June 27, 2011 - 19:13 AMT
David Babayan: Azerbaijan reluctant to compromise and impossible to agree with

June 26 military parade in Baku once again proved that no constructive steps may be expected from Azerbaijan, Head of the Central Information Department of the NKR President's Office David Babayan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

“This statement demonstrates the destructive policy of Azerbaijan”, said Babayan, commenting on Ilham Aliyev’s statement during the parade, adding that, as a rule, they get ready for suchlike parades and speeches beforehand.

“Aliyev several times stressed that their territories have been allegedly occupied, that Karabakh belongs to Azerbaijan and that present Armenia is allegedly based on historic lands of Azerbaijan, while the speaker at the parade noted several times that they must occupy Stepanakert and Shushi. In this situation there are no grounds to expect something constructive from such state,” Head of the Central Information Department of the NKR President's Office said.

According to him, Azerbaijan doesn’t mean to show that all means of peaceful settlement of disputes are exhausted and it will start a new war. “If Baku had enough potential, they would have already started a war,” Babayan said adding that, nevertheless, we should not calm down and hope that Azerbaijan will never start a war.

“This is a reference point prompting us that we must continue to strengthen our Army. We shall not be able to come to an agreement with this country, as it is not ready to consider great number of national minority there, to make a compromise in the nation’s right for self-determination,” said Artsakh representative.

“OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries should first of all feel worried for this policy of Azerbaijan,” concluded Babayan.

Speaking before the beginning of a military parade dated to the Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan will continue building up its military might. “I am absolutely sure that our territorial integrity will be restored in any way. To this end we must be even stronger," he said in Baku “While in 2003 our military expenditures amounted to $160million, in 2010 - to $2.15 billion, this year the figure has reached $3.3 billion,” he said adding that today Azerbaijan's military expenditures exceed Armenia's entire national budget by 50%. Aliyev said that military spending will continue to remain the top priority in the national budget until Armenia signs a peace agreement.