Gabala pullout won’t affect Russia’s security - officialDecember 15, 2012 - 14:53 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Russia’s decision to stop using the Gabala radar station in Azerbaijan will not affect its security, Russian Defense Ministry official said on Saturday, Dec 15, according to RIA Novosti. “This is not critical for our country. The facility in Armavir (Krasnodar Region) is on experimental combat duty, and is already fulfilling the tasks of covering those areas for which the Gabala radar station had been responsible,” Deputy Defense Minister, Colonel General Oleg Ostapenko told RIA Novosti on Saturday. He stressed that the rocket attack warning systems are fully functional. “And, going forward, we will simply further grow our capacity,” he added. On December 10, Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry went on record saying that Russia was abandoning the Gabala facility due to a disagreement over the rental terms. The next day the Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed that Russia was no longer using the radar station, and that the Russian Embassy in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital, “has sent a relevant note to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.” The lease, signed in 2002, was to expire on December 24, 2012. Talks between Moscow and Baku over extending the lease to 2025 had been underway for over a year. The Gabala station could track missile launches and trajectories over the territories of Iran, Turkey, China, Pakistan, India, Iraq and Australia, as well as most of Africa and parts of Indian and Atlantic oceans. Partner news Top stories "The Islamic Republic will not stop 20-percent uranium enrichment at the demands of other countries," Abbasi said. A statement from Italy's foreign ministry says the abductions took place near the Syrian town of Latakia. A popular and colourful figure in France, the 63-year-old actor is the latest wealthy Frenchman to seek shelter outside his native country. “Relations between Israel and Egypt have not really suffered with the change of regime in Egypt,” Shalom Cohen said. Partner news | “I Give It A Year” romcom new trailer revealed (video) “I Give It A Year” follows a pair of newlyweds (Spall and Byrne) as they struggle with their first year of marriage. Instagram can sell users' photos for ads The new terms of use are littered with changes throughout - but the biggest changes came in the section about users' rights. Adele, Lady Gaga, Rihanna on Forbes brightest stars list Forbes.com have announced their annual list of 30 Under 30, featuring individuals with "amazing" achievements under the age of 30. “Django Unchained” star Jamie Foxx talks role in “Amazing Spider-Man 2” In “Spider-Man 2”, Foxx will be joined by Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Shailene Woodley, Dane DeHaan and Martin Sheen. |