ArmInfo News Agency
Sept 29 2005

AZERBAIJAN’S DEFENCE EXPENSES WILL BE EQUAL TO ARMENIA’S WHOLE
BUDGET: AZERI PRESIDENT

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 29. ARMINFO. In the future Azerbaijan’s defence
expenses will be equal to Armenia’s whole budget, Azeri President
Ilham Aliev says in an interview to YLE (Finland).

Speaking about the Karabakh peace process Aliev says that Baku wants
to settle the conflict peacefully but sees that this is impossible
and has no other choice. That’s why Azerbaijan’s military spendings
are growing – next year the country will redouble them and in the
future they will equal the whole budget of Armenia. “We still want
peace in the Caucasus but can put up with occupation,” says Aliev.

He says that OSCE MG is the key player in the Karabakh peace process.
Aliev says that there are many ways to settle the conflict provided
that the international law is applied and territorial integrity is
part of this law. “On our side are the international law, political
processes and economic potential so we will get what we want,” says
Aliev.

The solution is simple – the Armenian leadership should pluck up
courage to leave the occupied territories and to create normal living
conditions including for its own people. This will lead to the
opening of communications and borders and the normal process will
resume. “I hope that we will see this day soon,” says Aliev.