Armenia slams Slovakia for illegal deliveries of weapons to Azerbaijan
31.07.2018,
16:17
Spokesman for Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan has again slammed today Slovakia for what he called ‘illegal supplies of weapons to Azerbaijan.’
YEREVAN, July 31. /ARKA/. Spokesman for Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tigran Balayan has again slammed today Slovakia for what he called ‘illegal supplies of weapons to Azerbaijan.’ Speaking at a briefing he said the Armenian side raised this issue at the OSCE, since this country is set to take over the rotating chairmanship of the organization next year.
In early July, a Slovak newspaper Dennik N carried a story about how the Bratislava airport was used as a transit point for smuggling Czech rocket launchers and howitzers to Azerbaijan, on which a ban on the export of military material was imposed due to its conflict with Armenia. According to the story , Slovak military equipment was smuggled to Azerbaijan via Israel.
According to Balayan, deliveries of weapons to Azerbaijan by Slovakia are a violation of existing international laws.
"The end-user certificate for the delivery of weapons is for one country, but everyone knows that the weapons ended up in another country. The country, that received the weapons, boasted them in an ad,’ Balayan said.
As for deliveries of weapons from other countries, according to Balayan, if they are carried out legally, the Armenian side does not have a legal mechanism of influence.
"We will continue to adhere to our fundamental position that any deliveries of lethal weapons to Azerbaijan are controversial, given its unpredictable foreign policy and the appalling position of human rights, under which these weapons can be used against their own population," Balayan said. -0-
In early July, a Slovak newspaper Dennik N carried a story about how the Bratislava airport was used as a transit point for smuggling Czech rocket launchers and howitzers to Azerbaijan, on which a ban on the export of military material was imposed due to its conflict with Armenia. According to the story , Slovak military equipment was smuggled to Azerbaijan via Israel.
According to Balayan, deliveries of weapons to Azerbaijan by Slovakia are a violation of existing international laws.
"The end-user certificate for the delivery of weapons is for one country, but everyone knows that the weapons ended up in another country. The country, that received the weapons, boasted them in an ad,’ Balayan said.
As for deliveries of weapons from other countries, according to Balayan, if they are carried out legally, the Armenian side does not have a legal mechanism of influence.
"We will continue to adhere to our fundamental position that any deliveries of lethal weapons to Azerbaijan are controversial, given its unpredictable foreign policy and the appalling position of human rights, under which these weapons can be used against their own population," Balayan said. -0-
