Azerbaijani Opposition Backs U.S.-Russian Use Of Radar

(RFE/RL)

June 13, 2007 -- An Azerbaijani opposition leader says it would serve Baku's interests if the United States and Russia jointly used a radar station in the country.

Sardar Dzhalaloglu, head of the opposition Democratic Party, says joint use of the Qabala (Gabala) radar base could lead to greater U.S.-Russian coordination on issues important to Azerbaijan.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on June 7 proposed jointly using the Qabala radar base, which Russia leases, as an alternative to current U.S. plans to site interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar base in the Czech Republic as part of a missile-defense system.

The United States has not indicated that it would allow any decision on the Qabala facility to alter its plans for Poland and the Czech Republic.

(Interfax)

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