Azernews.Az

BAKU – Reports on Russia’s plan to upgrade a radar station it leases in Azerbaijan sparked heated discussions in the Azerbaijani parliament on Friday.

Azerbaijan signed a 10-year agreement with its northern neighbor on the terms of operating the mammoth Soviet-era Gabala radar station in 2002. Russian media has lately circulated reports saying the Kremlin plans to modernize the facility.

MP Fazil Mustafa, the leader of opposition-leaning Great Establishment Party, suggested that the reports be scrutinized. He said that Russia couldn’t carry out any upgrade work at a military base in Azerbaijan’s territory.

"If there is such an agreement between [the Azerbaijani and Russian] governments, why hasn’t an official statement been issued to that end?" Mustafa queried.

He said further that by implementing "an upgrade", Russia could increase the number of its soldiers in the Gabala region, which would pose "an even greater threat to Azerbaijan than the occupation of its territories" by Armenia.

"No other country should think it can do anything it wants here. What ‘modernization’ means should be disclosed. What if Russia is bringing soldiers to the country, what if it is designing mechanisms to exercise control over Azerbaijan’s military? This is unacceptable."

Deputy executive secretary of the ruling Yeni (New) Azerbaijan Party (YAP), Siyavush Novruzov, said that if a new document is signed on operating the radar station, it has to be ratified in the Milli Majlis (parliament).

"There are no grounds for concern. Neither [foreign] troops can be stationed in the country nor can our military be controlled. Moreover, the Gabala radar station is not a military base, but an information center."

The news on the Russian defense ministry’s planned upgrade in Gabala were aired by Russian Vesti (News) TV channel this week. The report said that the radar station could be upgraded over two years and a relevant project is already available. It said details of the matter are confidential, and the only point that is not concealed by military officers is that the upgraded radar will have a 50 percent longer range, which will allow it to be used for intelligence work and track objects "nearly behind the equator".