Regulations of Ministry of Defense Industry to be presented to President's Office till end of February

APA was informed about it from the former Committee for Special Machine-Building and Conversion.

A commission for abolishment was established in the Committee in connection with establishment of the Ministry and the commission is currently working on the structural changes along with the governmental representatives. MDI is expected to begin official operation from March. It was informed that in parallel with other structures, food and clothes supply of the Armed Forces will be commissioned to MDI. APA was told from the Cabinet of Ministers that preparation of the regulations of MDI will be completed soon. It was reported from the government that the new Ministry will have large functions. Both enterprises producing weapons and machinery and some light industry enterprises will be included in MDI.

The Iinister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev told APA that it is not intended to transfer enterprises operating under his Ministry to MDI: "The new Ministry will mainly be established on the basis of the former Committee for Special Machine-Building and Conversion." At the same time, N.Aliyev said that military industrial complex which is a part of the country’s economy will operate in cooperation with other enterprises. The former chief of the armament and supply office of the Ministry of Defense (MD), colonel Telman Mehdiyev said that munitions factories had existed in Azerbaijan as far back as Soviet Unions' times: "Projectiles, models of some weapons, spare parts of machinery and etc. had been produced in those munitions factories until the collapse of the USSR. In the period of establishment of MD "RPG-7" grenade cup dischargers, 80 and 120 millimeter mortars, "Grad" jet fire systems and other weapons were produced in those factories. The country has got special programmes for switching all strategic enterprises remaining from the Soviet period to the military system. Some enterprises of the military industrial complex of Azerbaijan operate simultaneously with Pakistan, Russia and Ukraine at present."

It should be noted that MDI is established by the presidential decree dated December 16, 2005 on the basis of the former Committee for Special Machine-Building and Conversion. The Ministry was given the function to strengthen the material and technical basis required for country’s defense.