AZERI FM: SUPPLY OF RUSSIAN WEAPONS TO ARMENIA LEADS TO INVOLUNTARY ARMS RACE IN THE REGION

Today.Az
/52483.html
May 21 2009
Azerbaijan

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan remained
at its previous positions on the issue the transfer of weapons to the
Armenian side, said spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Elkhan Poluhov, commenting on a statement by the Deputy
Secretary-General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
Valery Semerikov that "Russian military equipment is supplied to
Belarus and Armenia within CSTO frames".

"The position of the Azerbaijani side has been repeatedly announced,
and we, as has been repeated, continue to monitor this type of facts",
said E. Polukhov.

"Once again, I want to reiterate that this kind of transfer of
Russian weapons to the Armenian side impedes the negotiation process
to settle the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, create
obstacles to stability in the region and lead to the forced arms race
to maintain a balance of armed forces. Such statements of the CSTO
Secretary confirm that the Azerbaijani side has properly assessed
and evaluated the situation on the transfer of weapons in a grant or
other form to Armenia which is an aggressor", he stressed.