Tweet
TOP OFFICIAL: ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP ACTIVATES MILITARIZATION IN THE COUNTRY
Trend
Nov 7 2012
Azerbaijan
In 2012, Armenia's expenditure budget made up $2.2 billion, and the
deficit of its budget will hit $326.5 million (about 14.5 percent of
the budget) during the year, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration
Political Analysis and Information Provision Department head Elnur
Aslanov told journalists on Wednesday.
He said allocations for Armenia's military needs this year will be
more than 17 percent of expenditure budget.
"While in Azerbaijan this figure hits 8.1 percent this year. According
to the plan for 2013, Armenia plans to spend $450 million on military
expenditures, which is over 16 percent of the expenditure budget. One
should note for comparison that the corresponding ratio (military
expenditures to expenditure budget - editor's note) for 2013 in
Azerbaijan will hit only 7.7 percent," Aslanov said.
If to compare percentage of military expenditures in the budgets of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is obvious that in Armenia, the figure is at
least two times higher than the relevant data on Azerbaijan, he said.
"It is a clear demonstration of the high level of militarization
of Armenia. All this happens with disastrous social and economic
situation in the background, while the ruling elite is trying to
retain power through pressure on society and speculation around
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Because after the collapse of the
Armenian economy in 2009, it losses were two-digit, but the rise, which
the Armenian government has been talking about since 2010, is relative
to the previous year and remains in single digit. Therefore, Armenia's
economy has not bounced back to pre-crisis level," Aslanov said.
He said by trying to preserve the status quo in the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the Armenian leadership aggravates
not only socio-economic situation in the country, depriving young
generation of full-blown future, but once again demonstrates that it
is not interested in peace and stability in the region.
"Thus, any statements made by the Armenian leadership on its alleged
desire for peace and security in the region will crumble as house of
cards against the background of constant militarization of the state
and xenophobic statements by Armenian President," Aslanov said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.
Trend
Nov 7 2012
Azerbaijan
In 2012, Armenia's expenditure budget made up $2.2 billion, and the
deficit of its budget will hit $326.5 million (about 14.5 percent of
the budget) during the year, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration
Political Analysis and Information Provision Department head Elnur
Aslanov told journalists on Wednesday.
He said allocations for Armenia's military needs this year will be
more than 17 percent of expenditure budget.
"While in Azerbaijan this figure hits 8.1 percent this year. According
to the plan for 2013, Armenia plans to spend $450 million on military
expenditures, which is over 16 percent of the expenditure budget. One
should note for comparison that the corresponding ratio (military
expenditures to expenditure budget - editor's note) for 2013 in
Azerbaijan will hit only 7.7 percent," Aslanov said.
If to compare percentage of military expenditures in the budgets of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is obvious that in Armenia, the figure is at
least two times higher than the relevant data on Azerbaijan, he said.
"It is a clear demonstration of the high level of militarization
of Armenia. All this happens with disastrous social and economic
situation in the background, while the ruling elite is trying to
retain power through pressure on society and speculation around
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Because after the collapse of the
Armenian economy in 2009, it losses were two-digit, but the rise, which
the Armenian government has been talking about since 2010, is relative
to the previous year and remains in single digit. Therefore, Armenia's
economy has not bounced back to pre-crisis level," Aslanov said.
He said by trying to preserve the status quo in the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the Armenian leadership aggravates
not only socio-economic situation in the country, depriving young
generation of full-blown future, but once again demonstrates that it
is not interested in peace and stability in the region.
"Thus, any statements made by the Armenian leadership on its alleged
desire for peace and security in the region will crumble as house of
cards against the background of constant militarization of the state
and xenophobic statements by Armenian President," Aslanov said.
The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group - Russia, France, and the U.S. -
are currently holding the peace negotiations.
Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council's four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.