ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
May 25, 2005 Wednesday 8:54 AM Eastern Time

Azerbaijan opposed to relocation of Russia bases to Armenia

MOSCOW

The relocation of Russian military servicemen from Georgia to Armenia
could lead to a deterioration of the situation in the Trans-Caucasus,
Azerbaijani parliament leader Murtuz Aleskerov said in Russian
parliament’s upper house where Days of Azerbaijan opened on
Wednesday.

Azerbaijan is categorically opposed to this step, and parliament will
do everything to prevent the relocation of the Russian military bases
to Armenia, Aleskerov said.

Federation Council Speaker Sergei Mironov in turn said that Russia
understands concern of Azerbaijan, and no final decision on the bases
had been made as yet.

Besides, arms and the military hardware will not be turned over to
Armenia, and it is only a matter of “not leaving people in the
field”, Mironov said.

“I think that we shall settle all questions in the negotiation
process with Georgia.”

Everything will be done within the framework of existing bilateral
accords and the treaty on conventional forces in Europe, all the more
so that such relocation would not surpass a total strength of troops
stipulated in the region by the treaty.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress