Military News from the Caucusus
BERLIN CONCERNED OVER MILITARY EXPENDITURES INCREASE
IN CAUCASUS
Aysor
Aug 4 2010
Armenia
"Armenia faces new challenges," Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Germany to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt told a
press conference. According to him, "it is obvious not for military
experts only."
The Ambassador said that Armenia should assume a peacekeeping
Aysor
Aug 4 2010
Armenia
"Armenia faces new challenges," Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary of Germany to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt told a
press conference. According to him, "it is obvious not for military
experts only."
The Ambassador said that Armenia should assume a peacekeeping
mission, while the regional developments make the Armenian army
focus on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Hans-Jochen Schmidt stressed that Germany's position on regional
processes is neutral, nevertheless, Berlin is concerned over military
expenditures increase in the Caucasus.
"I mean delivery of C-300 zenith complexes to Azerbaijan as well as
use of military planes by Armenia," Ambassador said.
Note that according to Russian media reports, Russia is ready so sell
C-300 zenith complexes to Azerbaijan for about USD 300m. Official
Moscow has neither refuted nor confirmed the information yet. Armenian
and Russian political scientists exclude it considering that thus
Moscow would destabilize the situation in the South Caucasus.
Hans-Jochen Schmidt stressed that Germany's position on regional
processes is neutral, nevertheless, Berlin is concerned over military
expenditures increase in the Caucasus.
"I mean delivery of C-300 zenith complexes to Azerbaijan as well as
use of military planes by Armenia," Ambassador said.
Note that according to Russian media reports, Russia is ready so sell
C-300 zenith complexes to Azerbaijan for about USD 300m. Official
Moscow has neither refuted nor confirmed the information yet. Armenian
and Russian political scientists exclude it considering that thus
Moscow would destabilize the situation in the South Caucasus.
RFE/RL Report
Monday, August 2, 2010
Russia Vague On Missile Sale To Azerbaijan
02.08.2010
Sargis Harutyunyan
Russian defense officials made on Monday conflicting statements about
reports that Moscow plans to sell sophisticated air-defense systems to
Azerbaijan that could affect the balance of forces in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Citing Russian arms industry sources, Russia's `Vedomosti' business
daily reported last week that Azerbaijan last year signed a deal with
the Rosoboronexport arms exporter to purchase two batteries of S-300
anti-aircraft systems worth $300 million. A Rosoboronexport spokesman
denied the report, saying that the state-run company `has no
contractual obligations whatsoever on this matter.'
The Interfax news agency quoted on Monday an unnamed `high-ranking
source' from the Russian Defense Ministry as calling the report
`nonsense.' `Today, the supply of Russian S-300s to Azerbaijan is
impossible for primarily political reasons,' he said, pointing to the
unresolved Karabakh dispute.
`Given the complicated relations between Yerevan and Baku, the export
of S-300s to Azerbaijan would no doubt destroy the balance of forces
in the region. Besides, Armenia is Russia's ally within the CSTO
(Collective Security Treaty Organization), and Yerevan could see such
arms contracts between Moscow and Baku as a betrayal,' the official
added, according to Interfax.
However, another unnamed ministry source quoted by the Moscow daily
`Nezavisimaya Gazeta' claimed the opposite, downplaying the
Rosoboronexport denial. `This deal is only being planned and
negotiated, but a decision to that effect has already been made, in
principle, by the [Russian] government,' he said.
A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman commented ambiguously on this
claim. `We are not confirming that information for the moment,' he
told RFE/RL's Armenian service. `We know nothing about it. That's why
we don't refute or confirm it.'
The Azerbaijani government, for its part, has pointedly declined to
deny the reported missile deal. `Azerbaijan has been steadily
strengthening its armed forces and
will continue doing so,' a spokesman for the Defense Ministry in Baku,
Teymur Abdullayev, told Interfax on Sunday.
S-300s would put Baku in a better position to protect not only its
military but also oil and gas infrastructure, a likely target of
Armenian military strikes in the event of another war for
Karabakh. Some Armenian analysts say their acquisition could therefore
stoke Azerbaijani leaders' bellicose rhetoric and increase the war's
likelihood.
`This is sending the wrong message to Baku,' Richard Giragosian,
director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies
think-tank, told RFE/RL's Armenian service. `It won't change the
military balance of power but it may make Azerbaijan dangerously
overconfident and bolster its appetite for war.'
Official Yerevan has so far been silent over the possible S-300
sale. The Armenian Foreign Ministry declined a comment on Monday.
Armenia -- S-300 surface-to-air missiles at a Russian miltary base in
Gyumri, undated.
Originally designed in the late 1970s and repeatedly upgraded since
then, the S-300 system is widely regarded as one of the world's most
potent anti-aircraft weapons. Its surface-to-air missiles have a
firing range of up to 200 kilometers, and its radars can
simultaneously track up to 100 targets, including both aircraft and
cruise missiles.
Russia deployed at least one battery of S-300s in Armenia in the late
1990s, significantly reinforcing main regional ally's air
defenses. The two countries have since been jointly protecting
Armenia's airspace.
Their joint air-defense system was given a `regional' status by the
CSTO, the Russian-led military alliance of seven ex-Soviet states, in
early 2007. Top Russian military officials said at the time that
Moscow has further upgraded Armenia's anti-aircraft capacity and
trained Armenian specialists to operate S-300s. The Armenian military
confirmed that, saying the training process began in 2005.
Russia Vague On Missile Sale To Azerbaijan
02.08.2010
Sargis Harutyunyan
Russian defense officials made on Monday conflicting statements about
reports that Moscow plans to sell sophisticated air-defense systems to
Azerbaijan that could affect the balance of forces in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Citing Russian arms industry sources, Russia's `Vedomosti' business
daily reported last week that Azerbaijan last year signed a deal with
the Rosoboronexport arms exporter to purchase two batteries of S-300
anti-aircraft systems worth $300 million. A Rosoboronexport spokesman
denied the report, saying that the state-run company `has no
contractual obligations whatsoever on this matter.'
The Interfax news agency quoted on Monday an unnamed `high-ranking
source' from the Russian Defense Ministry as calling the report
`nonsense.' `Today, the supply of Russian S-300s to Azerbaijan is
impossible for primarily political reasons,' he said, pointing to the
unresolved Karabakh dispute.
`Given the complicated relations between Yerevan and Baku, the export
of S-300s to Azerbaijan would no doubt destroy the balance of forces
in the region. Besides, Armenia is Russia's ally within the CSTO
(Collective Security Treaty Organization), and Yerevan could see such
arms contracts between Moscow and Baku as a betrayal,' the official
added, according to Interfax.
However, another unnamed ministry source quoted by the Moscow daily
`Nezavisimaya Gazeta' claimed the opposite, downplaying the
Rosoboronexport denial. `This deal is only being planned and
negotiated, but a decision to that effect has already been made, in
principle, by the [Russian] government,' he said.
A Russian Defense Ministry spokesman commented ambiguously on this
claim. `We are not confirming that information for the moment,' he
told RFE/RL's Armenian service. `We know nothing about it. That's why
we don't refute or confirm it.'
The Azerbaijani government, for its part, has pointedly declined to
deny the reported missile deal. `Azerbaijan has been steadily
strengthening its armed forces and
will continue doing so,' a spokesman for the Defense Ministry in Baku,
Teymur Abdullayev, told Interfax on Sunday.
S-300s would put Baku in a better position to protect not only its
military but also oil and gas infrastructure, a likely target of
Armenian military strikes in the event of another war for
Karabakh. Some Armenian analysts say their acquisition could therefore
stoke Azerbaijani leaders' bellicose rhetoric and increase the war's
likelihood.
`This is sending the wrong message to Baku,' Richard Giragosian,
director of the Armenian Center for National and International Studies
think-tank, told RFE/RL's Armenian service. `It won't change the
military balance of power but it may make Azerbaijan dangerously
overconfident and bolster its appetite for war.'
Official Yerevan has so far been silent over the possible S-300
sale. The Armenian Foreign Ministry declined a comment on Monday.
Armenia -- S-300 surface-to-air missiles at a Russian miltary base in
Gyumri, undated.
Originally designed in the late 1970s and repeatedly upgraded since
then, the S-300 system is widely regarded as one of the world's most
potent anti-aircraft weapons. Its surface-to-air missiles have a
firing range of up to 200 kilometers, and its radars can
simultaneously track up to 100 targets, including both aircraft and
cruise missiles.
Russia deployed at least one battery of S-300s in Armenia in the late
1990s, significantly reinforcing main regional ally's air
defenses. The two countries have since been jointly protecting
Armenia's airspace.
