AZERI DEFENCE MINISTER ACTUALLY RECOGNIZES KARABAKH AS A PART OF ARMENIA, SPOKESMAN OF ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID

12.10.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. “Under the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE Treaty), quotas are fixed for three states of the South Caucasian region – Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Expressing concern over the number of arms on the territory of Karabakh the Azeri Defence Minister Safar Abiyev actually recognizes
Karabakh as a part of Armenia. In vice versa it is Azerbaijan which is to be responsible for uncounted arms located on the territory of Karabakh.” Ara Papian, the Spokesman of the Armenian Foreign Ministry said to MEDIAMAX commenting the statement made by the Azeri Defence Minister Abiyev in Kiev.
At the October 11 meeting between the first Deputy Speaker of the Supreme Rada (Ukrainian parliament) Victor Medvedchuk and the delegation of the Azeri Defence Ministry, the Defence Minister Safar Abiyev stated that Russia supplied Armenia with arms for $3 bln, which were transferred “to the occupied territories.” “There are more Russian arms in Karabakh than in Armenia,” Abiyev said.
Ara Papian said to MEDIAMAX that Armenia observes the letter of the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe. He also stressed that according to all 5 categories Armenia possesses less number of arms that is allowed by the Treaty.–0–