CSTO MILITARY CONTINGENT WILL NOT INFLUENCE AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency
Feb 4 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani military experts do not believe the united military
contingent established under the auspices of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO) will influence national security.

"Azerbaijan is maintaining the correct position by not joining the CSTO
or signing a contract to form a joint military contingent. Russia
continues to pursue its policies to establish authority in the
post-Soviet territory," independent military expert and Chairman of
the Democratic Civil Supervisory Board Alakbar Mammadov said.

Moscow is hosting a CSTO meeting today. The organization’s Foreign
Ministers Council, Defense Ministers Council and Secretary Board of
Security Councils are attending. The meeting will focus on forming
collective military forces. An agreement has already been developed
and will be signed.

The CSTO is a military union composing 7 countries, including Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. The
organization was formed on the basis of the Collective Security Treaty
on May 15. The treaty became an international organization on May 14,
2002. The UN granted its general assembly monitoring status on Dec. 2,
2004. Azerbaijan is not a member.

Mammadov said Russia always supported Armenia militarily. This is
part of its policy, he added.

"Armenia began occupying Azerbaijani lands with Russia’s
support. Russia will not change its position toward Armenia even if
Azerbaijan signs the treaty," Mammadov said.

Mammadov said if Azerbaijan joins the CSTO, Russia will seek to
strengthen its position in the country.

The military expert said Azerbaijan should continue integrating with
the West, seeking NATO membership and gaining the West’s support in
its struggle against Armenia.

"If we sign the agreement, we will lose the support of the West,"
Mammadov said.

Another independent military expert Uzeyir Jafarov told Trend News
that the CSTO’s move to establish collective military forces will
not create any serious danger in the future.

"Azerbaijan’s decision not to join the bloc will not lead to any
serious danger. I do not think that Russia will openly interfere in
Azerbaijan as was the case in Georgia," Jafarov said.

He added that Armenia will take advantage of its membership by
purchasing military equipment with considerable concessions.

Azerbaijan has maintained a neutral position in military processes
in the CIS, the expert said.

Russia, in turn, is trying to include Azerbaijan under its sphere
of influence.

Jafarov did not exclude that Azerbaijan will join the CSTO in the
future.

"Azerbaijan must observe military processes in the CIS and take
relevant steps to safeguard national security and integrity," he said.

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s Press Secretary Eldar Sabiroglu
refused to comment on the issue for Trend News.