AZERI ARMY STRONGEST IN SOUTH CAUCASUS – DEFENCE MINISTRY

Day.az website, Baku
26 Jun 07

Azerbaijan’s growing economy has enabled it to build the strongest
army of the South Caucasus, the Defence Ministry has said.

In an interview published by Day.az website on 26 June, ministry
spokesman Ilqar Verdiyev said: "I can say with confidence that today
Azerbaijan’s army is the strongest in the South Caucasus."

Verdiyev noted that Azerbaijan’s military expenditure had grown nearly
sevenfold over the past four years – from 135m dollars in 2003 to
1bn dollars in 2007.

The country is also reforming its army to bring it in line with NATO
standards, Verdiyev said, adding that many military units, as well
as military airfields and the Navy were being modernized.

"The process of bringing the armed forces in line with NATO standards
has not finished yet, but it is being continued successfully," the
ministry spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Safar Abiyev demanded that Armenia pull
its troops out of Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. Otherwise, the
Azerbaijani people and army will regain control of the territories
by force, Abiyev said, speaking at an Army Day ceremony in Baku on
25 June. Azerbaijan’s armed forces are in a position to do so, Turan
news agency quoted the defence minister as saying.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress