RUSSIA’S LAVROV DISMISSES ARMS HANDOVER TO ARMENIA
AzerNews Weekly
Jan 21 2009
Azerbaijan
Russia has told the Azerbaijani government that it did not transfer
arms and military machinery valued at $800 million to Armenia following
recent media reports of such a transfer that have raised tensions
between the two countries.
On Friday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov telephoned his
counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov. Lavrov said his country`s foreign
ministry had investigated the issue, assuring Mammadyarov that
Russia had not handed over ammuniations or weaponry to Armenia,
with which Azerbaijan has been involved in a dispute over Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh.
The sides agreed to continue holding talks to look into the matter
more thoroughly.
Prior to his conversation with Mammadyarov, the Russian minister told
a news conference on Friday that Moscow had requested Baku produce
an original of the document proving the arms handover had occurred,
but a search has revealed that there is no such document.
At the same time, Lavrov noted that Russia has never denied it is
maintaining military and technical cooperation with Armenia. He added
that Armenia was part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO), the military arm of the CIS, and military purchases could be
granted to the organization`s members.
On January 8, Azerbaijani media published a document listing alleged
armaments handed over to the Armenian Defense Ministry from Russia`s
military base in Gumri. The 69 types of arms, transferred under
the authorization of Vyacheslav Golovchenko, deputy commander for
armaments of the Northern Caucasus Military County, included tanks,
a great number of rocket launchers, grenades, ammunition, grenade
launchers, sub-machine guns, TNT fuses, mine-launchers, Grad missile
launchers, and canons.
Col. Alexander Drobishevsky, the acting spokesman for the Russian
Defense Ministry, has dismissed the reports, although another ministry
official earlier confirmed the delivery of arms.
The Azerbaijani government has expressed deep concern over Russia`s
move. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said
an investigation provided substantial grounds to conclude that the
arms transfer had indeed taken place.
Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for nearly
two decades. Peace talks followed a lengthy war that ended with the
signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but have brought few tangible results
so far. Armenia continues to occupy Upper Garabagh and seven other
Azerbaijani districts in defiance of international law.
Russia is one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, a team of
diplomats also representing the United States and France that is
mediating a peaceful settlement to the Garabagh conflict.
Further, the Azerbaijani ministry`s statement said that Russia`s move
was in outright violation of the five UN resolutions on the Garabagh
problem urging an unconditional pullout of the Armenian forces.
"This primarily refers to the violation of Russia`s commitment not
to contribute to the furthering and strengthening of the occupation
of Azerbaijan`s territories by any steps," noted the statement.
Baku thereby called on Moscow to take all actions to eliminate the
consequences of the arms transfer.
Russian Defense Ministry representatives are due to pay a visit to
Azerbaijan within days, the Milaz website quoted Russian military
sources as saying. Russian military officials will attempt to reduce
tensions betwen Moscow and Baku triggered by the weapons handover.
Observers note that Russia supplied $1 billion worth of arms and
ammunition to Armenia in 1996. Since then, Russia has continued
providing arms to the Armenian military.