ARMENIANS SLAM ISRAEL’S ARM SALE TO AZERBAIJAN, URGE TO REVERSE ACTION

Hurriyet
Thursday, October 16, 2008 14:25
Turkey

A prominent Armenian activist urged the Jewish community in the
U.S. to reverse the "dangerous" action of Israel’s potential arm sale
to Azerbaijan, Turkish Daily News reported on Thursday. (UPDATED)

U.S. Armenians have denounced Israel over press reports that it has
agreed to sell arms and munitions to Azerbaijan, which is involved in a
dispute with Armenia over the ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani lands.

A leading Armenian activist has also accused the American Jewish
Congress, or AJC, a major Jewish association in the United States,
of "supporting Azerbaijan".

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), one of the two largest Armenian
groups in the country, earlier this week sent to its subscribers
an article by Jirair Haratunian, the former chairman of the AAA’s
board of directors, denouncing the close ties of Israel and the ACJ
with Azerbaijan.

The United Press International, quoting Israel’s daily Haaretzi
reported on Sept. 26 that the Israeli government has agreed to sell
mortars, ammunition and military radios to Azerbaijan. Former Israeli
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer had previously said Azerbaijan
would be a valuable ally for Israel due to its supply of oil and gas.

"A dangerous pattern is emerging in the Caucasus with new reports
that Israel is continuing to sell advanced military armaments to
Azerbaijan, costing hundreds of millions of dollars," Haraturanian
said in his article.

"They sell these arms at a time when Ilham Aliyev, the president of
Azerbaijan, has repeatedly threatened to recapture Nagorno-Karabakh
by military force," he said.

The conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia began in 1988 due to
Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20 percent of
Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven
surrounding districts.