Azerbaijan has achieved great successes in the interaction with NATO under the Partnership for Program. In 2006, 600 Azerbaijani military participated in 178 training under the aegis of NATO. The statement was made Ganira Pashayeva, an Azerbaijani parliamentary representative to the PACE, during the discussions over the draft resolution on Human Rights in the armies of CE member-states, a correspondent of Trend, dispatched to Strasbourg to cover PACE spring session reports.
MP noted that since 1997 the training of specialists at the Azerbaijani military universities have been conducted at NATO standards.
He stressed the necessity of considering the fact that 70% of the composition of the Azerbaijani National Army are in trenches. Azerbaijan is in condition of undeclared war with Armenia, which occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani territory.
We have definite problems, but the budget of the Azerbaijani armed forces grows constantly. If in 2005 the public budget assignments for military need comprised $300m, in 2006 it was doubled.
It all releases definite problems and enables to normalize terms of military service, first of all the soldiers and sergeants, she underlined.
Besides, Pashayeva in reply statement by Armenian delegates on the necessity of rapid conviction of an Azerbaijani officer, who is accused of assassination of Ramil Safarov, at the Hungarian court, she said, I want to inform the member of the PACE that Safarov is from a refugee family and his native lands are currently under the Armenian occupation. He saw with own eyes the murder of many members of his family and it could not pass by on the bringing up.
Draft report 10861 had been developed by a Bulgarian MP, Alexander Arabajiyev, and presented to the PACE on 24 March 2006.