Azernews.Az

Despite the recent row over the arms deal between Moldova and Armenia, the Moldovan government intends to supply the remaining part of weaponry to Yerevan, Defense Minister Vitaly Marinutse was quoted by Moldnews as saying.

Marinutse told media after hearings in a parliamentary commission for national security that he had called on the lawmakers "to rely on facts and legal documents instead of media reports".

"I hope we will continue the implementation of the agreement within the shortest time possible. The document does not contain any dubious provisions, so we have to bring it to an end," Marinutse said, adding that there is no legal document prohibiting the deal.

The minister declined to comment on whether the weapons were sold to Armenia through Latvia’s Latspetsexport company. Latspetsexport’s license is reportedly to be revoked by the Latvian government as it was "deceiving the Moldovan side" by assuring the Moldovan defense ministry that it was authorized to enforce the arms deal.

Minister Marinutse admitted during recent closed-door hearings in parliament that Moldova had sold weaponry and military machinery to Armenia.

Analysts had said the move could spark ire in Azerbaijan, which faces a two-decade-long conflict with neighboring Armenia over its occupied Nagorno Karabakh region. They said it could also hamper cooperation within GUAM, a group of four former Soviet republics including Azerbaijan and Moldova. Some analysts also linked Moldovan acting President Marian Lupu’s recent sacking of the country’s armed forces chief to the row over the arms sales.

The row emerged after reports said a plane carrying artillery and anti-tank weapons flew from Moldova's capital Chisinau to Yerevan.

The Moldovan government said it was unaware of the arms sales, but military officials said they acted on the government’s orders.

Moldovan media have reported that the sold weaponry, worth over $5 million, is the best in Moldova, though its life span has expired.

The Azerbaijani government earlier criticized the arms deal. Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov commented that according to incoming data, Armenia had imported a considerable amount of offensive weapons from neighboring countries, including rockets, anti-tank weapons and 78,000 AK rifles. He said that the countries selling the weaponry are "making a big mistake".