Azernews.Az

Russia`s possible refusal to further lease the Azerbaijani Gabala radar station would not harm Russian security, the air and space forces chief said last week.

``At this stage, even if we give up this Gabala station, we will do it in a way that would not cause damage to our state, its security and defense,`` Lieut.-Gen. Oleg Ostapenko was quoted by the state news agency ITAR-TASS as saying. ``It is our goal.``

Ostapenko explained that the new Voronezh type early missile warning radars operating in decimeter and meter bands will be ``more than decent compensation`` for the Gabala radar station.

``Regarding the radar station in Armavir, it can solve the problems which were being solved by the Gabala radar station, and solve them at an even higher level,`` Ostapenko said.

When asked whether the Armavir facility exceeds the Gabala radar station in terms of its indicators, the commander said ``definitely``.

He did not reply directly to the question about progress in Russian-Azerbaijani talks on the Gabala radar station, saying: ``I`m not going to say anything in detail...A decision will be taken and we will work in accordance with it.``

Ostapenko also noted that a recent state award granted to a group of Voronezh radar project managers was ``not accidental``.

However, Ostapenko acknowledged that the Gabala radar could still serve the interests of Russia. ``Any facility that performs some specific task, perhaps, would be in demand,`` he added.

The giant Gabala radar station, located in north-western Azerbaijan, was built during the Soviet times as one of the key elements of the USSR`s missile defense system. After Azerbaijan gained independence the radar station become the country`s property but Russia continued to operate it.

The term of lease of the Gabala facility will expire in December 2012.

Russia`s Kommersant newspaper reported in February that Azerbaijan is seeking to raise the lease payment to a staggering $300 million from the current $7 million per year.

But a Russian Defense Ministry official who asked not to be named said the proposed fee is inadequate, as this amount allows to build a new radar station instead.

Azerbaijani Presidential Administration official Elnur Aslanov says Baku`s proposals on the Gabala facility ``reflect the current political and economic development of the country`` and the cited figure ``corresponds to present-day realities``.

Aslanov stressed that today Azerbaijan is the most developed state in the region. He also pointed out that the country`s Constitution forbids stationing foreign military bases on its soil.

``In accordance with that, negotiations continue between Azerbaijan and Russia on the issue of extending the lease of the Gabala radar station, and we have to wait [and see] what their result will be,`` Aslanov said, adding that Baku favors discussing such issues behind closed doors.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said earlier that if Moscow does not reach agreement with Baku on the issue, Armenia is ready to provide a location for Russia to build a new facility in its territory.