AMBASSADOR CALLS ‘FAKE’ REPORTS OF ALLEGED RUSSIA-ARMENIA ARMS DEAL
Interfax
Feb 5 2009
Russia
Russian Ambassador in Yerevan Nikolai Pavlov has denied Azerbaijani
media reports claiming the alleged selling of $800 million worth of
Russian armaments to Armenia.
"They are fake, and I will not comment on them," Pavlov told a Yerevan
press conference in reply to an Interfax question.
He confirmed the Russian decision to grant a $500-million loan to
Armenia. "I welcome that, as $500 million is a rather big sum. Russia
helps Belarus, as well. We never abandon our friends at the time
of ordeal. We always give financial aid whenever that is possible,"
Pavlov said.
As for the possibility of interference of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO) rapid reaction forces in the Karabakh
settlement, he said the forces were formed only yesterday.
"The CSTO formed rapid reaction forces just yesterday and I cannot
say what the forces would do. We have not seen their mandate and are
unaware of their mission. Be patient; everything will be clear soon,"
he said.
Armenia is a sovereign country with an independent foreign policy, the
ambassador said. "Armenia’s relations with NATO and the United States
are perfectly normal, and I, the Russian ambassador, am not jealous of
that cooperation. Armenia is a strategic partner of Russia," he said.