Azeri general talks about internal troops role in event of Karabakh war

Turan news agency
9 Jul 05

BAKU

The commander of the Azerbaijani interior ministry troops, Maj-Gen
Zakir Hasanov, has made a number of interesting statements of
political nature in an interview with the Russian weekly
Voyennno-Promyshlennyy Kuryer [Military industrial courier] in issue
No 24 of 6 July.

The duties of the Interior Ministry troops are based on the 1994 law
on their status. These troops must ensure the security of important
state-owned facilities, public order, prevent mass disturbances,
search for and detain escaped prisoners. “The methods used by the
interior troops do not damage human health,” Hasanov said.

Speaking about the possibility of a “colour revolution” and mass
disturbances in Azerbaijan, Hasanov said the following: “We want all
issues to be resolved within the legal framework. Undoubtedly, we will
take necessary measures if stability in Azerbaijan is disrupted. We
will unequivocally quell any activities of destructive elements, be it
disturbances or any other legal violations.”

The general said that over the past two years the state budget has
increased the funding of the troops by 40 per cent a year. Their
budget for 2005 is 81bn manats (a little more than 16m dollars). The
bulk of the funds is spent on technical supplies, special equipment
and weapons. For instance, a full commando kit costs 2,000-3,000
dollars, Hasanov said.

Responding to a question about whether peacekeeping units are being
set up within the interior troops, Hasanov said that NATO wants to
create a big peacekeeping body. Azerbaijan proposed to create a
peacekeeping company by 2008. This proposal has been coordinated with
NATO and in the future the Azerbaijani peacekeepers from the interior
troops will take part in large-scale international operations, he
said.

Asked whether the internal troops may take part in military operations
in Karabakh, the commander said that “we will prefer an offensive
tactic” in the event of a war. It is for this reason that more
attention is being paid to military training. At the initiative of the
commander-in-chief [Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev], a territory
in the vicinity of Baku where natural conditions are “like those in
Karabakh” has been allocated for a more effective conduct of military
training.

“The capabilities of the interior troops are huge and, hence, we are
able to fulfil a number of important tasks during the war. The
commando units will always be ready to effectively support the
attacking army. What is more, our motorized regiments may carry out a
commandant service in the rear of the attacking army by ensuring
public order and defending important state-owned facilities,” Hasanov
said.