Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr. E.Huseynli / The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry stated the distribution of military techniques by Russia to Armenia, withdrawn from Georgia, causes a danger to the region.
Part of the military equipment withdrawn from Georgia, Russia sent to the Azerbaijani occupied territory of Nagorno Karabakh, Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, said.
Russia sent 70% of military equipment withdrawn from Georgia to the Armenian military base 102 in the region of Gumru. Taking into consideration the military conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan, allocation of Russian military equipment in Armenia increases the risk of war.
Sabiroglu said that the position of Russia hinders the peaceful regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to Sabiroglu, Russia began founding its military base in the Armenian 102 base.
The settlement of the conflict will continue until Russia holds double policy on the issue.
" Azerbaijan prefers peaceful regulation of the conflict but Azerbaijan's attempts for this purpose cannot continue forever. Azerbaijan can liberate its occupied territories by other ways, Sabiroglu noted.
Seyran Shahsuvaran, the Armenian press-secretary of the Defense Minister, called absurd the statements by Eldar Sabiroglu, head of the press-service of the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan, that part of military equipments withdrawn from Georgia was located in Nagorno Karabakh. Shahsuvaran also called preposterous the statements by Azerbaijan that Armenia was to establish the new military base. "We need to conclude a range of Intergovernmental agreements on high level in order to open the second military base," he said. Withdrawal of the Russian military equipments from Georgia to Armenia cannot affect on regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Georgia and Russia signed three regulations according to which Georgia has not any claims due to withdrawal of Russian military equipments. In compliance with the regulation it is planning to withdraw the Russian military equipments from Georgia in 2008. The withdrawal of the Russian 62nd military base was completed before the scheduler date by 1 October 2007.
The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus began in 1988 due to Armenian territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since 1992, Armenian Armed Forces have occupied 20% of Azerbaijan including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding districts. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.