Azerbaijan: Security AssistanceBureau of Political-Military AffairsWashington, DC July 16, 2008  Background: Azerbaijan - a nation with a majority-Turkic and majority-Muslim population - was briefly independent from 1918 to 1920; it regained its independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 600,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict. Corruption is ubiquitous, and the government has been accused of authoritarianism. Although the poverty rate has been reduced in recent years, the promise of widespread wealth from development of Azerbaijan's energy sector remains largely unfulfilled. (Source: CIA—The World Factbook)Security Assistance Funding: (Source: 2009 Congressional Budget Justifications for Foreign Operations) ($ in thousands)
Direct Commercial Sales: (Source: 2007 Section 655 Report) In FY 2007, the Department of State authorized the export of defense articles and services valued at $2,525,403. |
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