AZERI MILITARY BUDGET TO EQUAL TOTAL ARMENIAN STATE BUDGET – ALIYEV
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire
March 16, 2006 Thursday
Azerbaijan’s military budget will soon equal Armenia’s entire state
budget, said Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“Our military budget is currently about $600 million. I have set
the goal that our military expenditure be increased to the size of
Armenia’s entire state budget in the near future,” Aliyev told the
second world congress of Azeris in Baku on Thursday.
“Armenia will never be able to compete with us. The sooner the Armenian
leadership understands this, the more beneficial it will be for them,”
he said.
Along with the development of its economy, Azerbaijan is also
strengthening its military development, Aliyev said. “Great
significance has been attached to this sphere over the past years
and Azerbaijan’s military budget has been increased every year. For
instance, the military budget was increased by 70% in 2005 compared
with 2004, and it has grown by 100% in 2006. Growth is also expected
in 2007,” the president said.