BY LUSINE MUSAYELIAN
STEPANAKERT (RFE/RL)–The Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces have spent the past year strengthening their frontline positions and preparing for a possible new war with Azerbaijan, their chief commander said on Tuesday.
“I’m not waiting for [Azerbaijani] provocations, I’m waiting for war,” Lieutenant General Movses Hakobian told a news conference in Stepanakert. “Nagorno-Karabakh’s Defense Ministry and Defense Army were set-up to wage war, and we are getting ready for that every day, every hour.”
“If there is a war, we will fight. If not, peace full be guaranteed,” he said.
According to Hakobian, Karabakh’s defense forces have dug up new trenches and carried out other “large-scale engineering work” along their main Armenian-Azerbaijani “line of contact” east and north of the liberated republic. He also pointed out that they held their biggest ever military exercises last month.
Armenia’s Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian likewise stated in January that defense fortifications around Karabakh have been beefed up significantly in recent years. “We are maintaining the balance of forces vis-à-vis the Azerbaijani armed forces,” Ohanian said last month.
Azerbaijan’s leaders regularly threaten to forcibly win back Karabakh and the liberated territories. They have also vowed to continue an ongoing military build-up fuelled by Baku’s massive oil and gas revenues.
Hakobian said that instances of ceasefire violations by Azerbaijani troops increased by more than half in 2010, resulting in seven casualties among Karabakh soldiers. He said that there were 30 attempted Azerbaijani incursions across the frontline and that his troops thwarted all but one of them.
The Karabakh side also killed 41 and wounded 23 enemy soldiers in the course of the year, added Hakobian.
The Armenian death toll reported by the general is lower than the number of soldiers killed in non-combat incidents highlighting hazing and other chronic problems that have plagued the armed forces of both Armenia and Karabakh. Eleven of them were shot dead in three separate incidents that occurred at various Karabakh army units in the second half of this year.
“These three incidents have had quite a serious negative influence on the Defense Army’s image,” admitted Hakobian. He said the Karabakh army command is determined to “rectify the situation.”
Hakobian asserted at the same time that the overall number of various crimes committed by servicemen fell by 14 percent in 2010.
War is near,but it’s not going to be quick and swift as Azerbijan thinks,even if Israeli Generals planned it,baised on their mistakes in Lebanon and Gaza.
AT-4 Spigot tank hunter team…..that’s the way it’s done.
Armenian People Have Faith With Karabakh Army
AS A PRINCIPLE IT IS SAID –
“””ACTION ALWAYS BEAT REACTION “”” !!!.
ONE CAN NOT WIN A WAR ON THE DEFENCE – ONLY ON THE OFFENSIVE.
MAY GOD BLESS ALL THE ARMENIAN FORCES IN CAUCASUS,
WITH DIVINE WISDOM AS HOW TO ACT.
Arn.Sweden.
Actually Arn. Sweden,
What determines a great military is not its offensive ability but rather the defensive and counter abilities. Any person and any military can go on the offensive, but what happens when your foe fights back?
but what happens when your foe fights back?
Comment –
Do you think that Giving Your Foe the First Military Strike against you is better,
than doing it yourself ?
( as Pearl Harbour – as Hitler-Germanys Military Strikes – Blitz-Krieg – and so forth).
Further –
What determines a great military is not its offensive ability but rather the defensive and counter abilities.
Comment –
What is their Differenses ? – i see None – as above.
I dont count Greatness in the Eyes of the Foe or anybody else as anything in itself – only Victory counts.
As an old Warrior said –
It is better to sacrifice your Foe for His Country – than Sacrificin Yourself for Yours.
Does this also holds true regarding Nations ?
If your Foe is Foolish enough, to treatens Military Action against you – are You not already at War.
Is it then better to let Him Arm Himself – and come for you – when He Deems himself Ready for it ?.
Anyhow –
Hopfully God will lead and inspire the Armenian forces as how to act – because God has done evertying Pleasant and Fit for its time.
Arn.Sweden.
2 reasons, I don’t think Azeris will launch a full scale war.
1. Makes oil companies nervous about their pipelines and oil facilities.
2, Invasion can cause Armenia to enter war which can result Russia entering war. Russia WOULD LOVE to get its hands on those oil wells.
tommy,
I don’t think Russia is interested in occupying a country with 8 million people in it. That’s inefficient and troublesome. They’ll support Armenians to fight just enough and hurt Azerbaijan just enough to get them to back off and go back to status quo.
As for oil, I don’t think the oil reserves will last forever. War would be more likely as the reserves start to decline.
COMMON BROTHERS ……….FIGHT FOR FREE INDIPENDENTS KARABAKH ………………. THIS TIME BAKU ………………. WE R WAITING & READY 4 ANITHING FOME BEIRUT………..
The Kharabach solution has been solved 20 years ago. If our weak-brained neighbours knew there is the slightest possibility of taking NKR back, they would have attacked long ago. Aliyev is just acting for its domestic public, and if you read what wikileaks uncovered, even the Americans know that Aliyev is just bluffing when he says they are ready to liberate “their” lands.
Where were Aliyev and his clan during the war? Most of our politicians and ministers have participated in the war, and this makes the issue not just political for them, but also personal. NKR can never ever be part of Azerbaijan. They know it, the Turks know it, the Russians know it.
In case they make the mistake and attack, this time you shall see Armenias response and achievment will be mentioned for generations ahead.
Turkey would like ratify the two well known protocols. On the other side Turkey would like to use the protocols to help Baku to put pressure on Armenian . Therefore Azerbaijani is not sure how long Turkey will be able to postpone the ratification of protocols without losing what Ankara got from Serzh Sarkisjan´s administration. Giving the fact that the two protocols are absolutely pro Turkish Azerbaijani appetite got form day to bigger and bigger- The logic in Baku and Ankara is : IF Armenia was able to betray Armenian Diaspora and in the whole Armenian nation and agree to sign a pro Turkish “peace treaty” by using face keeping formulation , terms and to cheat Armenian nation, the same gift Armenia should make to Baku – Baku is very nervous and in “hurry” being afraid Turkey would be soon of later be forced to take action in order to save the two protocols! Maybe what Turkey has got today would be for her not so easy to get tomorrow.. the same applies to Baku
Tommy, I agree… just aim for the pipe lines… Manooshag
Give me a reason to go back to armenia mongols.