Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
August 18, 2006 Friday

BAKU IS NOT STINGY WHERE THE ARMY IS CONCERNED;
The Azerbaijani military in the focus of Ilham Aliyev’s attention

by Sohbet Mamedov

PRIOR TO SENDING ITS ARMY TO SOLVE THE KARABAKH PROBLEM, AZERBAIJAN
MAY BOOST ITS NUMERICAL STRENGTH TO 180,000 MEN; Azerbaijan is building
up its military potential.

"Armenia is given a chance to withdraw from the occupied Azerbaijani
territories of its own volition and have the problem solved without a
bloodshed and war," President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev recently said.

So sharply-worded a statement from the leader of Azerbaijan started
observers wondering if Azerbaijan could launch a military operation in
Karabakh. Military expert Lieutenant-Colonel (retired) Uzeir Jafarov
believes that numerical strength of the Azerbaijani military (the
regular army and reservists) prior to a campaign in Karabakh may be
boosted by general mobilization to 180,000 men.

"The hostilities may be declared in advance or they may be sudden.

Once the hostilities are under way, our country may inform the UN
and its neighbors of the objectives of the operation. The decision
on the use of the national army in combat will be made on the basis
of acting domestic legislation. The matter is regulated by the law
on military duty and on state of emergency," Jafarov said.

The expert is convinced that if the army is found adequate and up to
the task, additional mobilization is not going to be needed.

First-echelon units of the regular army and their auxiliaries are
capable of at least liberating the occupied territories at this
point. Only unexpected developments will necessitate deployment of
additional forces, the expert said.

Analyzing official Baku’s latest steps, specialists agree that
development of the national army is truly a priority in the focus
of attention of the political leadership. The 2006 military budget
amounted to $700 million. Aliyev is determined to match the Armenian
military budget in a year or two. The state treasury in the meantime
is not the only source of finances poured into development of the
national army. Azerbaijani Armed Forces Assistance Foundation was
established on August 17, 2002. There is more than $3 million in
its bank accounts nowadays. The money may be used for development of
the army, design, production, maintenance, and upgrade of military
hardware, military research, weapons procurement, and so on.

The process of adaptation of the regular army to NATO standards is
gaining momentum in the meantime. Colonel Ramiz Meliko, Chief of the
Defense Ministry PR Department, claims that the process will be over
by 2008.

Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, August 15, 2006, p. 6

Translated by A. Ignatkin