Russian ambassador to Azerbaijan calls document about "supplies of Russian military hardware to Armenia" disinformation and falsification

"There has never been such a document and there have never been such supplies", he told a briefing, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

He voiced regret that the negative experience of supplies of the Russian military hardware in 1996 is still dominating.

"It is regretful that the negative experience which occurred 13 years ago is dominating and cancels all achievements in the development of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations through the past 6-8 years", said he.

Istratov voiced hope that the final word in this issue will be said during personal contacts to be soon occur between the Defense Ministers of the two countries and later the Foreign Ministers.

"The issue of holding these meetings has been coordinated. We expect the Ministers not only to put an end to this issue but also create conditions for such misunderstandings not to emerge in the future", said the diplomat, noting that it does not promote the development of the Azerbaijani-Russian relations.

He voiced regret that despite the official note of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Azerbaijani mass medias continue this campaign and a number of Milli Medjlis deputies voice negative views on this issue. "The sensitivity of the Azerbaijani sity to a number of issues is serious. This can serve a lesson for everyone, both Russia and Azerbaijan", noted Istratov.

He said mass medias presented the document in the form it was initially interpreted. "Mass medias accentuate on the alleged free supply of military hardware of a total of $800,000,000, though the papers, presented to public, do not contain a word on the cost or provisions of supply", said he.

Answering the journalists questions, the ambassador said it does not mean that Russia has never supplied arms to Armenia.

"I can not specify volumes and terms of its supply as we maintain military and technical cooperation with this country. Nevertheless, the presented document is a falsification and disinformation", concluded he.

Azerbaijani mass medias reported that Armenians received military hardware of a total of $800,000,000 from Russian military base NO 102, dislocated in Armenia.

The list of the said hardware, supplied in 2008 under the signature of chief of armament - deputy commander of the armed forces of the North Caucasus military okrug on armament Vyacheslav Golovchenko. According to specialists, the cost of this armament makes $800,000,000.

In 1996 Russia already supplied Armenia with military hardware of a total of $1 bln. Though the government of this country has long been refuting this, later it was obliged to confirm this fact. But Russia did not stop arming Armenia after 1996, from time to time transferring some types of arms to the Armenian army.

/Day.Az/