REPORT FOR THE MEDIA ON THE PRESENTATION OF A NOTE TO MINISTER COUNSELLOR OF THE EMBASSY OF AZERBAIJAN IN MOSCOW
B.N. Zeynalov

Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website
Jan 21 2009

At the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 21 January, the minister
counsellor of the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Moscow, B.N. Zeynalov,
was presented with a note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the
Republic of Azerbaijan, which said in particular:

"With reference to the note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Azerbaijan No 5/10-080/04/09 of 15 January 2009
and in response to concerns expressed by the Azerbaijani side, the
Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs brings to the attention of the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan the fact that the Russian
Federation Ministry of Defence did not transfer or sell arms and
military equipment to the Armenian side in 2008 of the types and in the
quantities [Russian: "po nomenklature i v kolichestve"] that became
the subject of a certain document published on the
website on 8 January 2009 and evoked a widespread negative public
reaction in the Republic of Azerbaijan, including its mass media.

"This publication is a piece of disinformation of a clearly
anti-Russian nature which does not contribute to the positive
development of friendly Russian-Azerbaijani relations.

"Therefore, the Russian side considers the issue raised in the
ministry’s note of 15 January 2009 to be exhausted and expresses
confidence that, in the event of any concerns emerging in the future,
the sides will not make hasty conclusions and steps, but will jointly
dispel possible doubts in the spirit of the close ties of strategic
partnership that unite the Russian Federation and the Republic of
Azerbaijan."