Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 26 2005

Moscow Says Concerns over Russo-Armenian Ties Groundless

Azerbaijan’s concerns over Russo-Armenian ties are groundless, a
Russian parliament member has said.

The Russia-Armenia relations are considered defense union ties and
`Azerbaijan should know this’, said director of the CIS Institute, MP
Konstantin Zatulin.

Zatulin said that Azerbaijan should not be concerned over the recent
transfer of Russian arms to Armenia. He said that its `doubts and
accusations’ against Russia and Armenia over the transfer of Russian
military bases from Georgia to Armenia `are in vain’.

`The distance between Russia and Armenia in the present
communications age challenges such views and renders out of place the
statements that Russia disrupts military balance in the region by
taking this step.’

The MP added that due to Azerbaijan’s concerns over the presence of
Russian bases in Armenia, Moscow may station a part of its military
contingent in Russian territory.