Living in Peru : your everyday companion

(LIP-ir) -- Peru will use the majority of the capital in the National Defense Fund to revamp its military and purchase the "necessary" equipment to have "highly operational deterrent forces", announced the Andean country's Minister of Defense yesterday.

Ántero Flores-Aráoz stated that Peru's military would soon be made more powerful, explaining that the government would attempt to establish talks directly with other governments to avoid the interference of third parties.

"We will and have to make the necessary purchases or strengthen (the military) and try to do it government to government to avoid the interference of third parties", said Peru's Defense Minister.

In this new century, countries need to invest in their development as well as focus on reinforcing trust and "having what is necessary and no more", said Ántero Flores-Aráoz.

If another country has more, one cannot expect to have the same, but should have enough to counter, affirmed Flores-Aráoz.

According to Peru's Defense Minister, the country's defense fund receives a portion of the royalties gained by the exploitation of two hydrocarbon blocks in Peru.

Juan Valdivia, Peru's Minister of Economy and Finance also announced that during this year's second semester, the country's defense fund and Peru's Armed Forces as well as the national police would receive twice as much money because of the amount of production at the Camisea gas reserve.