MAMEDYAROV: NO PROBLEMS CONCERNING TRANSFER OF RUSSIAN BASES TO ARMENIA IN LEGAL RESPECT

PanARMENIAN.Net - There are no problems concerning the transfer of Russian bases from Georgia to Armenia from the legal point of view, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told journalists Tuesday. "The bases are not moved to Armenia, but to Russian bases in Armenia. The process is carried out by Russia and Armenia and of course there are no problems from that point of view," he said. However, he underscored the Azeri party "says our region does needs demilitarization more than militarization. Thus, there is no need to keep troops, tanks here." Mamedyarov also noted talks continue between Georgia and Russia over withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia. "When there is an agreement between us available, then we will discuss and analyze the question and take steps," he said. Mamedyarov also added that "we submitted a note to the Russian party and got a response from them. However, talks continue on the whole." It should be reminded that Russian Temporary Charge d'Affaires in Azerbaijan Pyotr Burdykin the other day told journalists that "much pressure was put upon the Russian party not only by Georgia, but also other states, who insist on reducing the period of withdrawal of the bases." In his words, "it makes searching for ways to do it faster and one of the ways is conveying [arms in the bases in Georgia] to the Russian military base in the territory of Armenia." "However this does not mean we can convey arms to Armenia," Burdykin remarked, underscoring "it is impossible." It is a question of conveying - the possible conveying of one Russian base to another Russian base, under the Russian jurisdiction, as the saying goes," he said. Burdykin also noted that "the transfer - if it takes place - is not directed against any third country, it will not influence the Nagorno Karabakh settlement in any way and it does not run counter to international agreements, for instance the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty, etc." "Thus, it seems to me that speaking about it seriously, boosting it - if not aimed at clouding Russian-Azeri relations - has no sense," Burdykin emphasized, Novosti Russian news agency reported.