Azerbaijan Plays Off Russia Against Iran And U.S In Caspian Region

AZERBAIJAN PLAYS OFF RUSSIA AGAINST IRAN AND U.S IN CASPIAN REGION

News.am
11:38 / 08/17/2009

Turkey refused to provide transit territory for Russian military base
logistics in Gyumri [Armenia], 1news.az reports. The source emphasizes
that after the August war, Russia lost all means to maintain military
supplies for this base.

"Iran is the only country for Russia to ensure military logistics
after Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia refused to provide transit to
Gyumri. Through Iran, Russia maintains entire weapons delivery to
the base, that further falls among Karabakhi separatists," Military
expert Uzeir Jafarov comments on the issue.

Jafarov’s colleague Ildrim Mamedov says Azerbaijani authorities should
bring the issue before U.S. to re-launch the Caspian Guard program
"to inspect Russia’s weapon delivery to Iran through Caspian Sea". The
expert hopes for U.S. Army Space, that "gets the Caucasus and Caspian
territories situation in hand."

According to Mamedov "it would be good if Pentagon provides us with
its intelligence data on weapon delivery through this route."