AZERI COMMANDER BOASTS: My Troops Ready For Military Op's In Karabakh

(26.09.2006 - Baku)


During an interview with the Azeri Press Agency (APA), General Lieutenant Zakir Hasanov, Commander of Azerbaijan's Interior Troops, commented that his forces are "prepared to interfere in the Karabakh conflict at any time."

Hasanov added that while Azeri "Interior Troops are usually employed to fight armed crimes and to preserve public order, his forces could solve the Karabakh conflict if not for the presence of soldiers and heavy weapons from Armenia proper."

According to Hasanov, Azeri Interior Troops have been trained and equipped by Turkey since 1997. He concluded the interview by stating that, "special detachments of Interior Troops are presently being trained for a variety of special operations that can be executed in conjunction with regular army forces."

Azeri Parliament Tends To Favor Military Solution

In a related story out of Baku, a majority of Azeri Parliament members voted in favor of a military solution to the Karabakh conflict in a survey conducted by the Azeri Press Agency. Only a small number of MP's thought the issue should be resolved through peaceful means.