Russia is a weaponry manufacturer and is very active in the arms market; its selling weapons to Azerbaijan is all about business, Armenian Foreign Minister said.

“We cannot say we love the fact that Azerbaijan purchases weapons from Russia,” he said. “But perhaps it is a matter of business and trade. Meanwhile, Armenia and Russia are definitely allies,” Edward Nalbandian said in an interview with BBC Russian Service.

According to Nalbandian, in terms of relations with the European Union, Armenia has never changed its position: the country is a member of the Eurasian Union and is ready to cooperate with the EU in various areas, taking into account, however, the country’s obligations in other integration processes.

The Minister said Armenia and Minsk Group Co-chairs have been working hard to find an exclusively peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“Minsk Group member states have adopted five statements on the issue. Armenia declared after each of these statements that it is willing to make efforts together with the Co-chairs to resolve the conflict. Azerbaijan, on the other hand, is trying to avoid mentioning these statements as if they do not exist at all,” Nalbandian said.

Unfortunately, he added, the Co-chairs’ proposals on confidence-building measures are also rejected by Azerbaijan.