ARMENIAN MINISTER DOWNPLAYS INCREASE IN AZERI MILITARY BUDGET

ArmInfo News Agency
Oct 12 2005

Yerevan, 11 October: The difference between the military budgets of
Armenia and Azerbaijan can never force Armenia to make concessions,
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan has said asked by journalists
if Armenia was concerned about the sharp increase in the Azerbaijani
military budget and if it was a quantitative approach.

Sarkisyan said that in any case, quantity transforms into quality
at some stage. “But it is not known when and how this will happen,”
he said, adding that it is quite alarming when an enemy, a rival or
a neighbour has a greater military budget.

“But there is also the issue of making effective use of the military
budget. There are also different ways of meeting the army’s needs. I
can cite numerous examples when we and Azerbaijan bought identical
armaments for different prices. We bought it four, five and sometimes
even eight times cheaper. I am not saying this to console someone. Of
course, it would be preferable if we had comparable financial
possibilities,” he said.

Asked about a possible increase in Armenia’s military budget,
Sarkisyan said that no sharp increase in the budget is expected as
the budget is drawn up not proceeding from one’s needs, but on the
basis of GDP. If GDP is high at the end of the year, then naturally,
the budget will increase, he said.