Unfortunately, Russia continues to support Armenia and supply modern weapons to this occupant country, Vugar Rahimzade, member of the Board of the Azerbaijani Press Council, editor-in-chief of “Iki sahil” newspaper, told APA.
He stressed that by providing Armenia with a loan worth $100 million to purchase arms, Russia, as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group that deals with the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, acts against its intermediary mission.
He accused Russia of supporting the invader instead of acting as an intermediary in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Rahimzade said that such an open support by Russia to Armenia runs contrary to Baku-Moscow relations.
“According to the agreement in 2015, Russia pledged to grant Armenia a $200-million loan for the purchase of modern arms. Russia has recently ratified an agreement on the allocation of an additional loan of $100 million to Armenia for purchasing modern weapons,” he said.
The loan will be granted to Armenia for a period of 20 years, said Rahimzade, adding. “I believe that this term is symbolic. This is open arms supplies to the invader and an unfair attitude towards the settlement of the conflict.”
He emphasized that Azerbaijan has been suffering for more than 25 years from the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is a major obstacle to peace in the region.
Rahimzade urged all the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group to comprehend this reality and make efforts to resolve the conflict.
The editor-in-chief went on to say that Russia is not only the co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, but also one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
“The members of the UN Security Council should pay special attention to ensuring security not only in certain regions but throughout the world, defending the principle of justice and should call for not war but peace,” Rahimzade said. “Why does Russia, which states that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is only possible through peaceful way, obviously support Armenia and provide this country with weapons? Of course, such questions seriously disturb the public of our country. I think that Russia should take a more fair and objective approach to the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and avoid any steps that could damage the security in the region.”
Rasim Musabekov, member of the Azerbaijani Parliament, told APA that on the eve of the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Russian presidents, Russia announced the allocation of a $100 million loan to Armenia for the purchase of weapons within the framework of the earlier signed agreement.
“It can be regarded as an intention to encourage Yerevan to take a far-reaching solution to the conflict. Russia can say that Azerbaijan continues to purchase large amount of weapons. First, Baku fully pays for all the weapons it purchases and there is no discount on sale. Although arms are supplied to Armenia on the basis of the loan, it is clear to everyone that Yerevan will not pay,” he added.
For 25 years, Moscow has been continuing arms supplies to Armenia free of charge, the Azerbaijani MP underlined.
“In the 1990s and early 2000s, Russia delivered to Armenia arms and military equipment worth of $1 billion. Azerbaijan, unlike Armenia, does not occupy the territory of a neighboring country, despite the resolutions and decisions of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly,” Musabekov said emphasizing that to expect a change in Moscow’s policy in the South Caucasus is an illusion.
“Azerbaijan knows its enemies and friends. Thus, Azerbaijan sees everything well and adequately. Life and politics do not end today, and our memory is strong,” he added.
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