Sale of Russian ammo to Azerbaijan all about business: Foreign MinisterSeptember 15, 2015 - 13:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia is a weaponry manufacturer and is very active in the arms market; its selling weapons to Azerbaijan is all about business, Armenian Foreign Minister said. “We cannot say we love the fact that Azerbaijan purchases weapons from Russia,” he said. “But perhaps it is a matter of business and trade. Meanwhile, Armenia and Russia are definitely allies,” Edward Nalbandian said in an interview with BBC Russian Service. According to Nalbandian, in terms of relations with the European Union, Armenia has never changed its position: the country is a member of the Eurasian Union and is ready to cooperate with the EU in various areas, taking into account, however, the country’s obligations in other integration processes. The Minister said Armenia and Minsk Group Co-chairs have been working hard to find an exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. “Minsk Group member states have adopted five statements on the issue. Armenia declared after each of these statements that it is willing to make efforts together with the Co-chairs to resolve the conflict. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, is trying to avoid mentioning these statements as if they do not exist at all,” Nalbandian said. Unfortunately, he added, the Co-chairs’ proposals on confidence-building measures are also rejected by Azerbaijan. The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out as result of the ethnic cleansing launched by the Azeri authorities in the final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 (when the Nagorno Karabakh Republic was proclaimed) to 1994 (when a ceasefire was sealed by Armenia, NKR and Azerbaijan). Most of Nagorno Karabakh and a security zone consisting of 7 regions are now under control of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Czech-Armenian military cooperation discussed in Yerevan A delegation led by the Director General for the Industrial Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic visited Armenia. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Freedom House concerned by mounting reports of police violence in Armenia Freedom House urged Armenian authorities to investigate this pattern of excessive force and inhumane treatment. CSTO recognizes Armenia’s sovereign right to withdraw Tasmagambetov has said that if Armenia decides to leave the organization, “it will be the sovereign right of Armenia.” |