RASIM MUSABAYEV: RUSSIA IS KEEN ON CAPTURING OUR ARMS MARKET
Milaz.info
12:26 18-08-2009
Milaz regularly interviews local experts on several pressing issues,
particularly matters concerning Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation. Interview
with Rasim Musabayov, a well-known political analyst, is below:
– How do you estimate the current level of cooperation between
Azerbaijan NATO?
– I would grade it at 3 on the 5-point scale.
– Do you think Azerbaijan fulfils military and political reforms
specified in cooperation plans agreed with NATO?
– I think military-technical and organizational issues are met but with
regard to political and legal aspects, they have not been completely
fulfilled and remain delayed.
– Today, Azerbaijani officials state that the country is pursuing a
well-balanced policy. Can we say this policy is really balanced?
– This policy is not balanced, it would be more accurate to call it
a diversified one.
– How do you see Azerbaijan’s recent inclination to military-technical
cooperation with Russia? Do you think this is in line with the
country’s military-political and economic priorities?
– Azerbaijan and Russia have before been in military-technical
cooperation as well. Azerbaijan-based manufacturing plants give
military hardware components worth of up to $20 million to Russia a
year. Gabala Radar is in Russian use. Rental plus payments for water,
electricity, gas and food supply may amount to $15 million to $20
million. In the past, Russia also used to supply Azerbaijan with a
range of combat equipment (armored infantry vehicle), spare parts, and
dual-purpose vehicles instead of these funds. The sides are discussing
the possibility of expanding military-technical cooperation. Russian
military industry complex is keen on entering our arms market because
we plan to upgrade and rearm our army and we have the capacity to pay
for this. This issue is hindered by Moscow’s support and free-of-charge
arms shipment for Armenia which continued to occupy our lands. In
fact, capturing our arms market could create an incentive for the
change of Russia’s position in the conflict (Nagorno Karabakh) and
positive influence on the settlement of this conflict.
– Azerbaijan’s Military Doctrine and Defence Outline have not been
adopted yet. What do you think delays these?
– The reason is that Azerbaijan doesn’t want to openly and explicitly
state the presence of military threats from the North – Russia, and
from the South – Iran. It would be an incomplete approach to point
to Armenia alone as the source of such a threat. I am of the opinion
that they don’t want to make public the Military Doctrine lest it
could lead to political complications.
– NATO’s new secretary general crossed out the probability of Georgia
and Ukraine’s soon membership. He is set to mainly focus on relations
with Russia and situation in Afghanistan. How do you see Azerbaijan
in this policy?
– In essence, NATO’s new policy in the issue of expansion is a
response to the careful policy pursued by Azerbaijan over the recent
years. Therefore, other than this, there is nothing new for us,
and there will be no need to make correction to the plans.
– How do you think the prospect of Gabala Radar will be? Do you have
outlook for the period after 2012 when the current lease expires. Who
will use this radar?
– Without all-encompassing and expensive upgrading, this radar
is old and makes no sense in terms of its use for its initial
purpose. Russia may aspire to keep this radar as its only militancy
presence in Azerbaijan. Moscow had understood that it wouldn’t be
capable of using it after 2012, therefore, suggested the joint use
of this radar with the United States. This offer still stands for
the future, but the likelihood is not that high. MILAZ
Milaz.Info is an Azerbaijan-based independent military news website
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