...

Foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Russia discuss arms sale to Armenia

Politics Materials 16 January 2009 21:53 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 16 /corr. Trend E.Rustamov / Initiated by the Russian side, a telephone conversation took place between the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Sergey Lavrov and Azerbaijan, Elmar Mammadyarov, on Jan. 16.

The conversation focused on Russia's sale of military equipment and arms to Armenia.

Lavrov said that the Foreign Ministry of Russia held an investigation jointly with the Headquarter, and assured Mammadyarov that Russia did not officially sold any arms to Armenia in 2008. It regards with the military unit 102 located in Armenia's city of Gurmi.

The sides reached an agreement to continue talks in this regard to make this issue more clear.

Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry accused Russia of strengthening military potential of Armenia, who occupied Azerbaijan's lands, by supplying it with ammunition worth $800 million.

The ammunition supply contradicts the UN Security Council resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Russia violates commitments not to render support to any of the conflicting sides, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Jan. 15.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and Nagorno-Karabakh's seven surrounding regions. Twenty percent of Azerbaijan's lands is under occupation. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful negotiations.

The European Union observers the conflict solution process.

Have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]

Latest

Latest