Favorable conditions are created for Armenia for servicing the military-political situation to the benefit of the Armenian side
On September 21, the military parade of the RA Armed Forces in the Republic Square to mark the 25th anniversary of the Independence of Armenia was truly an event of military and political significance. It was the first positive signals after anxieties and concerns awakened during the April war. This is encouraging but not a sufficient factor and a guarantee for deterring the enemy.
The parade on September 21, certainly, had political consequences in deterring Azerbaijan and compelling Aliyev to think. But “those who flatter” Aliyev, if he is given an “OK” again, the new aggressions by Azerbaijan cannot be excluded. The point is not about a full-scale war but the new provocations.
To preserve the ratio of forces between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the RA authorities must have a plan, starting from the military up to the diplomatic, political and economic aspects. To continuously repeat that it is necessary to “learn lessons from the April four-day war” should be implemented in practice. This is a multifaceted problem and requires huge efforts on the way of implementing consistent work.
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The Armenian side has defeated the enemy in the war imposed thereto, and ceding this advantage would be just a fatal mistake. We are limited to receiving arms from other countries but it is clear to everyone that a combat army is not only having super modern weapons.
The “Iskander” missile complexes demonstrated in the parade dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the independence of Armenia are the armors of Armenia which were acquired at the expenses of our budgetary expenditure, – mentioned Davit Tonoyan, RA First Deputy Defense Minister, in an interview during the TV broadcast “Sunday analytical with Tamrazyan of “Freedom TV”, adding that the RA Armed Forces has full control of these complexes, “In the near future, you will also be convinced it is. Meaning, not in terms of the use, but the training.”
Tonoyan said that a serious upgrading is taking place in the Armed Forces of Armenia, “No restrictions exist for the acquisition of military produces for Armenia, and so to say, this market is liberalized. Simply there are some restrictions to the EU member states’ and NATO member countries’ non-supply conflict areas where there are crises and so on. It is due to these restrictions that somehow keep us and our cooperation in narrow corridors, so to speak.
But as for the military-technical cooperation with Russia or CSTO, here, we are completely free, and I think that the demonstration of the military equipment is not in harmony with our economic development. And Russia, in particular, fulfills its federal commitments with us in terms of military equipment…”
Servicing the strategic relations with Russia for the benefit of the Armenian side is not an unfeasible problem despite the impressive Russian-Azerbaijani relations. In addition, the West supports Armenia and will continue to support with the provision of non-lethal weapons. In other words, here too, there is a need for a further deepening of the effective working with the West.
Under the Russian 200 million dollar loan, the supplies of weapons to Armenia have begun, – said Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volinkin in an interview with “Liberty” RS. Speaking about the sale of the Russian “Iskander” missile complexes to Armenia, he added emphasized, “this fact indicates that the Armenian-Russian relations carry an allied nature,” and the sale of “Iskander” means that a relevant agreement was been reached.
The distressful 200 million dollar loan agreement commitments and deliveries were reminiscent of the protracted process. Today, the Russian side assures that “everything is going on according to the plan.” Meanwhile, in the beginning of the year, Russian “Interfax” published a list of armament, which Armenia is planning to buy under the loan – military volley reactive “Smerch” systems, TOS -1 A heavy artillery systems, 9М113М controllable missiles and so on.
But the process is extended, even after the four-day war in April, in the presence of Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev who arrive in Armenia, former Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan even complained, “The process of fulfillment of provisions of the agreement has slowed down, hence, I would like to ask you to instruct Rosoboronexport JSC (Рособоронэкспорт) to possibly speed up the signing of the treaties.”
After the April war, the Russian side perhaps has “learned some lessons”. Moscow should reconcile with the public discontent rightly caused in Armenia against Russia. It may sound strange but at this moment, favorable conditions are created for Armenia to service the military-political situation to the benefit of the Armenian side. In recent days, the statements of the authorities about the “new approach” must be fulfilled in the military and diplomatic fronts, inside the country – in political and economic spheres. Only in this way we can impose peace on Azerbaijan.
EMMA GABRIELYAN
