Political analysts: Czech Republic not to follow OSCE recommendations when delivering arms to Azerbaijan

On September 26, the Czech newspaper "Hospodarske Noviny" reported that the Czech government supplied Azerbaijan with modern artillery mounts "in spite of the embargo." According to the newspaper, an investigation has been launched in the Czech Republic, and the chiefs of the Czech law enforcement agencies are summoned for questioning.

The newspaper "Hospodarske Noviny" refers to a video published on the "Azeri Defence" Channel (which is not an official channel of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Defence) on YouTube. According to the newspaper, the video shows Dana-M1 self-propelled howitzers and RM-70 rocket launchers manufactured in the Czech Republic and in service with the Azerbaijani army.

According to the "Hospodarske Noviny", Jan Pejsek, the spokesman for the Czech Defence Ministry, reported the Ministry did not supply military materials to Azerbaijan. Jiří Havlíček, an official from the Czech Ministry for Industry and Trade, claimed knowing nothing about how the weapons could appear in Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, Irena Valentová, the spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Internal Affairs, reported the Ministry did not issue a license for the export of weapons to Azerbaijan.

Further, the Czech newspaper notes that in connection with the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, the OSCE and the European Union recommended the member states not to sell weapons to Azerbaijan and Armenia. "This is a recommendation, not an embargo," the article emphasizes.

"No complaints were voiced by international organizations. It is clear there is nothing to comment on here," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent was told on September 27 by political analyst Eldar Namazov, the leader of the Centre for Strategic Studies of Azerbaijan, when he commented on the article published in the Czech newspaper.

Meanwhile, the political analyst has emphasized there is no official embargo on the supply of arms to the parties to the Karabakh conflict. "There is an OSCE recommendation, but it is not legally binding," Eldar Namazov noted.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.