An important event in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process took place on October 27 in Astrakhan, Armenia’s top diplomat said.

“By the initiative and participation of the President of Russian Federation, the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan met to discuss the details of the NK conflict resolution process. Following the meeting, a joint statement was issued, which emphasized that for the settlement of the issue through political-diplomatic means it is necessary to make additional steps towards the strengthening of mutual confidence building measures in military sphere as well as in consolidation of the cease-fire regime. As a first step an agreement was reached to exchange prisoners of war and the return of bodies,” Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said in his address to the Indian Council on Foreign Relations.

“After Astrakhan meeting the agreed exchanges began to take place. It is deplorable that even this exchange was used by Azerbaijan for manipulating the public opinion,” he said.

“On November 7 during a special ceremony organized on this occasion President Ilham Aliyev reiterated his claim that Azerbaijan is ready to use military force for conflict resolution. He proclaimed as a national hero an Azerbaijani soldier, who killed five and wounded three Armenians during a subversive attack on the line of contact, stating that “there are tens of thousands of such heroes … waiting for the order of the Supreme Commander”. Azerbaijani leader made numerous references to the martyrdom -“shahids”- by playing on religious feelings of the Azerbaijani population saying that it would be an inspiration for the young generations to emulate. He went on to claim that his country “not only has a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, military equipment, military capabilities, its army is also enjoying greater elation.” Even speaking before children, at the opening ceremony of a school, President Aliyev again resorted to saber-rattling, stressing that Armenia and its capital Yerevan are native Azerbaijani lands,” the Minister went on.

“This is not Germany in 1939, but Azerbaijan in 2010. Between 2004 and 2011, just in seven years, the military budget of that country has grown almost by at least 18 times. (from 174 million USD in 2004 to more than 3,2 billion USD in 2011). And it almost doubled from 2010 to 2011. If it was 10% of its GDP this year, in 2011 it will be around 20%,” he emphasized.

“The wounds of the previous war, unleashed by Baku, have not yet been recovered, while Azerbaijan is preparing for new adventures. And the money stemming from oil revenues are directed at funding new military adventures.”