Daily Georgian Times
March 27 2010
Military Expenditure in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia Increased by
More than 500 Per Cent According to SIPRI
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) publishes
research conducted by Dr. Paul Holtom, Director of the SIPRI Arms
Transfers Programme. SIPRI is an independent international institute
dedicated to research into conflict, armaments, arms control and
disarmament.
According to the research ARMS TRANSFERS TO EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA,
in 2004`2008 the only recorded exports from Kazakhstan were of
anti-tank missiles to Georgia and of two Mi`17 helicopters to
Kyrgyzstan.
In the decade preceding the August 2008 Georgia`Russia conflict in
South Ossetia, military expenditure in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia
increased by more than 500 per cent in real terms. Military reform and
modernization have been offered as justifications for increased
military spending and arms procurement in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
and Russia, but unresolved border disputes, territorial claims and
separatism remain among the main national security threats facing
these countries. Table of the Military expenditure in European and
Central Asia in 1999-2008 is given in the SIPRI background paper,
according to which, Georgian military expenses increased from 39,8
million to 651 million dollars, in Armenia ` from 93 million to 217
million dollars and in Azerbaijan ` from 133 million to 697 million
dollars.
IPN
2010.03.27 14:25
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