24-08-2010 20:12:32

Russian-Armenian deal ‘disrupts military balance in the region’

BAKU – The Russian-Armenian deal on extending the lease of Moscow’s military base in the South Caucasus republic considerably disrupts the military-political balance in the region, an Azerbaijani ruling party official says.

Deputy chairman of the Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP), Ali Ahmadov, told the press that the signing of such an agreement by Russia, one of the countries mediating settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Karabakh conflict, with one of the parties to the dispute raises substantial doubts about the impartiality of this mission.

“We will trust for some time the official circles of Russia, which assure that the Russian-Armenian agreement will not negatively affect resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. But we should definitely anticipate the outcome of the Russian president’s visit to Azerbaijan, due in fall. The Azerbaijani side expects from this visit the creation of a balance and [Moscow’s] laying out its stance clearly.”

Presidents Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan last Friday signed a deal extending Moscow's lease of the Gyumri base in western Armenia. The agreement updates the 1995 treaty, extending Russia’s basing rights until 2044, though Russia was previously set to vacate the base in 2020. The protocol also commits Russia to updating Armenia's military hardware and ensuring its security. Azerbaijan has called on Moscow to honor previous agreements on not using arms at the Gyumri base against it.

The YAP official said Baku should take action to eliminate the disruption of the balance of powers in the region. “Otherwise, it will be complicated to predict in which direction the developments in the South Caucasus will head,” Ahmadov said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994, but Armenia continues to occupy 20 percent of the neighboring country’s territory. Russia co-chairs the OSCE Minsk Group brokering the peace process, along with the United States and France.

TAGS: Azerbaijan, Baku, Russian-Armenian deal, Moscow, military base, South Caucasus republic, Yeni Azerbaijan Party, Ali Ahmadov, Russia, Upper Karabakh conflict, Dmitry Medvedev, Serzh Sargsyan, Gyumri base, United States, France