Albanian government assured Baku it didn't authorize selling of armament to Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net - July 31 Albanian Foreign Ministers Lulzim Basha initiated a telephone conversation with Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azeri MFA press office reported.



During the conversation the Mr Basha assured his Azeri counterpart that the Albanian government did not permit MEIKO company to sell armament to Armenia. Lulzim Basha said "the contract was cancelled and there will be no delivery to Armenia any more," Azeri media reports.



Earlier, quoting Industrywatch APA reported that Turkish authorities have refused transit to a sizeable consignment of Albanian weapons and ammunition bound for Armenia. They forced the Albanian ship to sail back with its cargo.



Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berishi said Turkey forced back the Albanian ship loaded with armament. "One of our naval vessels loaded with containers full of weapons, mainly heavy artillery and ammunition, was berthed at Durres port. The ship had sailed from Durres to Istanbul," he underlined adding that problematic relations between Armenia and Turkey resulted in a situation when the ship had to return and the armament was unloaded in Duress port. MEIKO Company director stated that Albania is not interfering in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Albanian Defense Ministry had appointed the MEIKO Company to fill the Armenian order, since it had some experience in this business selling Pinari armament. The Armenian side would pay for the consignment of armament, according to APA.



"Armenia has never bought weapons from Albania and is not going to do it. The information spread by APA agency is a lie from the beginning to the end," Spokesman for the RA Defense Ministry, Colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter when commenting on the APA report.