Russia says it `eased tensions over arms transfer’ to Armenia

Baku, June 20, AssA-Irada

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov has said that he `eased the
tensions’ with Azerbaijan over this country’s recent arms transfer to
Armenia, in his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev.

`We will withdraw a part of the property and machinery from our base
in Akhalkalaki, Georgia not to Armenia, but to the territory of the
Russian base in Gumri. This is what we tried to explain to our Azeri
friends. There will beno changes in the balance of forces’, Lavrov
told `Vesti Nedeli’ (News of the Week) program on Sunday.

Russia earlier closed down its base in Georgia and moved a bulk of its
weaponry to Armenia, which drew fire from Azerbaijan.*