Azerbaijan ramping up arms purchases, warns Armenian Ambassador to EU

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 19, ARMENPRESS. Azerbaijan is buying drones and military equipment from abroad amid heightened tensions with Armenia, Armenia’s Ambassador to the EU Tigran Balayan told Brussels Signal.

Speaking toBrussels Signal, Tigran Balayan said that Armenia has tracked suspected munitions purchases which have reportedly come in on military flights from countries including Israel and Turkey. These deliveries are suspected to include drones.

“60 per cent or 70 per cent of Azerbaijani military hardware comes from Israel, then Turkey,” he said during an interview with Justin Stares, Head of News atBrussels Signal.

He also noted that there had been increased military flights from Serbia, which, he said, had “just announced the agreement about selling some sophisticated artillery equipment to Azerbaijan.”

Speaking about the latest Azeri attack in Syunik province which left 4 Armenian troops dead, Ambassador Balayan said that the shooting could’ve been Azerbaijan’s response to increased Armenian cooperation with the European Union.

“That [attack] was a message, not only to Armenia, but also to Brussels,” Balayan said, noting that the incident took place several hours before an EU-Armenia Partnership Council meeting.

The attack represented an explicit “challenge” to EU “authority” in the region, he said.

According to the Armenian ambassador, Azerbaijan has no intention to end the conflict with Armenia.

“Despite all the warning calls, Azerbaijan didn’t stop its aggressive rhetoric, aggressive actions, killing, and provocation,” he said.