Parliament ratifies Gabala radar station deal

The agreement on the status, principles and terms of using the Gabala Radio Location Station between Azerbaijan and Russia was ratified Tuesday following heated debates.

MP Igbal Aghazadeh called to refuse the stationing of Russian military bases in Azerbaijan, stating Russia is not excluded to place some 4000 Russian servicemen in Azerbaijan under the cover of providing security for 1500 people working at the station.

Backing the idea, opposition-minded MPs voiced concern that Russia could pass secret data on Azerbaijan and Turkey to Armenia through the Gabala radar station. First Vice-Speaker Arif Rahimzadeh said leasing the Gabala RLS doesn't contradict national interests of Azerbaijan and Turkey. He called on the MPs not to express populist statements.

The agreement was ratified by 93 votes for and 11 against.

The document was signed during the official visit of Azerbaijan President Aliyev to Russia on January 24-25 this year.

MPs also ratified 6 documents signed during the Azeri President's visit to Moscow. These are joint statements by the Russian and Azeri Presidents, the treaty on bilateral economic cooperation till 2010, the agreements on major principles and directions of economic cooperation, on industrial cooperation, on border guards, and on cooperation in tax legislation.*