In February 1997, the international community was apprised of Russian weaponry supplies to Armenia over 1994-1996 implemented unbeknownst to the President and Government of the Russian Federation.

A particular concern of the Azeri party was caused by the fact that the supplies, including antitank machinery, as well as operative-tactics "Scad" missiles, intensified after Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement on May 12, 1994. Azerbaijan had abided by the agreement despite the ongoing occupation of its territory by Armenia.

The statement by the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry of February 21, 1997 drew attention of the world community and Russian Government to the fact that such illegitimate actions contradict Resolutions of the UN Security Council and OSCE decisions on the Armenian - Azerbaijan conflict, banning military supplies to states involved in conflicts, as this may promote escalation and continuation of aggression against Azerbaijan. The statement indicated that Russia's weaponry supplies to Armenia contradict the Treaty on Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE). Such supplies bring to question the impartiality of the Russian Federation as mediator in the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict.

Ever since Russia's weaponry supplies to Armenia were made public, Russia has made a number of attempts to launch investigation into the matter. Russian State Duma, after special discussions, instructed its key committees - for Defence, Security and CIS - to thoroughly investigate the facts of illegal arms sales. In its statement of March 14, 1997, the Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry expressed a hope that, as a result of the investigation, those involved in illegal weaponry supplies would be unmasked, a worthy legal and political assessment be given to these actions and adequate measures taken at impounding and withdrawing the weaponry from the Armenian Republic.

On April 11, 1997, Russian State Duma, after hearings on the report by Defence Committee chairman, General Rokhlin, concerning the illegal supplies, military machinery and property to Armenia totaling $1 billion, adopted a resolution "On measures to enforce Russian laws in the process of arms supplies to foreign states".

In its resolution, the State Duma requested President A. Yeltsin to exercise necessary political and diplomatic measures to thwart potential inter-state complications resulting from illegal arms supplies to Armenia, to take decisive measures to prevent violations of law in the course of arms supplies to other countries, and to bring to account the culprits.

Russian State Duma also instructed Russian Prosecutor General to investigate infringements in Russia's weaponry supplies to Armenia and facts of abuse of power by Russian military officials.

On September 17, 1997, Y. Primakov, then Russian Foreign Minister, on an instruction of President Yeltsin, made a statement defining Russia's official position in the 1997 Russian-Armenian Agreement on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance. In his statement, he noted that "the Russian-Armenian Agreement is not directed against Azerbaijan. It will never be used in favour of those who are against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan."

The statement also said that Russian Government is concerned with the "voices in Karabakh advocating settlement the long-standing Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict in a military way".

In its statement on September 19, 1997, the Foreign Ministry of the Azerbaijan Republic gave a positive assessment to Y. Primakov's speech. At the same time, it was underscored that the Russian-Armenian agreement failed to envision a potential adverse impact of it on peace and political settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and bilateral Azerbaijani-Russian relations. In its statement, the Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed a hope that the obligations envisioned by the Russian-Armenian Agreement would go into effect after the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict is completely resolved, including liberation of all the occupied territories, return of refugees and displaced persons to their homes and amelioration of the Armenian-Azerbaijan relations.

We admit with regret that all Russia's initiatives to investigate facts of illegal weaponry supplies to Armenia failed to complete and give fruition. Moreover, weaponry supplies to Armenia have now assumed an open and legal form. As time elapsed, statements by Russian officials that Russian-Armenian military cooperation is not meant to harm Azerbaijan, have proved wrong. Such conclusions can be drawn judging by actions by the Russian Federation and the Armenian Republic at implementation of the Russian-Armenian agreement supplemented with over 20 treaties on military, political, and technical cooperation.

Also indicative are results of the Russian Defence Minister I. Sergeyev's visit to Armenia on July 14-15, 1998. During the visit, the parties officially announced their coordination plans on further cooperation in military and military-technical areas. The parties defined concrete terms and estimates of their plans to upgrade Russian military base's work in Armenia, its interaction with Armenian Armed Forces, a united anti-aircraft defence system, installation of S-300 ack-ack units, military supplies to Armenia, re-equipment of Russia's 102nd military base, joint training with the participation of Russian and Armenian Defence Ministers on the shooting range in the vicinity of Yerevan and invigoration of Russia's military contingent in Armenia by reducing its presence in Georgia.

