Azerbaijan, Baku, Feb. 10/ Trend E. Rustamov/ The issue on Russia's delivery of armaments to Armenia will be raised at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly if Russia's evidence does not satisfy the Azerbaijani side, Vice-Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament Ziyafet Askerov briefed the media on Feb. 10.
"If we are not satisfied with Russia's reply to this issue, we will raise it at the NATO Parliamentary Assembly," Askerov said.
Some media outlets reported of Russia's delivery of arms and military equipment to Armenia from Russian military base 102 in Gumri in early January. Their approximate cost totals $800 million.
Russia's ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasili Istratov was invited to Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry to clarify the situation. Later, Russian Federation's Ministry of Defence and Foreign Ministry denied media's information regarding supplies of Russian arms to Yerevan. However, Baku is not satisfied with Moscow's reply. During the telephone conversation between Foreign Ministers of both countries, they decided to continue consultations on the issue.
Information on Russia's delivery of armament to Armenia is a negative fact, Askerov said.
After the issue was raised at Azerbaijan Parliament, a decision was made for Azerbaijani delegation to visit Russia to discuss the issue within Friendship Group, he said.
"We are concerned because Russia is a mediator in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement. Russia took responsibility not to supply the conflicting sides with arms unless the conflict is settled, Askerov said. Russia violated the obligation by supplying arms."
Russia delivered arms to Armenia, totaling $1 billion during governing of Boris Yeltsin in 1996. So, the present information on Russia's delivery of armaments to Armenia worth $800 million looks real.
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