AZERI MINISTER OUTLINES NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITIES

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
28 Mar 07

[Presenter] The National Security Ministry today marked its 88th
anniversary. In this connection, the ministry’s leadership and staff
visited national leader Heydar Aliyev’s grave in the Alley of Honour
and the Martyrs’ Avenue.

[Passage omitted: more on the visit]

Minister Eldar Mahmudov spoke about national security priorities.

[Correspondent over video of Mahmudov addressing a sitting of ministry
officials] There is no obstacle to Azerbaijan in meeting its strategic
objectives.

If there are such obstacles, they are eliminated. The country’s
regional policy potential is being developed. This means that ensuring
the country’s security also helps preserve Azerbaijan’s status as
regional leader.

[Passage omitted: minor details]

[Mahmudov] Armenia is still posing a threat to our country’s security.

Armenian special services have not dismissed their intentions
of creating new separatist hotbeds in Azerbaijan. The Armenian
community of Georgia does not conceal its openly aggressive
attitude towards oil and gas pipelines [Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline] and a
[Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku] railway of regional importance. On
the other hand, hotbeds of tension in the Caucasus in general affect
the security situation in our country.

[Correspondent] Increasing tension over Iran’s nuclear programme,
the deterioration of the situation in conflict areas in Middle East,
as well as the obvious transformation of conflicts into clashes
between religions, requires special sensitivity. The National Security
Ministry’s work is aimed at thoroughly studying the mentioned factors
and identifying appropriate measures in view of the situation in
the region.

[Mahmudov] Discovering and preventing plans and intentions of enemies
and economic rivals, as well as intelligence, sabotage and terrorist
work have been identified as a priority.

[Correspondent] Despite problems with logistics and lack of
staff encountered in the sphere of intelligence in previous years,
significant progress has been achieved in the work of the service. The
counterintelligence service has improved its work in discovering,
preventing and uncovering of intelligence, sabotage and terrorist
work of foreign special services. The minister recalls –

[Mahmudov] As an example, I can cite investigations and trials of
uncovered agents of foreign intelligence services in Azerbaijan
recently. At the same time, the attempts of foreign special services
and international terrorist organizations to commit sabotage in
Azerbaijan using different covers, including religion, should always
be focus of attention.

[Passage omitted: general remarks by the correspondent]