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YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS. Baku must realize that they won’t succeed in achieving a military solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, President Sargsyan said in response to “Golos Armenii” news agency’s question.
ARMENPRESS presents the President’s response:
- How would you evaluate the latest announcement of the Azerbaijani President, which he made in the line of contact, saying that the Azerbaijani army is one of the strongest armies, and that it has achieved a victory in the April war. How would you comment on Aliyev’s remarks about Armenia, which, turns out “has the need of help in order to remain on its feet”.
- I think with similar announcements of the Azerbaijani leadership one can see the actual reason of the Karabakh issue. It’s the presence of a bellicose regime, for which eternal war with its neighbors is the source of maintaining power. You know, there are so many lies in Ilham Aliyev’s announcement, that if I start commenting on each part we would require several days. I will say the following briefly. During all these years, the policy of Azerbaijan’s leadership has created complications of inferiority and defeat. And naturally, Azerbaijani authorities are using any occasion, any situation in order to get rid of this complexity, even by lies, disinformation and distortion of reality.
That announcement is no exception. They always insisted that Azerbaijan is stronger than Armenia, that they have modern weapons, oil dollars, with which they could capture Nagorno Karabakh at any moment.
Confronting the opposite reality during the April war, the Azerbaijani leadership – not achieving what it wanted – is now forced to justify all of its losses in manpower and military equipment which it suffered during the April war. If the Azerbaijani army is strong in words, then we have proved our strength in action. We don’t need propaganda to prove the power and combat-readiness of our army. They were convinced in it during the war which was forced on us during the 1990s, they saw the combat-readiness of the Nagorno Karabakh army during the April war. Moreover, the army of Nagorno Karabakh was not only resisting the Azerbaijani army, but also its accomplices and mercenaries. If the Azerbaijani army could not defeat the relatively small number Armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh with its modern weapons and external assistance, suffered heavy losses – capturing solely a few heights, then, I think, this is the indicator of their army’s combat-readiness, and not the words of the Azerbaijani President.
Armenia faced numerous challenges since independence, be it the forced war of Azerbaijan or the blockade from east and west. Despite all this, and the imbalance of potential of Azerbaijan’s, Armenia’s and Karabakh’s Armed Forces, just like 25 years ago, six months ago the Armenian Armed Forces proved that they are able to achieve victory and force a ceasefire to the adversary without foreign assistance, with the emphasis on their own powers. An impression is being created that the leader of Azerbaijan is trying to achieve a “psychological victory” against the brains of his people – by presenting what he desired as the truth. We proceed from the fact that in terms of ensuring security Armenia, first of all, relies on itself. Undoubtedly, we have agreements on military and military-technical cooperation, which are also designed to act as a restraint in case of power ambitions. These international agreements – containing clear obligations - are designed to raise the defense capabilities of the country and the effectiveness of solving issues faced by the Armed Forces.
And now, post-factum presenting itself as a hero is simply ridiculous. I have the impression that Baku treats military operations as a computer game with toy soldiers, at the same time betting, what if they get lucky. The most dangerous thing is, that not only do they bet on the lives of young men, but also the entire people of Azerbaijan – not realizing the realities. Azerbaijan will have to pay an extremely high price in case of a new military aggression unleashed by Baku. It’s not about whether or not the Defense Army forces of Nagorno Karabakh were able to return those areas. It’s about the price, which would have been necessary to pay for those 800 hectares. The life of each man is precious for us, and we will put efforts until the last opportunity to avoid military operations, we will try to move the negotiations process from the deadlock, in which it appeared as result of the April aggression.
However if Baku forces war, definitely we will not be responsible for the cannon meat, like which Azerbaijan wants to see its servicemen. Perhaps, if Mr. Aliyev had served in the army, he wouldn’t start celebrating victory and assessing victory with one action. I think President Aliyev himself must make conclusions from both the 25 years long war, and the April war.
I, having served in the army and having held leading positions in the army for many years, have to say the following: The victory or defeat of the army is not one action, but rather the set objectives and achieving them. What objective did the April aggression have along the entire line of contact in Karabakh. Violating the ceasefire during the night, attacking, murdering the elderly and mutilating their bodies, and then make up hectares, display the severed heads of Armenian soldiers and awards those who did it, is this “professionalism, heroism and mastery”, which Aliyev talks about? What else can I add here?
We don’t need eternal war, but if the leadership of Baku once again wants to try its luck, then let it prepare for the worst scenario. Because then they won’t be able to blame anyone for losing cities and regions. Baku must realize – they won’t succeed in a military solution. Our entire people are the Armenian Army, who, like more than 20 years ago, defended its Fatherland in April.