Moscow Values Friendship With Baku

In a meeting with the Defense Minister of Azerbaijan Colonel-General Safar Abiyev Friday, Russian ambassador Nikolai Riabov said cooperation between the two countries, including military one, was predestined by history and God. He said it was time to eliminate the uncertainly in the status of the Gabala RLS, according to the MOD.

Gen. Abiyev agreed with the diplomat, saying that solution to the Gabala RLS issue has delayed in parallel with the Garabagh issue, which cannot be resolved without the Russian Federation, while the Gabala RLS - without Azerbaijan, he said.

He voiced Azerbaijan's concern with the supplies of Russian weaponry from Georgia to Armenia and then to Upper Garabagh. The ambassador said such supplies would not undermine the balance of forces and Russia would never allow for the use of its arms against anyone.

Mr. Riabov said it was necessary to find a political solution to the Garabagh conflict.

"We will never sacrifice centuries-long cooperation with Azerbaijan for the sake of relations with anyone", he said.

The problem must be resolved within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial integrity, he said.