The main controversial issue in the Azerbaijani-Russian relations at the end of 90s was the reveal of the Russia`s armament of Armenia. As said Lev Rokhlin, a general and deputy of the Russian Duma, the arms which Russia passed to Armenia were worthy $ 1 billion and it was realized in 1992-1996. (Thomas de Waal, Black garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through peace and war/russion version, translated by O.Alyakrinskiy, Moscow, Text-2005, p. 270)

In general, one of the reasons of Armenia`s military prevalence and its occupation of the Azerbaijani territories is on the account of a huge amount of arms from Russia. (ibid., p. 279)

Russian Ambassador to Armenia in 1992-1994, a staunch pro-Armenian Vladimir Stupishin himself confirmed his own efforts to keep Russian military bases located in Armenia for Russian-Armenian military cooperation. (Vladimir Stupishin, "My mission in Armenia. 1992-1994." First Russian Ambassador`s memories/www.armenianhouse.org)

Azerbaijani President Heydar Aliyev made a statement at the Moscow meeting of the CIS heads of states on April 2, 1999, against Russia`s arming Armenia in contradiction with his mission as a mediator. Azerbaijani head of state declared that not only the activity of the trilateral Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani commission`s activity gave no results, which was assigned to investigate the illegal arms provision issue, but its work was deliberately impeded.

He once again protested Russia`s strengthening of military cooperation with Armenia, meanwhile being a mediator state at the OSCE Minsk group and said that it complicated the situation more. He said Russia`s keeping military bases in Armenia and supply of the aggressor with arms contradicted the agreement which banned the sale to all sides until the resolution of the conflict which Russian President signed in September 1992, and 1992 CIS agreement of collective security.

Heydar Aliyev talked about this issue at his meeting with the Russian Prime minister Yevgeni Primakov and delivered his protest once again.

The importance of the resolution of the conflicts in the territories of the member states of the CIS according to the OSCE and UN principles as the territorial integrity of states, inviolability of borders and sovereignty have been reflected at this CIS Summit. However Armenia signed that document supported by 11 states, with conditions. (The Republic of Azerbaijan at the Community of Independent States, Baku-2001, pp. 70-71)

During his visit to Azerbaijan in January 2001, the Russian President Vladimir explained at the press-conference Russia`s delivery of $ 1 billion cost arms and armories to Armenia with sharing of the property left from the Soviet Union.

Despite this fact, relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have developed especially since the beginning of 2000, and military contacts also were retained. Cooperation in the military sphere covers the activity of Gabala radar station rented by Russia on the territory of Azerbaijan. After Russian President Vladimir Putin`s proposal of joint use of the station with the US in June 2007, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that the discussion of this issue was possible only with the participation of Azerbaijan.

Historical background was updated on June 20, 2007.