Azerbaijan Brings Facts on Armenia’s Overstepping CFE Quotas: Foreign Ministry

Azerbaijan, Baku, 16 July /corr. Trend R.Novruzov / Azerbaijan possesses facts on Armenia's overstepping the limitations being imposed by the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE).

" Armenia overstepped the limits of the Conventional Armed Forces by more than 70 units and there is information on placement of more than 300 armored machines on the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia," the Press- Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan, Khazar Ibrahim, told Trend on 16 July. The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in 1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since 1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

"According to CFE, Armenia has not the right to possess more than 220 armored machines and 220 tanks on its territory," Ibrahin said.

After the collapse of the USSR, three Caucasus states - Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia - obtained identical quotas, according to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe signed 17 years ago, 220 tanks, 220 armored machines, 285 artillery systems, 100 aircrafts and 50 helicopters. According to Ibrahim, Azerbaijan strictly observes quota. "Even if there are small discords, this is linked with the fact that Azerbaijan modernizes its armament and utilizes old," said official representative of the Foreign Ministry.

According to the information provided the sources of media of the three Caucasus countries, Azerbaijan possesses 261 tanks. Most of these sources refer to the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan.