“Armenia’s military budget could never be compared with ours, especially in recent years, when Azerbaijan's economy began to develop at a greater pace,“Member of the Security and Defense Committee of Azerbaijani Milli Majlis (parliament) Zahid Oruj said commenting on media reports claiming Armenia will reduce its military budget by 30 percent.
“Even if we take development of Armenia's military sector both in general and development of its individual components, such as moral stability of army, fighting ability, weapons, Azerbaijan will outperform them to a great extent,“he said.
““In recent years, Armenia has not enhanced fighting capacity, it relies only on Russia’s help,” the MP said.
“With regard to reducing military budget of Armenia, it will deepen even more the gap between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the military sphere and increase our competitive advantage,” Oruj said.
“Critical economic situation in Armenia, of course, is reflected in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Compared with previous years, Armenia has changed his tactics and tone in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, because it feels the full force and might of Azerbaijan,” he added.
“I hope that the situation in Armenia will persist even further and Armenians will have to finally change their stance on Karabakh,” the MP said.
STATUS QUO IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS INCREASINGLY UNTENABLE: INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP
“Armenia and Azerbaijan should endorse a document on basic principles to end stalemate on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by the end of the year, or they will face an eventual return to full-scale hostilities,” said the International Crisis Group in its latest policy briefing “Nagorno-Karabakh: Getting to a Breakthrough,” which examines
The International Crisis Group concludes there is reason for optimism that the political stalemate can be broken in today's more supportive regional environment.
However, it also warns that both governments and the international community must step up their efforts, as the status quo is increasingly untenable.
“Although a deliberate military offensive from either side is unlikely in the near future, the ceasefire that ended active hostilities fifteen years ago is increasingly fragile,” says Lawrence Sheets, Crisis Group's Caucasus Project Director.
“There has been a steady increase in the frequency and intensity of armed skirmishes that could unintentionally spark a wider conflict.”
The International Crisis Group calls on the international community, in particular the U.S., France and Russia as
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