Azerbaijan increases its military potential

In 2004 the Azeri Defence Ministry's budget was USD 175 million, in 2005 it rose to USD 300 million, and in 2006 it more than doubled again to USD 660 million and is expected to increase yet again to a whopping USD 1 billion within two years.

According to Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's military budget will become equal to that of Armenia's entire state budget. Azerbaijan and Armenia are locked in a bitter conflict over Azerbaijan's separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which is predominately Armenian populated, and broke away from Baku's control following a bloody war in the early nineties.

Currently the Armenian army (including the Nagorno-Karabakh army) and Azeri army are about the same size. Many believe Armenian solders are better trained and equipped. They maintain their military means in cooperation with Russia, however the rapid development of the Azeri army might be causing some alarm.

Besides purchasing military equipment, the Azeri army is going to move towards NATO standards. One of this country's main military forces, made up of 20 percent of Azeri soldiers, is planned to meet NATO standards in 2007.

This summer a Turkish general will be appointed deputy defence minister of Azerbaijan who will carry out a development programme through 2011. Their key aim is for the Azeri army to move closer and closer towards NATO standards. The Messenger