The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan Republic of July 18, 1998, adopted in connection with the results of the Russian Defence Minister's visit to Armenia, said that Azerbaijan is concerned with the plans on strengthening Russian-Armenian military and strategic alliance, which pose a serious threat to the peace process, soonest settlement on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and security of the Azerbaijan Republic in general, and damage Russia's mediator mission in the conflict settlement.

On July 29, 1998, head of the Department for International Military Cooperation of the Defence Ministry of Russia, Colonel-General L. Ivashov confirmed the plans of Russian dignitaries to tackle technical rearmament of Russia's 102 military base stationed in Armenia.

The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan Republic made in connection with the statement by general A. Ivashov said that clear-cut utterances by Russian high-ranking official exacerbate Azerbaijan's concern with the objectives of the new stage in the Russian-Armenian military and political cooperation.

The statement points out the fact that this is the first time for Russia's state circle to recognise that all previous and current weaponry supplies to Armenia target enhancement of Armenia's military potential and achievement of its strategic and military supremacy over Azerbaijan. Comprehensive renewal and expansion of military and technical capacity of the Russian base, expansion of coordination between the Russian military unit and Armenia's Defence Ministry, as well as sustainable arms supplies to Armenia illustrate real plans of Russian Defence Ministry to alter the military and strategic balance in favour of Armenia in the conflict area and the entire region.

On December 15-16, 1998, Commander-in-Chief of Russian Air Force, Colonel-General A. Korpukov paid a visit to Armenia. In the course of the visit, new agreements on Russian-Armenian military cooperation were concluded. The parties discussed issues of invigoration of the 102 base in Armenia, formation of a new aviation unit within it, further improvement of the joint antiaircraft defence system, including equipping of it with up-to-date weaponry, ack-ack installations S-300, permanent presence of Russian MIG-29 fighters in Armenia. Statements by general Kornukov were not left unnoticed in Baku. A conclusion can be made that the Russian-Armenian military unit may be used both against Turkey and Azerbaijan.

The statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Azerbaijan Republic of December 19, 1998 in connection with A. Kornukov's visit to Yerevan and the new Russian-Armenian military agreements says that Azerbaijan is following on the development of the Russian-Armenian military cooperation, expansion of Russia's military presence in Armenia and the entire South Caucasus region. The statement's authors regard such cooperation as tension-triggering factor hindering the establishment of peace, stability and security in the Caspian-Black Sea political region.

Azerbaijan considers the Russian-Armenian military cooperation and Russia's military presence in Armenia as a threat to its security due to the use of Russia's base for increasing the military efficiency of Armenian Armed Forces and use of the base's military personnel for Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan thinks that enhancement of Russia's military presence in Armenia may lead to unpredictable consequences both in the region and outside of it.

Numerous utterances by Russian officials that Russia's military base in Armenia is not directed against Azerbaijan are groundless. A question therefore arises: why would Russia keep a military base in Armenia with which it does not have a common border. Maybe to repel a possible threat from Iran. But Russia maintains good relationship with this country. Maybe to defend itself from Turkey. But statements by Russian officials characterise its relations with this country as friendly as well.

Russian officials stated several times that Russia's military base in Armenia serves to oppose NATO enlargement threat. However, it is well known that the alliance's eastwards enlargement takes place west of Russia, thousands kilometres away from Armenia.

Expansion of Russian-Armenian military and strategic cooperation, Russia's continuos weaponry supplies to Armenia, leading to a unilateral enhancement of the latter's military potential, as well as inaction of the trilateral commission for arms supplies, the work of which has been almost paralysed, enables another conclusion: there are certain influential forces in Russia, which systematically and directly disrupt efforts at stopping the process of armament of Armenia, peace settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, amelioration of the Russian-Azerbaijani relations and activation of Russia's mediation in the conflict.

The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is authorized to state that all the above-mentioned problems seriously alarm the Azeri public and compel the Azeri Government to consider adequate measures at ensuring the country's security, protection of independence and sovereignty of Azerbaijan.

Baku, January 29, 1999