POLITICAL ANALYST: AZERBAIJANI MILITARY BUDGET BUILDUP IS MERE BLUFF

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 25, 2006

YEREVAN, August 25. /ARKA/. Azerbaijani military budget buildup is nothing more than a mere bluff, an independent political analyst, Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told journalists on Friday.

In his words, allotted money fails to reach destination and come back to the pockets of those allotted it.

The expert pointed out that the military equipment Azerbaijan bought recently from Ukraine and Belarus for $900mln is "scrap metal". He said the tanks bought for $1.2mln each were produced in 1941 and there is no ammunition for them.

"Azerbaijan's armament doesn't outstrip that of Karabakh. More than that - Nagorno Karabakh must be armed 5 times better than Azerbaijan.


"We must do it without looking at international agreements and quotas. First of all, we have to think about own security", Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

Speaking about Azerbaijani army, he said 5 thousand soldiers have died since 1994 of diseases and hunger.

However, the political analyst thinks that the situation can change.

That's why he views it necessary to remain vigilant always. M.V.-0---