Interview Azad Isazade, military expert.
Q: Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said ‘nation-wide army’ will be created in his country when necessary. What does this word combination mean?
A: All countries have national history, while Armenia has a history of people. It is the same with the army. The nation-wide army envisions not the army of Armenia. It means the army of Armenian nationality, so there are other formations beyond Armenia. Along with the army of the Republic of Armenia, it includes the army of Karabakh and the forces of the Armenian diaspora with its terrorist organizations, which also mean an army for Armenians. So, this is a hint at international formation.
Q: What is the threat of such an army?
A: This army almost exists de-facto. The Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian nationality, who live in Karabakh, are now serving in the army being not the militaries of the armed forces of Armenia, but factually regulated from the single center. There are volunteers who are the citizens of the third countries of Armenian nationality. Thus, the members of terrorist ASALA, members of Dashnaktsutun, citizens of France, Lebanon and other countries were fighting there. If you remember, there was the information about the diaspora appeal to Armenians to join the Armenian army, since Armenia has real problems with mobilization. They do not have sufficient number of young people for conscription, especially for sending to Karabakh.
So, these divisions of volunteers, to be formed in the territory of Argentine, France, Lebanon or elsewhere, will also become the armed formations of the national army. In fact, when the creation of the national army is declared, it should be bore in mind that only the citizens of the state can serve in the armed forces of any state. It is like that in Azerbaijan. Yes, we can hire foreigners as advisers or experts but only on the basis of the intergovernmental treaty. As soon as a citizen of another state starts to serve in Azerbaijan, he is to be held accountable in his country. Many countries have such a criminal activity as hiring. We, in Azerbaijan, also have such an article.
When ‘nation-wide army’ is declared, this means a person regardless of its citizenship serve in the army for their national belonging. All armies serve by their citizenship. Talishs, Lezguins, Russians and so on serve in the Azerbaijani army. Meanwhile, the ‘nation-wide army’, like it is planned in Yerevan, will involve Armenians that are the citizens of other states. They likely want to lead it to some legislative base.
Q: In case of war, Azerbaijan will likely hope for its forces. Does Armenia benefit from this?
A: I think this is just a fine cover. They have been unable to settle the problem of the complete provision of mobilization. Armenia has been unable to execute the conscription plan for at least five years, due to the demographic problem, outflows to Russia and the West. There is an insufficient number of draftees. And they are obliged to hire foreign citizens, mostly for serving in Karabakh.
In order to hide the truth of the illegal hiring for service in the occupied land of Azerbaijan, Armenia has presented such a nice ‘cover’ called ‘nation-wide army’.
Q: Ohanyan stated readiness to fulfill the order of Armenian President Sargsyan ‘if it is time, and it we are forced to, this time our strike must be shattering and decisive”. How can you comment on this categorical statement?
A: We can only guess what he meant while saying this. On the other hand, the representatives of the expert community of Armenia, in response to Azerbaijan’s statements about the readiness to liberate our lands by force any time, always suggest the response threat. This is mostly the blow from the northern part of Nagorno Karabakh in the Ganja direction to cut the strategic pipeline, that is factually the division of Azerbaijan. They always hint at this, sometimes even in a direct text. It is not by accident that the strongest grouping, including practically the whole armored technique in the territory of Nagorno Karabakh is concentrated in the very northern part of this occupied region.
Azerbaijan is aware of this threat, it is ready for this and definite measures have been taken against such a possible operation.
As for the ‘shattering and decisive”… Probably, Ohanyan implied that Azerbaijan will cease existence? These are just fancies. They must realize that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the loss of its lands, in addition, this fact is recognized by the world community. Probably, the Armenian minister hopes to arrange such a shattering blow on Azerbaijan, after which Baku will recognize Nagorno Karabakh? I cannot imagine such a situation. Neither our state nor the public will ever do it.
Thus, Ohanyan’s statements are just intimidating in response to the bellicose statements of Azerbaijan. The Armenian leadership with all its problems with the personal army staff does not dare to admit its fear with the statements from Baku! Naturally, in a response, they are trying to voice ‘more terrible” threats. But in all cases Azerbaijan must taken into account possible reaction of Armenia. They are probably preparing for some response attacks and we must take these attacks into account and be ready for them.
Leyla Tagiyeva
News.Az
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