Russia abandons Azerbaijan’s Gabala radar stationDecember 11, 2012 - 12:17 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Russian army is giving up the Gabala radar it leased in Azerbaijan because of a disagreement over rental price, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Monday, Dec 10., RIA Novosti reported. Russia informed the Azerbaijani authorities about the pullout on Monday, the ministry said in a statement. The lease, signed in 2002, was valid until December 24, 2012. Moscow and Baku have been in talks about prolonging the lease on Gabala until 2025 for more than a year. The current lease stood at $7 million a year, but Azeri authorities wanted to hike it to $300 million, Russian daily Kommersant said in February. Neither Russia nor Azerbaijan made any official comment on the lease prices being discussed, though an official of the Azeri presidential administration, Novruz Mamedov, told local news agency Trend on Monday that the current price was "symbolic" and that Gabala will be made into a resort instead. Russia will replace the Gabala radar, a crucial element of its missile defense system, with a new station in Armavir in Russia’s southern Krasnodar Region, then-commander of Russia’s Space Forces, Oleg Ostapenko, said in September. The Gabala station, which has a staff of 1,100, is capable of tracking missile launches and trajectories over the territories of Iran, Turkey, China, Pakistan, India, Iraq and Australia, as well as most of Africa and parts of Indian and Atlantic oceans. The Russian military said that its new Voronezh-type radars will have comparable range while utilizing better equipment than the Gabala radar, opened in 1983. One Voronezh radar is already deployed in Armavir and another is set to be added by 2013. Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. Ucom equips four bus stops in Ijevan with free Wi-Fi Ucom now provides free Wi-Fi coverage in smart bus stops in four communities of Ijevan. |