US to build military airports in Republic of Azerbaijan – Iranian agency
IRNA news agency, Tehran
21 Feb 07
Baku, 21 February: Gundalik Azerbaijan [daily] reports that America
has been using two Azeri military airports for refuelling,
transportation of troops and technical inspection of planes.
In its Wednesday edition [21 February], the newspaper adds: The
airports of Azeri Air Force are located in the ‘Haji Zeyn al-Abedin
Taqiyev’ and ‘Qala’ districts on the outskirts of Baku, and the
Pentagon had earlier gained permission from Baku to use them for its
military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The daily adds: Initially, the Azeri officials evaded the question of
America using their military airports, but later on they confirmed it.
According to Gudalik Azerbaijan, in addition to using the two
airports, the Pentagon intends to establish well-equipped military
bases in southern Azerbaijan and accordingly, has reached an agreement
with Azeri officials on building new airports in the Lankaran and
Masali regions close to the Iranian border.
Quoting Azeri military experts, the daily says: In the light of this
[agreement], the increased comings and goings of American military
officials to Baku in recent years are not without reason.
The daily noted: The recent visit to Baku of Peter Rudman, the US
under-secretary of defence for international affairs, and other
Pentagon officials underline that important issues are at stake, to
the extent that, in the current month the Pentagon officials have held
a number of meetings with Azeri military and border guard officials on
bilateral cooperation.
Gundalik Azerbaijan, quoting Ildrum Mohammadov, a retired Azeri
colonel, reports: The frequent visits of the Pentagon officials to
Baku and the American military movements are mainly about Iran and
Russia.