YEREVAN. – International treaties on arms control, in particular in the framework of the OSCE, whose members Armenia and Azerbaijan are, envisage mechanism of control over military drills, Armenian Deputy Defense Minister said.

Davit Tonoyan recalled that the document signed in 2011 in Vienna supposes that OSCE member states have to inform all participants about the military exercises involving over 9,000 troops and over 250 tanks. If the exercises were planned beforehand, the country has to inform about it 42 days earlier.

The military exercises held in Armenia, “Shant 2015” and “Indestructible Brotherhood 2015”, do not exceed the mentioned figures. Nevertheless, Armenia has announced them in accordance with OSCE regulations on the basis of transparency and mutual trust, Tonoyan said.

“Azerbaijan has not informed about military drills beforehand. Therefore, I do not see necessity in further comments regarding policy differences between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he said.

According to Azerbaijani media, 65,000 troops and 750 combat vehicles, 40 planes and helicopters are involved in the military drills.