AMOUNT OF RUSSIAN ARMS SALES TO AZERBAIJAN KEEPS THE BALANCE OF WEAPONS IN REGION – ANALYST

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Russia is supplying weapons to Azerbaijan
to an amount required for keeping the balance as compared to arms
sales to Armenia, director of the Caucasus Institute political analyst
Alexander Iskandaryan said on Sputnik-Armenia in commenting Armenian
president’s statement during the international “At the Foot of Ararat”
media forum, as cited by Novosti-Armenia.

Speaking at the forum on Wednesday Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan
said Armenia is concerned over the Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan.

The Armenian leader also said military and defense cooperation plays
an important role in the allied partnership with Russia.

“Russia has its interests in the region, and it does not want to lose
Armenia for political reasons. But it does not lose Azerbaijan either.

It gets involved and is selling weapons. The South Caucasus is one
of the most militarized regions in the world,” the analyst said.

In general, Russia is selling arms to everyone in post-Soviet area,
Iskandaryan said.

The expert also said Azerbaijan has bought quite an amount of weapons
from Ukraine and Israel. But, in broad terms, weapons come from
Russia that is the main arms manufacturer and supplier in the area,
Iskandaryan said. -0–