Russia’s Nezavisimaya Gazeta (NG) published an article, which says that “the extreme growth in military expenditures of Baku raises observers’ concerns.
According to Azerbaijani Minister of Finance Samir Sharifov, 90% growth will be recorded in the military budget of the country in 2011 to comprise $3.1bln. Besides, $1.36bln will be spent for the defense industry, while total expenditures of the country’s military and defense budgets will amount to $4.46bln or 8.9% of the Azerbaijani GDP. It should be noted that Georgia had almost the same proportion of defense expenditures to GDP in 2008, prior to its invasion to South Ossetia.”
According to the article author, such level of defense expenditures is an important indication of state’s possible large-scale preparation for a war. And Baku almost does not conceal similar preparation. Recently, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said during a governmental sitting that Azerbaijan produces around 500 types of defense production.
Naturally, a question arises whether large-scale hostilities are possible between Baku and Yerevan for Nagorno Karabakh and how it can affect Russia’s military and political interests. However, Russia made no official statements with respect to this. Moscow still has friendly relations with Baku and states that it has allied relations with Armenia.
According to captain I rank Konstantin Sivkov, who used to manage military construction and military-technical policy in the Center for Military and Strategic Researches at the Russian General Staff, Azerbaijan is getting prepared for large-scale hostilities. “Azerbaijan will make such an attempt late in 2011 or, most likely, in summer of 2012,” he said.
