SEPARATISTS MANIFEST MILITARY ACTIVENESS
by R. Manafly

Source: Echo (Baku), November 22, 2006, p. EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
November 27, 2006 Monday

Azerbaijani experts explain this by the visit of Arkady Gukasyan to
the US and increase of military expenditures of Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Experts Point At Growing Military Activeness In
Nagorno-Karabakh; Lately, Armenian separatists started taking active
military measures.

Azerbaijan should express decisive protest about actions of Armenian
separatists on the occupied territories. Well-known military expert
Uzeir Dzhafarov said this in a conversation with Echo.

Lately, Armenian separatists started taking active military measures.

For instance, on November 20, units of the armed forces of Armenia
started large-scale military exercises on the occupied territories of
the Agdam District of Azerbaijan. The exercises are conducted mostly
in Uzunder village. Explosions are heard on the territories where
the armed forces of Armenia are having military exercises.

In the framework of the combat training plan of the armed forces of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic for 2006, competition of commanders of
mechanized infantry and tank companies was conducted in one of the
training military units. For five days commanders demonstrated their
skills in use of armament and improved their field skills. Regnum
reports that such events are organized in the armed forces of
Armenian separatists regularly with participation of commanders of
various levels.

Really, Dzhafarov points out that now the separatist armed forces
manifest excessive military activeness on the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan. Along with this, the military expert does not rule out
that this time rattling sabers is connected with trip of leader of
Armenian separatists Arkady Gukasyan to the US. Dzhafarov stresses,
"It is possible that the exercises about which we hear today are a
part of a military plan developed by Armenian separatists."

According to Dzhafarov, military exercises are conducted on the
occupied Azerbaijani territories that incur serious damage on
environment of the region. Dzhafarov warns that this damage is much
bigger than the damage from the summer arsons.

The expert says that he is amazed by the indifference of the Foreign
Ministry and Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan. Official stance of the
ministries remains unknown still.

In turn, Ilgar Mamedov, another military expert, presumes that growing
activeness of Armenian separatists in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
is connected primarily with statements of Azerbaijani authorities
about regaining the occupied territories in a military way that have
grown more frequent. The expert presumes, "Such statements of state
officials have sounded very often lately and it is possible to say
that this scares Armenia."

According to Mamedov, the growing Armenian military activeness is
also a result of the statements of Azerbaijani authorities regarding
an intention to spend up to $1 billion on military needs of the
country. Mamedov points out, "How can Armenian military stay quiet
if their budget, according to the most optimistic forecasts, will not
exceed $300 million? That is why Armenian separatists try to manifest
activeness in the military field."