Serzh Sargsyan has given a stirring speech on increasing the strength of the Armenian army at a ceremony to mark 20 years of independence.
He praised the army's achievements in defending independence, but also talked about the need to strengthen the army.
The president acknowledged indirectly the concern of many parents about conditions in the army.
"We should first of all inspire trust in the commanders in mothers sending their sons as soldiers to the army," he said, according to News.am.
Every week soldiers' mothers demonstrate outside the government building in Yerevan, but last week's demonstration was larger than usual, following two recent deaths in the army.
"This is a marvellous holiday and good reason to think about the past 20 years and the future. The essence of this day is to pass to future generations the value and heritage left to us by those who with their own blood built, defended and created a free, independent Armenia," Sargsyan said at the reception at the Sardarapat memorial.
"We did not win independence by a whim of fate but above all thanks to the unquenchable flame, burning with new intensity, of the eternal dream of our ancestors of a free, independent Armenia," he continued, according to News.am.
"We deserve independence by proving to the world and ourselves that we have the right to live in our land, according to our own rules and values. We proved that first of all through our army’s victories," the president said.
“Our army was born and formed during the war, and became the solid shield and unbroken bastion of our newly formed state. The Armenian Army grew in strength and courage and is now not only the defender of the secure and creative life of the Armenians, but also the watchful guarantor of peace and stability in our region.
"It is ready to withstand any external threat against the independence of Armenia, be it on the borders, in the land of the enemy or in any other place. This is our army today."
The president then moved on to the need to reinforce the army and allow it to concentrate on its work rather than the daily problems of everyday life.
"Armenian soldiers and commanders, officers! Civilization and the inventive human brain create greater opportunities for work than ever before. Unfortunately, the challenges to the peace and security of the Armenian people have become greater and more numerous. To withstand them we have to look forward and raise the spirit and fighting ability of the army.
"The soldier in our army not only defends the state in the battlefield but also builds the citizen of his state.
"We will raise the combat efficiency of the army with time and the support of assault equipment and arms.
"However, we should first of all inspire trust in the commanders in mothers sending their sons as soldiers to the army.
“'We should see the fate of the state in the palms of our mothers,'” Armenian commander Nzdeh said. Now we should reevaluate the aphorism to suit our 20-year-old independence. I believe we will have brave mothers who produce brave sons and they will make Armenia's fortifications even stronger.
"We should estimate combat ability not by comparing it with other armies in the region but with our past army through constant work.
"We will strengthen step by step the bonds linking the army and civil society by making the citizen a soldier and the soldier a citizen. Simultaneously, we will cut all the harmful ties that weaken the army by distracting the officer and soldier with everyday social problems.
"Only after strengthening our army can we be sure to withstand attacks on our freedom and the independence of the state.
"We are stronger now than ever. I say it without bias: we are ready to win. But we want to win only through intelligence and work.
"We are ready for achievements, but we want to conquer the creative heights.
"We will not hesitate to defend with our blood what really belongs to us. But we prefer the blood of grapes and the purple of the Armenian cochineal.
"Indeed the protector of our freedom and independence is the Armenian soldier.
"However, the life and security of our soldiers depends mainly on the successful work of our diplomats.”
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