Yunusov: Azerbaijan Tries to Create Illusion of Resumption of Hostilities

PanARMENIAN.Net - Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev stated in an interview with the Voyenno-Promyshlenny Vestnik (military and industrial bulletin) that the Ministry of Defense Industry, which is being formed by a decree signed by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev 16th December, 2005, will produce "all types of arms." "The forming of the Ministry will have positive outcomes," he stated. "We will produce all types of arms necessary to the Azeri army," he added. The new Ministry will be formed on the basis of the State Committee of Special Mechanical Engineering and Conversion. The Azeri Government should work out and present proposals to the Azeri leader on the regulations and structure of the Ministry. Some Azeri political scientists have been stating for a long time that a country facing a threat of resumption of the war needs a Ministry of Defense Industry. Today the needs of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan are met basically owing

to Russia and Ukraine. Many specialists link forming of a Ministry of Defense Industry with possible resumption of hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh.



However, head of the Department of Conflictology of Baku Institute of Peace and Democracy Arif Yunusov disagrees. In his opinion, Azerbaijan is merely trying to form an illusion of resumption of hostilities. "Azerbaijan wants to show its power and capacities in the Karabakh talks," Yunusov said. By forming the Ministry of Defense Industry, Azerbaijan wants to get additional leverage for putting pressure upon Armenia, the Azeri political scientist said. "It is clear that as soon as the Karabakh accord is signed (of course, if it happens), the Ministry of Defense Industry will turn into an idle structure and will be abolished," he said, reported RFE/RL.