Azerbaijan views inner-Armenian developments as factor to unleash new military adventurism – Defense Ministry’s Board issues statement

YEREVAN, APRIL 22, ARMENPRESS. The Board of the Armenian defense ministry issued a statement over the ongoing events in Yerevan, the ministry told Armenpress.

The statement says:

“The Board of the Defense Ministry of the Republic of Armenia is deeply concerned over the recent developments taking place in Yerevan.

The Armenian Armed Forces are out of political processes and ensure Armenia’s defense, security, territorial integrity and inviolability of borders every day, every hour. Nevertheless, it’s obvious that the organization of mass events through violation of law, the attempts to capture the only power formed in accordance with the letter of the law, to present ultimatums to the prime minister elected by a procedure according to the Constitution, are full of unpredictable developments which can seriously affect the escalation of the situation in the border, the preliminary signs of which are already being noticed.

According to intelligence data, Azerbaijan’s military-political leadership views the inner-Armenian developments as a significant factor to unleash a new military adventurism against the Republic of Artsakh. The further escalation of the situation contributes to this.

The attempts to capture the power, block the governmental buildings, hinder the traffic, paralyze the public administration system, undermine the normal life will inevitably lead to escalation of military threats facing us. The harmonized and stable mutual cooperation of all state structures is necessary for ensuring the country’s defense.

Undoubtedly, the Armenian Army is capable of resisting any encroachment of the adversary. But the domestic instability is a factor which in case of possible undesirable developments can only negatively affect the implementation of defense matters, the transfer of state from a peaceful to a war situation, the implementation of mobilization issues.

The Board of the Armenian Defense Ministry calls on the organizers and participants of non-privileged mass events and rallies to refrain from actions that can result in internal instability. Armenia’s defense mission is being carried out by tens of thousands of sons of the Armenian people at any moment of the day, whose confidence and determination significantly depend also on the current situation in the back, and the organizers citing the peaceful nature of the actions must remember not only about their consequences in the main rally place, but also about the dangers emerging for our commanders and soldiers standing in the frontline.

Vigen Sargsyan

Defense Minister of Armenia

Movses Hakobyan

Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Colonel-General

Mikayel Harutyunyan

Acting Chief Military Inspector, Colonel-General

Artak Zakaryan

First Deputy Defense Minister

Davit Pakhchanyan

Deputy Defense Minister-Chairman of the Military-Industrial State Committee of the Defense Ministry

Artak Davtyan

Deputy Defense Minister

Onik Gasparyan

First Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Stepan Galstyan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Lieutenant-General

Tiran Khachatryan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Andranik Makaryan

Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, Mayor-General

Levon Mnatsakanyan

Defense Army Commander, Lieutenant-General”.

English translator/editor – Aneta Harutyunyan