YEREVAN. - The State Department’s decision on removing Azerbaijan from the list of eligible states of purchasing American weapon is a diplomatic gesture, expert Manvel Sargsyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Azerbaijan, to my mind, does not have so tense relations with the U.S. weapons. On the other hand, it can purchase the weapon from the U.S. close allies, including Israel. Washington made a diplomatic move on drawing itself far from the issue, however, made no real step,” Sargsyan said.

As for the goals the Department pursues by removing Azerbaijan from the list of eligible states of purchasing the weapon, the expert said it is a field for endless prediction.

As the agency informed earlier, in response to Congressional concerns first raised by House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman, the State Department has removed Azerbaijan from a list of countries eligible to purchase U.S. military hardware which could be used by the Aliyev regime in its ongoing attacks against Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

“This decision by Secretary Clinton is in the best interests of the Armenian people and for peace in the region,” said Rep. Berman, upon receiving the modified formal notification from the State Department late on June 27.