AZERI AUTHORITIES PREPARE TO WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net - A large-scale action of gathering funds for the national army is launched in Azerbaijan: money is being accumulated on the account of the Fund for assistance to armed forces created by order of President Heydar Aliyev. As reported by "De Facto" agency, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" Russian newspaper writes this. Analysts consider the formation of such a fund as evidence of authorities' preparation to military solution of the Karabakh problem. And this script of developments may just become Aliyev's best PR-step not long before presidential elections in the country, the newspaper article notes. At least the public opinion, on forming of which skilled political image makers work, is inclined to supporting military action in Karabakh. It is not casual that the idea of settling the matter by military means in case the negotiation potential is fully used up is present in virtually all speeches of the head of the Azeri state. It is indicative, the publication author notes, that the defense spending in the state budget bill for next year, which is now being discussed by the Azeri parliament, is 12.3% higher than the same item of the budget of 2002. Commenting on the situation, military expert Azad Isa-zade noted, "By creating such funds the state heaps its own duties on the shoulders of the population. I am sure that our state may lack money for supporting army structures only due to corruption and stealing." And he is not the only person thinking that way, the article notes. Many experts call in question that the funds collected by the people will be spend on meeting the armed forces' needs, and not on raising the life standard of army officials. It looks like the country authorities care not so much of the army condition, as of their own political future, "Nezavisimaya Gazeta" writes.