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KOCHARIAN TOURS ARMENIAN FRONTLINE POSITIONS
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Oct 25 2006
President Robert Kocharian has conducted a two-day inspection of
Armenian troops deployed along the volatile frontline with Azerbaijan,
his office said on Wednesday.
A statement by the presidential press service in Yerevan said Kocharian
visited "a number of frontline army units" on Monday and Tuesday to
assess their "combat and technical readiness." "The president of the
republic visited firing ranges, followed the course of trainings,
talked to officers and soldiers, and familiarized himself with their
living conditions," it said.
The statement did not specify the location of the inspected units.
But photographs released by Kocharian's office showed the Armenian
leader in the company of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, the
commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh army Lieutenant-General Seyran
Ohanian and Karabakh leader Arkady Ghukasian, suggesting that he
toured heavily militarized areas around the Armenian-controlled
disputed region. The four men, all of them natives of Karabakh,
were shown wearing army uniforms, with Kocharian shaking hands with
soldiers and inspecting their seemingly brand new light weaponry.
Kocharian's previous tour of Armenian frontline positions was reported
in November 2004. His latest inspection coincided with the start of
the Karabakh Armenian army's regular military exercises held near
the no-man's land separating it from Azerbaijani forces. A military
spokesman in Stepanakert was reported to say that Karabakh army units
will practice coordination of their actions in "defense battles and
counteroffensives."
News reports from Baku said residents of Azerbaijani villages located
close to the Karabakh frontline heard powerful explosions late on
Tuesday. Local residents were also cited as saying that Azerbaijani
army positions in the area came under Armenian fire. The Armenian
and Azerbaijani militaries did not immediately comment on the reports.
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Oct 25 2006
President Robert Kocharian has conducted a two-day inspection of
Armenian troops deployed along the volatile frontline with Azerbaijan,
his office said on Wednesday.
A statement by the presidential press service in Yerevan said Kocharian
visited "a number of frontline army units" on Monday and Tuesday to
assess their "combat and technical readiness." "The president of the
republic visited firing ranges, followed the course of trainings,
talked to officers and soldiers, and familiarized himself with their
living conditions," it said.
The statement did not specify the location of the inspected units.
But photographs released by Kocharian's office showed the Armenian
leader in the company of Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian, the
commander of the Nagorno-Karabakh army Lieutenant-General Seyran
Ohanian and Karabakh leader Arkady Ghukasian, suggesting that he
toured heavily militarized areas around the Armenian-controlled
disputed region. The four men, all of them natives of Karabakh,
were shown wearing army uniforms, with Kocharian shaking hands with
soldiers and inspecting their seemingly brand new light weaponry.
Kocharian's previous tour of Armenian frontline positions was reported
in November 2004. His latest inspection coincided with the start of
the Karabakh Armenian army's regular military exercises held near
the no-man's land separating it from Azerbaijani forces. A military
spokesman in Stepanakert was reported to say that Karabakh army units
will practice coordination of their actions in "defense battles and
counteroffensives."
News reports from Baku said residents of Azerbaijani villages located
close to the Karabakh frontline heard powerful explosions late on
Tuesday. Local residents were also cited as saying that Azerbaijani
army positions in the area came under Armenian fire. The Armenian
and Azerbaijani militaries did not immediately comment on the reports.