ARMENIAN SCUDS THREATEN AZERI OIL SITES
United Press International, USA
March 13 2006
BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 13 (UPI) — Since the collapse of communism
in 1991, Azerbaijan has moved closer to NATO and the United States
as its oil exports have soared.
Azerbaijan is a member of NATO’s Partnership for Peace affiliate
program and has hopes of joining the alliance.
Austrian Eutema Technologie Management GmbH EMTECH project manager
Martin Marek says that Azerbaijan’s main adversary, Armenia, has
deployed Soviet-era Scud-B ballistic missiles in the disputed Upper
Karabakh region, which are capable of striking Baku’s oil facilities.
On March 13, AssA-Irada news agency quoted Marek as saying, “The
Scud-B missiles are aimed at oil fields, pipelines and refineries in
Azerbaijan, which could bring about a disaster.”
On Aug. 23, 1997, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
quoted Science Applications International Corp. Strategic Assessment
Center analyst Glen E. Howard as saying that Russia had shipped
Armenia as many as 32 Scud-B ballistic missiles and eight launchers
as part of a Russian 1994-1996 arms deal worth $1 billion.
In May-June 1996, Armenian personnel were trained to operate Scud-Bs at
Russia’s Kapustin Yar firing range. Scud-Bs have a range of 200 miles.
Marek observed that Western investment in Azerbaijan reinforces the
current “de-facto independent status of Upper Karabakh,” and that
“Baku is also aware that if the war resumes, these companies will
freeze their investments in the country.”