BAKU AWAITS MOSCOW’S EXPLANATIONS: AZERBAIJAN CONCERNED BY MOVEMENT OF RUSSIAN MILITARY HARDWARE TO ARMENIA
by Sokhbet Mamedov, Viktor Litovkin, Yuri Simonian, translated by Elena Leonova
Agency WPS
September 12, 2007 Wednesday
Russia
What the Papers Say Part B
Russia denies handing over weapons to Armenia; Baku intends to approach
the Russian Defense Ministry for explanations, following reports that
some of the arms and military hardware withdrawn from Russian bases
in Georgia is allegedy being deployed along the Armenian-Azeri border.
Baku intends to approach the Russian Defense Ministry for explanations,
following reports that some of the arms and military hardware
withdrawn from Russian bases in Georgia is allegedy being deployed
along the Armenian-Azeri border and in "the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan." Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev has stated that
such reports have been received and are now being verified. The
Azeri Defense Ministry told us that it intends to send a query to
the Russian Defense Ministry.
At a press conference on September 10, Abiyev told journalists that
there have been reports claiming that as Russian arms are withdrawn
from Georgia, they are being accumulated in Armenia, close to the
Azeri border.
This had been reported in the Azeri media on September 9, with
commentaries. It was noted that some of the self-propelled artillery
withdrawn from Akhalkalaki (Georgia) has been given by the Russian
military to the Armenian army, and is now with a military unit
stationed in the Idzhevan district of Armenia, close to the Azeri
border. This news caused a scandal in Baku. As the Azeri Defense
Ministry’s press service told us, the Russian Defense Ministry will
be requested to provide explanations.
Abiyev said: "Baku is currently verifying reports that Russian
military hardware from bases in Georgia is being transferred to
Armenian territories bordering Azerbaijan." Azeri Defense Ministry
spokesman Eldar Safarov told us that Azerbaijan "is taking alternative
measures in response to Armenia’s moves – reinforcing our Armed Forces,
buying modern weapons and military hardware."
Colonel Herman Zhitenev, acting public relations manager for the
Russian Ground Forces, said: "Azerbaijan has not made any official
complaints to the Russian Defense Ministry concerning the transfer of
property and hardware from a Russian military base in Georgia to the
city of Gyumri in Armenia." Zhitenev said: "The Russian Ground Forces
are withdrawing arms and military hardware from Georgia to a Russian
military base in Armenia, in accordance with the plan for withdrawing
the property of the Russian Military Group in the Trans-Caucasus,
which has been approved by all interested parties."
The command headquarters of the Ground Forced categorically denies
any possibility that weapons from "Georgian bases" might end up in
Nagorno-Karabakh and adjacent districts. A spokesman told us: "We
aren’t handing over anything to Armenia. All arms and military property
withdrawn from the 12th military base at Batumi is either being sent
to Russia or given to Russia’s 102nd military base at Gyumri."
According to our sources, the 102nd base at Gyumri has recently
received six armored vehicles, five artillery pieces, and about 40
items of engineering hardware or vehicles – cars, tractors, graders,
and so on. The 62nd base at Akhalkalaki in Georgia has been shut
down. All property and buildings there have been officially handed
over to Tbilisi. According to the withdrawal plan, the Batumi base
should be shut down in 2008.