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THE PR OF PARADE: ARMENIAN EXPERTS SAY YEREVAN'S MILITARY DISPLAY ATTRACTED MORE MEDIA ATTENTION THAN BAKU'S
By Gohar Abrahamyan, Nazik Armenakyan
ArmeniaNow
27.09.11 | 09:45
The military parade held in Armenia last week to mark the 20th
anniversary of the republic's independence still continues to attract
attention from international media.
The nation's fifth parade since the 1991 declaration of independence
held on September 21 was attended by about 4,000 troops and featured
300 pieces of modern military hardware. Most importantly, though,
the military demonstration for the first time featured Armenia's
offensive arsenal, including modern sophisticated weaponry.
The military parade in the heart of the Armenian capital elicited
a broad response in the region and far beyond. Director of the
Yerevan-based Sociometer sociological center Aharon Adibekyan
cites surveys conducted by his staff, showing that within a few
days after the parade as many as 850 English-language websites
reported information. Meanwhile, he says, the military parade held
in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku in June was covered by less than 100
English-language websites.
"Unexpectedly, our military parade has created quite a stir in
international media," says Adibekyan, adding that many reports also
focused on the comparison between the demonstrations of military
might by Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two regional arch foes locked
in a bitter dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Military psychologist Samvel Khudoyan says that psychologically
"neutral" countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, China, the
United States and others were interested in the demonstration by the
Armenian army.
"For example, the Brits admired the march of chaplains during the
parade, and the Russian side mainly focused on the participation of a
Russian military unit, expressing their satisfaction. They would also
mention that British and other military would participate in Russia's
parade and that it is a normal practice," says Khudoyan, referring to
the controversy that the news of the Russian military's participation
in the Armenian military parade created among some hard-line opposition
factions that even attempted a protest in Yerevan that day.
Khudoyan thinks that psychologically the September 21 parade was very
important both for the people and for the nation's foreign policy.
"A military parade is a visual form of subconscious influence that
inspires confidence and gives people a sense of tranquility and
security," he says.
Military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan, meanwhile, spurned the negative
assessments made by the Azerbaijani side of the Armenian military
parade, saying that they are improper both militarily and politically.
Hovhannisyan suggested that the two neighboring countries still
maintain a military parity
"I think that until the end of the year international experts will
make thorough analyses that are most likely to create a stir in the
Azerbaijani society, because their arsenal, despite the assurances
of leaders in Baku, is not up to date," says the Armenian expert.
By Gohar Abrahamyan, Nazik Armenakyan
ArmeniaNow
27.09.11 | 09:45
The military parade held in Armenia last week to mark the 20th
anniversary of the republic's independence still continues to attract
attention from international media.
The nation's fifth parade since the 1991 declaration of independence
held on September 21 was attended by about 4,000 troops and featured
300 pieces of modern military hardware. Most importantly, though,
the military demonstration for the first time featured Armenia's
offensive arsenal, including modern sophisticated weaponry.
The military parade in the heart of the Armenian capital elicited
a broad response in the region and far beyond. Director of the
Yerevan-based Sociometer sociological center Aharon Adibekyan
cites surveys conducted by his staff, showing that within a few
days after the parade as many as 850 English-language websites
reported information. Meanwhile, he says, the military parade held
in Azerbaijan's capital of Baku in June was covered by less than 100
English-language websites.
"Unexpectedly, our military parade has created quite a stir in
international media," says Adibekyan, adding that many reports also
focused on the comparison between the demonstrations of military
might by Armenia and Azerbaijan, the two regional arch foes locked
in a bitter dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh.
Military psychologist Samvel Khudoyan says that psychologically
"neutral" countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, China, the
United States and others were interested in the demonstration by the
Armenian army.
"For example, the Brits admired the march of chaplains during the
parade, and the Russian side mainly focused on the participation of a
Russian military unit, expressing their satisfaction. They would also
mention that British and other military would participate in Russia's
parade and that it is a normal practice," says Khudoyan, referring to
the controversy that the news of the Russian military's participation
in the Armenian military parade created among some hard-line opposition
factions that even attempted a protest in Yerevan that day.
Khudoyan thinks that psychologically the September 21 parade was very
important both for the people and for the nation's foreign policy.
"A military parade is a visual form of subconscious influence that
inspires confidence and gives people a sense of tranquility and
security," he says.
Military expert Artsrun Hovhannisyan, meanwhile, spurned the negative
assessments made by the Azerbaijani side of the Armenian military
parade, saying that they are improper both militarily and politically.
Hovhannisyan suggested that the two neighboring countries still
maintain a military parity
"I think that until the end of the year international experts will
make thorough analyses that are most likely to create a stir in the
Azerbaijani society, because their arsenal, despite the assurances
of leaders in Baku, is not up to date," says the Armenian expert.