85% of Armenia's Internet may come under Azerbaijan's control: media

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan's leading Internet Service Provider Azeronline is seeking to buy a 1,200 km fiber-optic cable from Caucasus Online, Georgia's largest Internet provider, Kviris Palitra reports citing reliable sources.

According to the newspaper, Caucasus Online laid the fiber-optic cable in 2008 on the bed of the Black Sea, the former being the shortest route to deliver Internet from Europe to the South Caucasus states. The cable provides 85% of the Internet in Armenia, 50% in Azerbaijan and 55% in Georgia.

Thus, Azerbaijan's interest is not surprising: the purchase could be quite profitable if used at full capacity. Besides, 85% of the Internet in Armenia will depend on Azerbaijan, Bizzone.info reports citing Dalma news.

Azeronline is linked to President Ilham Aliyev's family; therefore, the Azeri interest in acquiring the cable is politically motivated, Kviris Palitra says.