EXPERT: USA IS CONSTRUCTING ITS OWN RADAR SYSTEM IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
Regnum, Russia
June 13 2007
"It seems to me that the proposal made by Russian President Vladimir
Putin to use jointly the Gabala radar system in Azerbaijan was
an invitation for a political dialog on wide range of issues in
international security," political analyst Karine Gevorgyan said in
an interview to a REGNUM correspondent.
"Vladimir Putin’s proposal was treated as a sensational one;
meanwhile, as early as on May 2, 2007, information from an unnamed
source in the Pentagon was seen in the internet that the United States
would appreciate it if Russia and Azerbaijan agreed for joint use
of the Gabala radar station. He alleged to express opinion of the
US leadership. So, the Russian president, possibly, reacted to the
proposal from the USA itself, where, as it seems, there had been no
unanimous opinion between the Department of State and the Pentagon
from the start," she said. Besides, according to Karine Gervorgyan,
Azerbaijani officials made no secret of the fact that the question
had been discussed during Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s
visit to Baku. Putin’s statement that he had had a discussion with
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, who, according to the Russian
leader, said Azerbaijan would be happy to participate in the security
issues that concern Russia and the USA, confirms the fact of Russia’s
consultations with Azerbaijan, believes the expert. "I know from
official sources that in the frameworks of an agreement on military
cooperation signed by the USA and Azerbaijan the United States is
planning to include the radar station in Lerik and a radiotelephone
observation station in Agstafa into the Caucasnet radar net. Last year,
the USa deployed radars in two districts in Azerbaijan.
Besides, they modernized an air defense base in Kurdamir. On
this background, Russia is selling defensive weapons to Iran and
strengthening its positions in Armenia. The contract between Russia
and Azerbaijan for renting the Gabala Radar System expires in 2012.
Now it is not working to its full capacity," Karine Gervorgyan said.
According to the analyst, Iran’s position on the issue is the same
as it is on the issue of stationing two US radar systems, one of
which will be targeted for Iran. "Tehran has nothing against it,"
said Iranian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Afshar Suleimani earlier. "Such
reaction is possibly caused by change of Iran’s defensive status,"
supposes the expert. At the same time, Karine Gervorgyan ruled out
a possibility of a connection between the Russian-US dialog on joint
use of the Gabala radar station and the process of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. Nevertheless, according to her, a "plot" between
Moscow and Washington about Karabakh is generally plausible.