Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug 23 2007
Azerbaijani President: Azerbaijan Prepared to Liberate Occupied Lands
Any Time
Azerbaijan, Baku / corr S.Agayeva / Azerbaijani army is strengthening
day and by day and is prepared to liberate its lands occupied by the
Armenian armed forces, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said on 23
August in a public meeting in Hajigabul District of Azerbaijan.
The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus began in
1988 due to territorial claims by Armenia against Azerbaijan. Armenia
has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani land including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and its seven surrounding Districts. Since
1992, these territories have been under the occupation of the
Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire
agreement at which time the active hostilities ended. The Co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia, France and USA) are currently
holding peaceful negotiations.
`We take every measure to increase the military efficiency of our
Army,’ the President said. Defense expenses increase in Azerbaijan
and currently the military budget of the country is equal to public
budget of Armenia.
"At present it is impossible to imagine someone attacking on
Azerbaijan,’ Aliyev stressed.
The head of state once more stated the position of Azerbaijan, which
is keen on peaceable resolution of the Armenian -Azerbaijani
conflict.
Hajigabul with the population of 63,000 people is located in 113km of
Baku.
On his arrival, the President participated in the ceremony by laying
the first brick for the Children’s Medical Centre. Nearly 23,000
children live in the district. According to the projects the centre
will be supplied with modern equipment which will be unique in the
district. The construction will be complete within a year.
Ilham Aliyev’s visit to the region of Azerbaijan began on the morning
of 23 August. In Neftchala district, the President visited several
social facilities within the district. After Hajigabul, the President
plans to visit the Alat settlement.