RUSSIAN MILITARY HARDWARE FROM GEORGIA SAID DEPLOYED ON AZERI-ARMENIAN BORDER
Azerbaijani news agency APA
3 Sep 07
Baku
3 September: Part of the weapons and military hardware sent from
Russian military bases in Georgia to military base No 102 in
Armenia’s Gyumri are being deployed on the Armenian-Azerbaijani
state border and in occupied Azerbaijani territories, APA has learnt
from military circles. Those small arms and military hardware are
reported to have been handed over to the Armenian armed forces in
military units located in Idzhevan, Berd, Tavush, Vardenis and other
districts bordering Azerbaijan and in Xankandi [Stepanakert], Asgaran
[Askeran] and Agdara districts, Xocali town and Hadrut settlement. The
source added that part of the self-propelled artillery from Georgia’s
Akhalkalaki military base No 62 had been given as a "present" to the
Armenian army. That military hardware has been handed over to the
fleet of a military unit in Idzhevan District bordering Azerbaijan’s
Qazax District.
The head of the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press service, Lt-Col
Eldar Safarov, confirmed that part of the weapons and military hardware
sent from Georgia was being deployed on the Armenian-Azerbaijani
state border and in occupied Azerbaijani territories. According to
the ministry official, Armenia, which broke the Flank Agreement to
the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty, has repeatedly increased
its arsenal owing to weapons and military hardware withdrawn from
Russian bases in Georgia.
"In this way Armenia is violating the balance of military forces. In
turn, we are taking alternative measures in response to this step
by Armenia. We are strengthening our armed forces and buying modern
weapons and new military hardware," Safarov said.