Azeri lawmaker opposes Russian military base
Azerbaijan should not agree to Russia’s stationing a
military base in the country for the sake of resolving the
long-standing conflict with Armenia, MP Sabir Rustamkhanly has
said.
Another lawmaker, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, said in parliament last week that if Moscow facilitates a settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, Azerbaijan could, in fact, become a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led ex-Soviet military bloc, and agree to the stationing of a Russian military base on its soil.
Rustamkhanly, who chairs the Civil Solidarity Party, noted that since gaining independence, Azerbaijan has been pursuing a balanced foreign policy.
"From this viewpoint, good relations have been established with Russia as well. But it should be taken into account that Russia has always adhered to the utmost hypocritical stance on the Garabagh conflict. And statements made by the Russian co-chairman in the [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group have always contradicted Azerbaijani interests," Rustamkhanly said.
He believes that it was Russia that attempted to establish an Armenian state in Azerbaijani territory and has been using hostile Armenia as a forepost in the region, defying the Muslim and Turkic world.
"Moscow has consistently pursued this policy in the last 200 years. This being said, Azerbaijan’s opening its arms to Russia again is unacceptable," the party leader concluded.*
Another lawmaker, Gudrat Hasanguliyev, said in parliament last week that if Moscow facilitates a settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, Azerbaijan could, in fact, become a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), a Russia-led ex-Soviet military bloc, and agree to the stationing of a Russian military base on its soil.
Rustamkhanly, who chairs the Civil Solidarity Party, noted that since gaining independence, Azerbaijan has been pursuing a balanced foreign policy.
"From this viewpoint, good relations have been established with Russia as well. But it should be taken into account that Russia has always adhered to the utmost hypocritical stance on the Garabagh conflict. And statements made by the Russian co-chairman in the [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group have always contradicted Azerbaijani interests," Rustamkhanly said.
He believes that it was Russia that attempted to establish an Armenian state in Azerbaijani territory and has been using hostile Armenia as a forepost in the region, defying the Muslim and Turkic world.
"Moscow has consistently pursued this policy in the last 200 years. This being said, Azerbaijan’s opening its arms to Russia again is unacceptable," the party leader concluded.*
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