Experts: Azerbaijani President's impressive leadership generated trust in Azerbaijan among its allies

The National Defense Strategy and modernization of all branches of Armed Forces in the Republic of Azerbaijan has been the top priority of the President of Azerbaijan H. E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, US political expert, Professor at the University of Marquette (Wisconsin) Peter Tase told Report.

One year has passed since the re-election of Ilham Aliyev as the President of Azerbaijan. He has always attached and will continue to attach particular attention to the development of the army, its strengthening, military-technical equipment, not only because of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem, but also given the fact that a strong army is a factor in the independence of the state and its independent policy not only in a regional context, but also globally.

"These swift actions and impressive leadership towards safeguarding the territorial sovereignty of Azerbaijan have generated trust among Azerbaijan's allies and western partners," Tase said.

In his opinion, the modernization, strengthening of Azerbaijani Armed Forces has provided and stimulated a constant economic growth in the country, increased Foreign Direct Investments, attracted prestigious international corporations and made Azerbaijan a trusted partners of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)."

"Strong and well trained Armed Forces of Azerbaijan will deter the enemy (Armenian Armed Forces that persistently violate the ceasefire every day will not have the moral nor desire to attack, for more than thirty years sovereign territory of Azerbaijan is invaded and plundered by Armenian Troops and 'political-business elite'), eliminate the intention of a large scale military invasion from Armenia against territories of Azerbaijan and buttress Azerbaijan's economic development and national-regional infrastructure projects. ", the US expert concluded.

US political expert, Professor at the University of Marquette (Wisconsin) Peter Tase

These swift actions and impressive leadership towards safeguarding the territorial sovereignty of Azerbaijan have generated trust among Azerbaijan's allies and western partners.

Peter Tase

American political scientist, expert in Transatlantic Relations Peter Tase

"The line of the Azerbaijani leadership aimed at strengthening the armed forces has been marked by persistence over the years.  The course taken from the mid-2000s towards major modernization of the Azerbaijani army has made it possible to achieve much over the years," Russian military expert Yuri Lyamin said to Report.

According to him, the Azerbaijani army undoubtedly is leading within the South Caucasus both in terms of purely quantitative indicators and equipment with various modern weapons.

He pointed out that though the decline in world energy prices in 2014-2016 led to a serious reduction in the defense budget compared with peak indicators, Azerbaijan still maintains a fairly high level of military spending, which allows us to continue purchasing new weapons and modernizing existing ones.

Russian military expert Yuri Lyamin

The course taken from the mid-2000s towards major modernization of the Azerbaijani army has made it possible to achieve much over the years.

Yuriy Lyamin

Rusiyalı hərbi ekspert Yuri Liamin

Along with this, the president always paid great attention to the social protection of Karabakh war veterans, as well as to the families who lost their relatives in  the years of war.

Notably, on April 19, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree on additional measures to strengthen social protection of family members of servicemen who died for the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, who died and were recognized as missing during military operations.

According to the decree, the heirs of the servicemen who died for the territorial integrity of the republic, who died and were recognized as missing during military operations before August 2, 1997, will receive a lump sum payment in the amount of AZN 11,000.

According to Azerbaijani military expert Uzeyir Jafarov, the signing of this decree will give an additional impetus to patriotic education in Azerbaijan.

"Of course, we are particularly glad that the president, as the commander-in-chief, says that in the future all war veterans - not only those who take part in Great Patriotic War, but also in Afghanistan fights and in other states - will always be under the tutelage of the state," the expert said.

He also added that the president of the country controls the housing problems of the families of martyrs, their health, as well as their other social problems.

"The state pays due attention to those sections of our society who are entitled to this. These are people who went through the war, these are the families of fellow citizens who sacrifice their lives for the security of Azerbaijan, for its territorial integrity. The state in this way should take care of its defenders," the expert said.