ARMENIA WARNS AZERBAIJAN AGAINST RETAKING REBEL KARABAKH

Public Television of Armenia
April 24 2010

Armenia’s defence minister has warned that Azerbaijan will find itself
in a "disastrous" situation if it uses military force to regain control
of its breakaway Nagornyy Karabakh region and surrounding districts.

"Our advantage over Azerbaijan is that we are trying to resolve all
existing problems and conflicts peacefully," Seyran Ohanyan told
Armenian public television on 24 April. He was commenting on the
Azerbaijani defence minister’s statement that the Azerbaijani army
is capable of hitting any target inside Armenia if war resumes.

"I believe that such statements are of permanent character," Ohanyan
continued. "They are trying to put psychological pressure on us
and the international community. But it is impossible because if
Azerbaijan tries to use force against our people, then it will have
very bad results for Azerbaijan as well. It will develop into a very
disastrous situation because we have our second advantage: we defend
our motherland."

At a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on 23 April, Defence Minister
Safar Abiyev said that the Azerbaijani army is capable of hitting any
position inside Armenia. In a speech broadcast on state television,
Abiyev also said that Azerbaijan had purchased weapons worth of over
1bn dollars in 2009.