Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 24
By Seba Aghayeva - Trend:
Azerbaijan sent a note to Russia over the sale of weapons to Armenia, Hikmet Hajiyev, a spokesperson for Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, told reporters Feb. 24.
Commenting on the information about the entry into force of a $200 million loan agreement on weapons and military equipment sale by Russia to Armenia, Hajiyev said Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry has already sent a note to Russian Foreign Ministry over the matter.
Azerbaijan has repeatedly brought to international community's attention the undeniable facts that the weapons and military equipment acquired by Armenia are deployed on the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh region, read the note.
"By deploying these weapons on the occupied territories without the consent of the exporting country, Armenia grossly violates its international legal obligations, as well as the weapons control regime and transparency," said Hajiyev.
"Thereby, Armenia enhances its military presence on Azerbaijan's occupied lands," he added.
Hajiyev also said Azerbaijan demands the exporting country, Russia, to provide a guarantee for non-use of the weapons and military equipment sold to Armenia on Azerbaijani territories, as well as along the Azerbaijani-Armenian border.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.
The two countries signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the US are currently holding peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the UN Security Council's four resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts.
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