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AZERI ARMY TO BE READY TO RECLAIM KARABAKH - LEADER
AzTV, Azerbaijan
June 26 2013
President Ilham Aliyev has urged the Azerbaijani army to be ready to
reclaim the breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh.
"Azerbaijan is at war [with Armenia]. The war is not over yet... Our
army should be ready to restore [Azerbaijan's] territorial integrity at
any moment and by any means," Aliyev said in an address to a military
parade held in Baku on 26 June on the occasion of Armed Forces
Days. State-run television broadcast the speech and the parade live.
Aliyev said that "strong Azerbaijan is ready to speak to weak Armenia
in any language". He, however, stressed that Baku "still prefer talks
for the sake of regional stability".
He added that Azerbaijan would restore its territorial integrity.
"Azerbaijan's flag will wave in Nagornyy Karabakh and the other
occupied lands [Azerbaijan's seven districts around Karabakh], Xankandi
[Khankandi; Stepanakert], Susa [Shusha]," he said.
Aliyev said at the same time that the OSCE-mediated talks to resolve
the conflict with Armenia over breakaway Karabakh are still under way.
Defence budget reaches 3.7bn dollars
Aliyev said the country's defence budget reached 3.7bn dollars in 2013.
"I can say for comparison that our military budget was 163m dollars
in 2003. This figure stood at 3.6bn dollars last year and it is 3.7bn
dollars this year," Aliyev said.
Military production on rise
Aliyev went on to say: "About 100 military and transport helicopters
have been purchased over the past months. Dozens of warplanes and
state-of-the-art systems have been purchased. Armoured vehicles,
state-of-the-art tanks and artillery systems have been purchased and
they are capable of hitting any enemy target."
Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan has dozens of military plants, which
produce 750 kinds of products.
"We produce all kinds of cartridges, pistols, assault rifles,
machine-guns, grenade-launchers, mortars, aviation bombs, armoured
vehicles, sniper rifles, unmanned aircraft. All these are produced in
Azerbaijan and we have big plans to strengthen local production in
the future. We already have a very strong military industry... Our
export opportunities are increasing. This shows that any task
can be implemented if only there is will and a well thought-out
policy. We purchase state-of-the-art military hardware from abroad
and simultaneously we are strengthening local production," he said.
Parade
Aliyev's speech, which lasted 18 minutes, was followed by the parade
to mark the 95th anniversary of the country's armed forces. It started
at 0528 gmt and ended at 0619 gmt.
The parade featured soldiers of various forces and a variety of
hardware, including tanks, S-300 missiles, the Buk-MB anti-missile
defence system, Mi-35M helicopters, and also warships which were
anchored in the Baku Bay near the parade venue - the city's main
Azadliq square.
On 25 June, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press service said that
over 5,000 troops, about 300 pieces of military hardware, over 100
aircraft and helicopters and about 40 ships and boats would take part
in the parade.
BBCM note: Azerbaijan, which held its latest military parade in 2011,
is locked in a conflict with Armenia over its breakaway Nagornyy
Karabakh region which came under the control of ethnic Armenians during
a war in the early 1990s. The sides signed a cease-fire agreement
in 1994. Years of internationally-mediated talks have since failed
to produce a permanent peace agreement. In 2005, Azerbaijan set up
the Defence Industry Ministry which designs and manufactures various
kinds of weapons. Azerbaijan also purchases arms from Israel, Russia,
Turkey, Ukraine and the Republic of South Africa.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
AzTV, Azerbaijan
June 26 2013
President Ilham Aliyev has urged the Azerbaijani army to be ready to
reclaim the breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh.
"Azerbaijan is at war [with Armenia]. The war is not over yet... Our
army should be ready to restore [Azerbaijan's] territorial integrity at
any moment and by any means," Aliyev said in an address to a military
parade held in Baku on 26 June on the occasion of Armed Forces
Days. State-run television broadcast the speech and the parade live.
Aliyev said that "strong Azerbaijan is ready to speak to weak Armenia
in any language". He, however, stressed that Baku "still prefer talks
for the sake of regional stability".
He added that Azerbaijan would restore its territorial integrity.
"Azerbaijan's flag will wave in Nagornyy Karabakh and the other
occupied lands [Azerbaijan's seven districts around Karabakh], Xankandi
[Khankandi; Stepanakert], Susa [Shusha]," he said.
Aliyev said at the same time that the OSCE-mediated talks to resolve
the conflict with Armenia over breakaway Karabakh are still under way.
Defence budget reaches 3.7bn dollars
Aliyev said the country's defence budget reached 3.7bn dollars in 2013.
"I can say for comparison that our military budget was 163m dollars
in 2003. This figure stood at 3.6bn dollars last year and it is 3.7bn
dollars this year," Aliyev said.
Military production on rise
Aliyev went on to say: "About 100 military and transport helicopters
have been purchased over the past months. Dozens of warplanes and
state-of-the-art systems have been purchased. Armoured vehicles,
state-of-the-art tanks and artillery systems have been purchased and
they are capable of hitting any enemy target."
Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan has dozens of military plants, which
produce 750 kinds of products.
"We produce all kinds of cartridges, pistols, assault rifles,
machine-guns, grenade-launchers, mortars, aviation bombs, armoured
vehicles, sniper rifles, unmanned aircraft. All these are produced in
Azerbaijan and we have big plans to strengthen local production in
the future. We already have a very strong military industry... Our
export opportunities are increasing. This shows that any task
can be implemented if only there is will and a well thought-out
policy. We purchase state-of-the-art military hardware from abroad
and simultaneously we are strengthening local production," he said.
Parade
Aliyev's speech, which lasted 18 minutes, was followed by the parade
to mark the 95th anniversary of the country's armed forces. It started
at 0528 gmt and ended at 0619 gmt.
The parade featured soldiers of various forces and a variety of
hardware, including tanks, S-300 missiles, the Buk-MB anti-missile
defence system, Mi-35M helicopters, and also warships which were
anchored in the Baku Bay near the parade venue - the city's main
Azadliq square.
On 25 June, the Azerbaijani Defence Ministry press service said that
over 5,000 troops, about 300 pieces of military hardware, over 100
aircraft and helicopters and about 40 ships and boats would take part
in the parade.
BBCM note: Azerbaijan, which held its latest military parade in 2011,
is locked in a conflict with Armenia over its breakaway Nagornyy
Karabakh region which came under the control of ethnic Armenians during
a war in the early 1990s. The sides signed a cease-fire agreement
in 1994. Years of internationally-mediated talks have since failed
to produce a permanent peace agreement. In 2005, Azerbaijan set up
the Defence Industry Ministry which designs and manufactures various
kinds of weapons. Azerbaijan also purchases arms from Israel, Russia,
Turkey, Ukraine and the Republic of South Africa.
[Translated from Azeri]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress