BAKU WANTS PEACE IN CAUCASUS, ALIYEV ASSURES

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan's defense expenses will equal Armenia's budget next year, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev stated in an interview with Yleisradio Finnish State TV and Radio Company reporter, made public in Baku Thursday. Speaking of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Aliyev said, "We want to solve the issue via peaceful talks." "However, when we see it is not possible, we do not have any other choice," he said. "Thus, military expenses grow in Azerbaijan. Next year we increase defense spending two times and it will be a large sum," the Azeri President remarked. "Next year our defense spending will equal Armenia's budget," he emphasized. "We should not be impelled or made to resort to steps like those," the Azeri President said. "We do not want it, we want peace in the Caucasus, we want to normally develop our country - both economically and politically," he remarked. "However, we cannot put up with occupation," he emphasized. "Thus the OSCE and its Minsk Group have a key role in settlement of the conflict," Aliyev said. Speaking of the opportunity of coming to terms with Armenia, Aliyev noted that "opportunities are of course available for that and coming to terms is very easy. It is merely necessary to concentrate and base oneself on the international law." Territorial integrity of any country is an essential element of the international law," Aliyev emphasized. "International law is on our side, political processes are on our side," the Azeri President is convinced." "Thus the solution of the problem is very simple - the Armenian leaders should find will and withdraw from occupied territories, form normal life conditions, including for their own people," Aliyev supposes. "When communications, borders open, transportation of loads through territories of our countries will start and the normal process will begin," he noted. "I hope we will see the day it happens soon," the Azeri leader said, reported RIA Novosti.