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  • Azeri military spending increases

    UPI United Press International
    August 26, 2005 Friday 2:25 PM EST

    Azeri military spending increases

    BAKU, Azerbaijan


    Azerbaijan's Assa-Irada news agency reported that President Ilham
    Aliyev said Azerbaijan's military spending will continue to rise.

    During remarks to a ceremony marking the 86th anniversary of
    Azerbaijan's frontier guard troops Aliyev said that in 2005
    Azerbaijan's military expenses rose 76 percent to $300 million,
    adding, "I have issued instructions to ensure the growth will
    continue next year.

    Increasing military potential will affect the conflict settlement.
    The Armenian leadership should understand that we will not yield our
    land."

    The Azeri government is carefully reviewing its military expenditures
    to bring them in line with the overall budget of Armenia. Aliyev
    noted that Armenia is not able to compete with Azerbaijan in the
    political, economic or military fields and the difference "will be
    even greater in the future." Referring to the country's booming oil
    revenues Aliyev said that Azerbaijan's surging economic development
    will allow it to achieve a peaceful settlement of the
    Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper Garabagh conflict, for which strengthening
    Azerbaijan's armed forces will be crucial.

    During his address Aliyev emphasized that Azerbaijan is pursuing an
    "open-door" policy, as its borders are "a key condition for the
    independence of the state. Those trying to enter the country with bad
    intentions should know that our state borders are strongly
    protected."
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