Russian arms delivery to Azerbaijan does not violate balance of forces: Expert says

YEREVAN, June 19. / ARKA /. The delivery of $1 billion worth Russian arms to Azerbaijan will not violate the balance of forces in the region, Sergey Minasian, an expert from the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute said today in interview with Novosti Armenia news agency.

According to media reports, the arms package, signed in a series of contracts between 2011 and 2012, includes nearly 100 T-90C tanks, Smerch and TOS-1A multiple rocket launchers and Msta-A and Vena artillery cannons.

Minasian said the latest delivery of Russian arms to Azerbaijan is in tune with Moscow’s traditional military-technical policy in the South Caucasus. 

“There is nothing new. Russia continues to sell arms and military equipment to Azerbaijan at market prices, but at the same time  it supplies weapons to Armenia at discount prices and often even virtually free," Minasian said.

In his words, the weapons supplied to Azerbaijan at market prices are more contemporary than those delivered to Armenia, but all kinds of weapons, which Armenia receives, can be upgraded.

 "On the other hand, the quality can be offset by quantity. In other words, if Azerbaijan receives 200 T-90 tanks, it means that Armenia will receive at least 300 T-72 tanks, which will be upgraded in view of  the terrain and other specifics,’ he said.

"In fact, Azeri president Ilham Aliyev is buying expensive toys to showcase them at military parades on the eve of the next presidential election and part of Azeris will be happy seeing these weapons and continue to believe in fairy tale that Baku will soon begin operation to liberate Nagorno-Karaabkh, a tale which has been said over the last 20 years. Russia is happy too because it has received about a billion, and perhaps more," said Minasyan.

He argued that Armenia’s leadership will also be happy because as a result it  will be able to upgrade Armenia’s tanks, artilleries and other weapons and military equipment.

"Western partners will also be happy because the deal will spark and intensify anti-Russian sentiment in Armenia. The organizations in Armenia, which pursue anti-Russian policy, will also be happy because they will get quite a favorable field for activities,” Minasian said.

"The balance of power is not breached. Long before the sale of arms to Azerbaijan Russian and Armenian sides began the work to preserve the balance of power along with upgrading Russian military base in Armenian Gyumri,” he said. -0-