Azerbaijan has marked the 93rd anniversary of the founding of its Armed Forces with a grand military parade Sunday featuring troops, military hardware and an impressive air-show.
President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev attended the parade.
Defense Minister, Colonel-General Safar Abiyev reported to President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev on the readiness of the troops. The Supreme Commander-in-Chief saluted the troops.
After a military orchestra of the Defense Ministry played Azerbaijan`s National Anthem President, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev made a speech.
The President said the parade marked the 20th anniversary of Azerbaijan`s state independence. He highlighted the country`s achievements in different spheres, particularly army building.
President Aliyev said great job had been done to strengthen the financial and technical resources of the army.
"Social and housing problems of servicemen have been solved, their wages have been raised."
The Head of State said yesterday he signed an executive order raising monthly wages of servicemen and civilian employees at the Defense Ministry.
"The servicemen at the Defense Ministry will see their wages increase 25 percent on average, while the salaries of the ministry`s civilian employees will rise 10 percent on average," he added.
President Aliyev said most of those serving in the army were young people, adding "a particular emphasis is attached to bringing them up in the national spirit, in the spirit of patriotism".
The Head of State said the blood of the martyrs who gave their lives for the country would be avenged.
The Supreme Commander-in-Chief highlighted the country`s military potential.
"The Azerbaijani government has been doing everything to strengthen the country`s military potential."
The President said: "Our military spending has been growing every year. In 2011 our military budget made 3.3 billion dollars. And this is 50% more that the total state budget of Armenia."
"We live in a state of war, and what a country living in a state of war must do, first and foremost, is focusing on army building. And we are doing this," President Aliyev added.
On the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Azerbaijani leader reiterated that his country`s territorial integrity would be restored.
He said Azerbaijan enjoyed a strengthening international image and position.
"We will achieve all our goals...Azerbaijan is a powerful state, and this state has a powerful army."
The parade, held at the capital`s Freedom Square, began with the display of the national flag of Azerbaijan.
Different regiments of the Azerbaijani Army, peacekeeping forces,
Special State Protection Service, National Security Ministry, Internal Troops of the Internal Affairs Ministry and State Frontier Service marched past in all their finery and official decorations.
This was followed by a procession of military hardware, including state-of-the-art artillery systems, automatic mortars, anti-tank guns, howitzers, armour systems, Grad multiple rocket launcher systems, anti-aircraft guns and self-propelled artillery.
The parade culminated with a grand fly-past, which featured Azerbaijan-made unmanned aerial devices, military helicopters, fighter jets, bombers and fighter-bombers.

AzerTAc