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Azeri Leader Says Military Spending To Increase Further

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  • Azeri Leader Says Military Spending To Increase Further

    AZERI LEADER SAYS MILITARY SPENDING TO INCREASE FURTHER

    ITV
    4 Sep 07
    Baku

    [Presenter] President Ilham Aliyev today chaired a meeting on problems
    facing our compatriots who had to flee their homes due to the military
    aggression of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

    [Correspondent] Nagornyy Karabakh will never be granted
    independence. The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh
    will be resolved within the framework of Azerbaijan's territorial
    integrity and the rights of refugees and displaced persons will be
    ensured. Speaking at the meeting, President Ilham Aliyev said that
    a million of our compatriots had to flee their homes as a result of
    Armenia's military aggression against Azerbaijan.

    Ethnic cleansing has been carried out on our territory. Peace talks are
    continuing despite the fact that this injustice has been continuing
    for many years. The success of the Prague process will support a
    peaceful solution to the conflict.

    The president stressed that Azerbaijan's international image had
    also been boosted in the past few years. He said that the country's
    military potential had been increasing, therefore, if the Nagornyy
    Karabakh conflict was not resolved peacefully, the Baku government
    might resort to other means.

    Azerbaijan can liberate its lands using any method. The president said
    that the dragging out of the resolution of the conflict could result
    in greater complications. Armenia should understand this, he said.

    The president said that the Azerbaijani government had taken serious
    measures to resolve problems facing refugees and displaced persons. All
    tent camps will be closed down by the end of this year, he said.

    President Ilham Aliyev noted that at the moment Azerbaijan is making
    every effort to resolve problems facing refugees and displaced
    persons. On the other hand, army building is also a priority issue
    for the country.

    [Ilham Aliyev] We have increased military spending manifold over the
    past few years. In the 2007 state budget, military spending stands
    at 1bn dollars. The 2008 budget is on the agenda. It is expected to
    be submitted soon. I have issued instructions to increase military
    spending.

    Although 1bn dollars is already a large sum - I can say that we are
    at the forefront among the CIS countries - but we are at war, our
    territory is under occupation, therefore, we can spend any amount of
    money on this sphere.
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