UPI United Press International
August 26, 2005 Friday 2:25 PM EST

Azeri military spending increases

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Assa-Irada news agency reported that President Ilham
Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s military spending will continue to rise.

During remarks to a ceremony marking the 86th anniversary of
Azerbaijan’s frontier guard troops Aliyev said that in 2005
Azerbaijan’s military expenses rose 76 percent to $300 million,
adding, “I have issued instructions to ensure the growth will
continue next year.

Increasing military potential will affect the conflict settlement.
The Armenian leadership should understand that we will not yield our
land.”

The Azeri government is carefully reviewing its military expenditures
to bring them in line with the overall budget of Armenia. Aliyev
noted that Armenia is not able to compete with Azerbaijan in the
political, economic or military fields and the difference “will be
even greater in the future.” Referring to the country’s booming oil
revenues Aliyev said that Azerbaijan’s surging economic development
will allow it to achieve a peaceful settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper Garabagh conflict, for which strengthening
Azerbaijan’s armed forces will be crucial.

During his address Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is pursuing an
“open-door” policy, as its borders are “a key condition for the
independence of the state. Those trying to enter the country with bad
intentions should know that our state borders are strongly
protected.”