Russia works with Armenia, Azerbaijan "on different conditions"

PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia cooperates with Armenia and Azerbaijan in the military-technical sphere on different conditions, Russian senator Konstantin Kosachev said in Yerevan on Wednesday, December 18.

Kosachev was attending a meeting with the Commission on Foreign Relations of the Parliament of Armenia.

"In any conflict, not only in the event of the one in Nagorno Karabakh, imbalance destabilizes the situation when one side has either a real opportunity or an illusion that it can win a military conflict," the lawmaker said.

"We cooperate with Armenia and Azerbaijan in the military-technical sphere on different conditions.

"Armenia is a partner and ally in the Collective Security Treaty Organization, and there are no such relations with Azerbaijan.

"The refusal of cooperation by Russia and Belarus would lead to two dangerous and undesirable consequences for the prospects for settling the Karabakh conflict."

Kosachev then cited the emergence of other arms suppliers for Azerbaijan, as well as the violation of balance of forces which "is a serious guarantee for the non-resumption of direct hostilities".

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said in early December that Armenia has purchased “unprecedented amount of weapons and ammunition”.

Pashinyan said the government has increased defense spending by AMD 66 billion ($138.7 million) or 28% in 2018-2020, adding that Armenia will continue its policy of maintaining a military balance in the region.