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AZERBAIJAN ACQUIRES MILITARY EQUIPMENT, WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN IN ARMENIAN ARSENAL: KARABAKH'S DEFENSE MINISTER
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/741249/azerbaijan-acquires-military-equipment-which-has-already-been-in-armenian-arsenal-karabakh%E2%80%99s-defense.html
10:08, 25 November, 2013
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The ceasefire regime violation
by Azerbaijan has become an annoying habit. The front units of the
Defense Army of the Artsakh Republic follow and control the situation
in the line of contact. In 2012 and 2013 the Azerbaijani Army had to
suffer 5 deaths or injured for each loss of the Armed Forces of Nagorno
Karabakh. In an interview with "Armenpress" News Agency the Minister of
Defense of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the commander of the Defense
Army Movses Hakobyan introduces the achievements, current issues,
and difficulties of the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
- Mr. Hakobyan, summing up the current year, how would You describe
2013 for the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and a
soldier standing on the border?
- 2013 was a quite efficient year for the Armed Forces of Artsakh both
from the viewpoint of raising of the staff's military and moral and
psychological readiness and from the viewpoint of the strengthening
of the material and technical base. At the course of the current year
we held certain measures and trainings aimed at raising the tactical
and professional readiness of the Army's administration system,
command posts, commanders of all levels and the staffs and units
under their control. Also we organized tactical drills for military
shooting. The divisions were equipped with the new batch of modern
armory and technologies. Also, effective activities have been carried
out for strengthening the natural borderlines, rear maintenance of the
troops, as well as we focused on the improvement of social conditions
of the soldiers and their families, and so on.
Notwithstanding, the main achievement of the current year was that
the Armed Forces of Artsakh realize their main mission with credit, i.
e. safeguarding peaceful existence of their own people.
- The vast majority of the society attentively and sympathetically
follows the incidents, which take place in the Army, and particularly
the information on the deaths of the conscripts. Can You introduce
a statistics on the number of soldiers, who died on the border,
and how many soldiers died in time of peace?
- The loss of each soldier deeply grieves the commend staff of the
Defense Army, as they are not just common soldiers for us, but sons,
brothers, and Armenians, who could have a family, strong future,
and contribute to the development of our motherland, if they survived.
But, the neither war, nor peace situation of the region on one hand,
and the peculiarities of the military service on another hand,
willingly or unwillingly, imply unexpected feelings, which cause
undesirable accidents, unfortunately including deaths. It should be
noted that despite the aforesaid reasons, the command staff of the
Defense Army constantly makes efforts to avoid extraordinary situations
as much as possible and reduce the losses to the minimum. I would like
to mention that in 2012 we have recorded the lowest amount of losses in
comparison with the previous years and the losses of the Defense Army
in the current year were reduced by 40 percent in comparison with the
previous year. Notwithstanding, this reduction is not a criterion for
us. It will be a criterion for us, when the deaths in the Army will
be totally excluded. This is a very complicated, but solvable issue.
- Azerbaijan constantly keeps violating the ceasefire regime and
sometimes initiates subversive acts. What is the reaction of the
Defense Army to the rival's adventurism?
- I have mentioned for a number of times that this purposeful behavior
of the Azerbaijani side is aimed at maintaining intensity in the
region. As to the subversive acts, I should state that they have
been apparently reduced in comparison with the previous years, which
is conditioned by the high level of combat readiness and moral and
psychological preparedness of our troops on the line of contact. The
ceasefire regime violations have just become an annoying habit for
the rival. Our front units follow and control the situation on the
line of contact and respond to them only when it is highly necessary.
- During one of Your interviews You said that the majority of the
Armenian soldiers, killed on the border by the rival, get the injuries
on the head. Can we consider it a result of carelessness, negligence,
and unawareness?
- The military and political situation in the region has taught us,
the militaries, much, including the carrying military duty on the line
of contact with the rival. In fact I made such a statement in 2011,
when we had 10 victims and 18 injured from the rival's snipers' shots.
Taking into account the situation, we carried out some concrete steps,
in the result of which to provide for the safe service of the staff
in the military positions our observation system was reequipped along
the entire defense line, the management of the frontline was improved,
quite serious amendments were made in the improvement of the social
and living conditions of the military duty personnel and what is
very important, upon my order some preventive measures were taken to
eliminate the rival's sense of impunity. All this had a turning impact
on the situation in the entire length of the contact line. I do not
want to get deepen in the figures. I would only say that in accordance
with my promise in 2012 and 2013 the Azerbaijani army gave 5 victims
or injured for each of our loss. Nevertheless, notwithstanding this
statistics, in comparison with the Azerbaijani army, we do not accept
the loss of even one Armenian soldier. We aim at excluding the fatal
cases in the army during military duty or in any other situation.
- Azerbaijan increases its military budget each year and the
Azerbaijani Army is being equipped with new military technologies.
Does it violate the balance of powers and can the Armenian side face
the rival during the war?
- The increase of the military budget volume does not necessarily
imply violation of the balance, especially taking into consideration
the fact that the considered expenditures are aimed at acquiring the
military equipment, which equivalent has already been in our arsenal.
I would also like to mention that unlike Azerbaijan, whose propaganda
always tries to pass the desirable for reality, we calmly and
noiselessly continue enriching and accomplishing what we really have
in possession. This is the most efficient way to become stronger,
which guides us not to war, but to peace.
(THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)
http://armenpress.am/arm/news/741249/azerbaijan-acquires-military-equipment-which-has-already-been-in-armenian-arsenal-karabakhE28099s-defense.html
Interview by Hasmik Harutyunyan
http://armenpress.am/eng/news/741249/azerbaijan-acquires-military-equipment-which-has-already-been-in-armenian-arsenal-karabakh%E2%80%99s-defense.html
10:08, 25 November, 2013
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 25, ARMENPRESS. The ceasefire regime violation
by Azerbaijan has become an annoying habit. The front units of the
Defense Army of the Artsakh Republic follow and control the situation
in the line of contact. In 2012 and 2013 the Azerbaijani Army had to
suffer 5 deaths or injured for each loss of the Armed Forces of Nagorno
Karabakh. In an interview with "Armenpress" News Agency the Minister of
Defense of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the commander of the Defense
Army Movses Hakobyan introduces the achievements, current issues,
and difficulties of the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
- Mr. Hakobyan, summing up the current year, how would You describe
2013 for the Defense Army of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and a
soldier standing on the border?
- 2013 was a quite efficient year for the Armed Forces of Artsakh both
from the viewpoint of raising of the staff's military and moral and
psychological readiness and from the viewpoint of the strengthening
of the material and technical base. At the course of the current year
we held certain measures and trainings aimed at raising the tactical
and professional readiness of the Army's administration system,
command posts, commanders of all levels and the staffs and units
under their control. Also we organized tactical drills for military
shooting. The divisions were equipped with the new batch of modern
armory and technologies. Also, effective activities have been carried
out for strengthening the natural borderlines, rear maintenance of the
troops, as well as we focused on the improvement of social conditions
of the soldiers and their families, and so on.
Notwithstanding, the main achievement of the current year was that
the Armed Forces of Artsakh realize their main mission with credit, i.
e. safeguarding peaceful existence of their own people.
- The vast majority of the society attentively and sympathetically
follows the incidents, which take place in the Army, and particularly
the information on the deaths of the conscripts. Can You introduce
a statistics on the number of soldiers, who died on the border,
and how many soldiers died in time of peace?
- The loss of each soldier deeply grieves the commend staff of the
Defense Army, as they are not just common soldiers for us, but sons,
brothers, and Armenians, who could have a family, strong future,
and contribute to the development of our motherland, if they survived.
But, the neither war, nor peace situation of the region on one hand,
and the peculiarities of the military service on another hand,
willingly or unwillingly, imply unexpected feelings, which cause
undesirable accidents, unfortunately including deaths. It should be
noted that despite the aforesaid reasons, the command staff of the
Defense Army constantly makes efforts to avoid extraordinary situations
as much as possible and reduce the losses to the minimum. I would like
to mention that in 2012 we have recorded the lowest amount of losses in
comparison with the previous years and the losses of the Defense Army
in the current year were reduced by 40 percent in comparison with the
previous year. Notwithstanding, this reduction is not a criterion for
us. It will be a criterion for us, when the deaths in the Army will
be totally excluded. This is a very complicated, but solvable issue.
- Azerbaijan constantly keeps violating the ceasefire regime and
sometimes initiates subversive acts. What is the reaction of the
Defense Army to the rival's adventurism?
- I have mentioned for a number of times that this purposeful behavior
of the Azerbaijani side is aimed at maintaining intensity in the
region. As to the subversive acts, I should state that they have
been apparently reduced in comparison with the previous years, which
is conditioned by the high level of combat readiness and moral and
psychological preparedness of our troops on the line of contact. The
ceasefire regime violations have just become an annoying habit for
the rival. Our front units follow and control the situation on the
line of contact and respond to them only when it is highly necessary.
- During one of Your interviews You said that the majority of the
Armenian soldiers, killed on the border by the rival, get the injuries
on the head. Can we consider it a result of carelessness, negligence,
and unawareness?
- The military and political situation in the region has taught us,
the militaries, much, including the carrying military duty on the line
of contact with the rival. In fact I made such a statement in 2011,
when we had 10 victims and 18 injured from the rival's snipers' shots.
Taking into account the situation, we carried out some concrete steps,
in the result of which to provide for the safe service of the staff
in the military positions our observation system was reequipped along
the entire defense line, the management of the frontline was improved,
quite serious amendments were made in the improvement of the social
and living conditions of the military duty personnel and what is
very important, upon my order some preventive measures were taken to
eliminate the rival's sense of impunity. All this had a turning impact
on the situation in the entire length of the contact line. I do not
want to get deepen in the figures. I would only say that in accordance
with my promise in 2012 and 2013 the Azerbaijani army gave 5 victims
or injured for each of our loss. Nevertheless, notwithstanding this
statistics, in comparison with the Azerbaijani army, we do not accept
the loss of even one Armenian soldier. We aim at excluding the fatal
cases in the army during military duty or in any other situation.
- Azerbaijan increases its military budget each year and the
Azerbaijani Army is being equipped with new military technologies.
Does it violate the balance of powers and can the Armenian side face
the rival during the war?
- The increase of the military budget volume does not necessarily
imply violation of the balance, especially taking into consideration
the fact that the considered expenditures are aimed at acquiring the
military equipment, which equivalent has already been in our arsenal.
I would also like to mention that unlike Azerbaijan, whose propaganda
always tries to pass the desirable for reality, we calmly and
noiselessly continue enriching and accomplishing what we really have
in possession. This is the most efficient way to become stronger,
which guides us not to war, but to peace.
(THE FULL VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW IS AVAILABLE IN ARMENIAN)
http://armenpress.am/arm/news/741249/azerbaijan-acquires-military-equipment-which-has-already-been-in-armenian-arsenal-karabakhE28099s-defense.html
Interview by Hasmik Harutyunyan