The agreement granted the radar in Gabala the status of an information analysis centre owned by Azerbaijan. But Azerbaijan leased its moveable and immoveable property to Russia for a period of 10 years. In compensation, the Russian side would pay Azerbaijan a yearly rent of $7 million.
The Russian side pledged that the centre’s activities would not be targeted directly or indirectly against Azerbaijan’s sovereignty or security interests. It would be operated only for information analysis purposes and, where the interests were mutual, by agreement between the sides.
Under the document, the Russian side has no right, without Azerbaijan’s consent, to conclude agreements concerning the centre with any third party. The Azerbaijani side pledged not to dismantle the centre, or to pass its property to third parties or do damage to it during the lease period.
Azerbaijan’s air defence forces would provide protection to the information analysis centre. As agreed, Russia would in turn provide the necessary logistic and technical support for the upgrading of these forces.
Located near the village of Zaragan, Gabala District, the radar has been in commission since 1985 and is designed to monitor intercontinental ballistic missile launches in the Southern Hemisphere. The unit monitors the territories of Iran, Turkey, China, Pakistan, India, Iraq, and Australia, as well as most African countries and islands in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans.