BAKU ALLEGES "ARMENIAN LOBBY" BRIBED WORLD BANK NOT TO GIVE CREDITS TO AZERBAIJAN

PanARMENIAN.Net - Minister of Finance of Azerbaijan Avez Alekperov has made a sensational statement. In his words, there are some forces in the World Bank that work in favor of Armenian lobby and hamper giving credits to Azerbaijan. He did not name anyone concretely. The interest of the World Bank to Azerbaijan has really decreased recently. Because of the failure in implementing the poverty reduction program by the Government payment of the next trench credit SAC-2 to the country is being retarded. Baku considers this delay to be the consequence of "Armenian intrigues" in the reality. Meanwhile the Armenian Government does not connect the delay of the trench credit SAC-4 payment promised by the WB to Armenia with "Azeri intrigues." The Baku press is worried by the present situation and writes that the problems emerged through the fault of "the pro-Armenian elements hidden in the depths of the World Bank" can cause failure to carry out the year 2002 budget. Baku authorities threaten that if the WB does not change its policy towards Azerbaijan it will refuse the bank credits and will sever relationships with it.