Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 13 / Trend M. Aliyev /
Azerbaijan's state budget expenditure on financial maintenance of foreign policy for 2011 was increased, MP Samad Seyidov, chairman of the parliamentary committee on international relations and interparliamentary relations, said at a sitting of the Azerbaijani Parliament.
"Roughly 100 million manat was allocated in this budget to maintain basic directions of Azerbaijan's foreign policy," Seyidov said.
He said that about 51 million manat was allocated to maintain Azerbaijani embassies, consulates and permanent representations in 2011, 34 million manat to organize events abroad, 15 million manat to improve the international image of Azerbaijan.
He said that at present, Azerbaijan has 66 embassies and consulates abroad.
"Despite the global financial crisis, Azerbaijan does not close them but opens new embassies," Seyidov said.