Their joint air-defense system was given a `regional' status by the
CSTO, the Russian-led military alliance of seven ex-Soviet states, in
early 2007. Top Russian military officials said at the time that
Moscow has further upgraded Armenia's anti-aircraft capacity and
trained Armenian specialists to operate S-300s. The Armenian military
confirmed that, saying the training process began in 2005.
AZERBAIJAN: S 300 MISSILE SYSTEMS AGAINST IRAN
Panorama
Aug 2 2010
Armenia
"Azerbaijan purchases, wasting its revenues from oil, military
equipment from Israel, Ukraine, South African Republic and Belarus. If
Moscow doesn't' sell its S 300 missile defense systems to Azerbaijan
then Israel of African Republic will," arannews.ir reported military
expert Ruslan Pikhov as saying.
"Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have modern ballistic missiles to
need S 300 missile defense systems, thus Baku wants to ensure its
security from Iran," foreign expert said.
Panorama
Aug 2 2010
Armenia
"Azerbaijan purchases, wasting its revenues from oil, military
equipment from Israel, Ukraine, South African Republic and Belarus. If
Moscow doesn't' sell its S 300 missile defense systems to Azerbaijan
then Israel of African Republic will," arannews.ir reported military
expert Ruslan Pikhov as saying.
"Neither Armenia nor Azerbaijan have modern ballistic missiles to
need S 300 missile defense systems, thus Baku wants to ensure its
security from Iran," foreign expert said.
Belarus exports five Su-25 fighter jets to Azerbaijan
30 July 2010 [14:44] - Today.Az
On 26 July, the UN Register of Conventional Arms released information
about transactions by Belarus on the world arms market in 2009.
According to website of the UN Register of Conventional Arms, Belarus
has not purchased any weapons and military equipment that qualify as
conventional weapons last year. At the same time, Belarus sold arms to
Uganda, Azerbaijan and Sudan.
For example, it delivered 23 T-55 tanks to Uganda, 5 Su-25 attack
planes and nine self-propelled howitzers 2S7 "Pion" 203 mm to
Azerbaijan and three Su-25 attack planes to Sudan. All weapons are
made in Russia (USSR). The cost of contracts is not reported.
In 2008, Belarus delivered to Azerbaijan three self-propelled
howitzers 2S7 "Pion" 203 mm.
Belarus exported to Azerbaijan 41 T-72 tanks in 2006 and 19 T-72
in 2005.
AZERBAIJANI ARMY VIOLATES CEASEFIRE 14 TIMES
Tert.am
11:40 04.08.10
Fourteen cases of ceasefire violation have been registered on the
contact line between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the night of
August 2, according to a release issued by the NKR Defense Ministry.
The Azerbaijani armed forces used guns of different caliber and
snipers while opening fire at the Karabakhi military posts located
in the southern, south-eastern, eastern, north-eastern and northern
parts of the contact line.
About 750 bullets from "AK" and "DSHK" guns were fired at the direction
of Haterk village.
The Azerbaijani side stopped firing as soon as the Karabakhi defensive
army took counter actions.
Tert.am
11:40 04.08.10
Fourteen cases of ceasefire violation have been registered on the
contact line between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the night of
August 2, according to a release issued by the NKR Defense Ministry.
The Azerbaijani armed forces used guns of different caliber and
snipers while opening fire at the Karabakhi military posts located
in the southern, south-eastern, eastern, north-eastern and northern
parts of the contact line.
About 750 bullets from "AK" and "DSHK" guns were fired at the direction
of Haterk village.
The Azerbaijani side stopped firing as soon as the Karabakhi defensive
army took counter actions.
POLITICAL ANALYST: WAR IS INEVITABLE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
CONFLICTTrend
Aug 4 2010
Azerbaijan
The war is inevitable while solving the Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, director of the Center for Policy Innovation
and Technologies, political analyst Mubariz Ahmedoglu said at a press
conference at the press center of Trend News Agency.
"The military variant is inevitable. Even the last three statements by
the OSCE Minsk Group are aimed at confirming and war propaganda. The
current position of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen leads to the
war than a non-constructive position on the Armenian position",
political analyst said.
Ahmedoglu said that there are two scenarios for military actions -
big and small.
If the OSCE Minsk Group fully abandons a mediation mission, the small
war, limited within the Nagorno-Karabakh, will begin, the political
analyst said.
"If the Minsk Group continues to mediate, the big war, covering
the North Caucasus and Iran, will begin. Russia and the U.S. are
interested in military actions in Iran and other forces in Europe -
in the North Caucasus," Ahmedoglu said.
No comments:
Post a Comment