April 15, 2008 - 18:22 AMT
Karabakh conflict will be resolved in Azerbaijan's favor, Aliyev says
In 2008 Azerbaijan's military expenses will reach $2 billion, Azerbaijan's President said.

"The key issue is resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and restoration of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. All political steps we took for the purpose proved successful," Ilham Aliyev told a government session Monday.

He made special mention of the resolution "On the situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan" that was passed in the UN General Assembly despite opposition of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries.

"This is the proof of our strength," Aliyev said.

He stressed that "Azerbaijan will never make concessions as regards its territorial integrity." "The conflict will be resolved in our favor," Aliyev stated.

"Participants of the recent NATO summit were unanimous on resolution of the Karabakh conflict in the framework of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Other influential organizations, including the UN, CoE and OIC hold the same opinion," Aliyev said.

"All international organizations support us. Under the circumstances it would be unserious to expect us to compromise. I want to reiterate that our participation in talks is already a big trade-off. We will continue our diplomatic and political activity and we will continue our well-grounded propaganda against Armenia, the aggressor," he said, Interfax reports.