely to host U.S. military bases,” Armenia’s
Defense Minister Serzhik Sarkisyan said at a press conference. In his
words, any comments are pointless since this is the mutual issue of
the U.S. and Azerbaijan.

“We cannot direct them whether to station military bases on their
territory or not,” the minister said and noted that this process
would last above 5 or even 10 years. “At the same time, Azerbaijan’s
statements that Russian military bases in Armenia exacerbate tension
in the entire region are nothing more than words,” Armenia’s defense
minister said.

Source: Regnum news agency, August 27, 2004