Nikol Pashinyan: We need efficient army-building to hit back at adversaries

Armenia needs efficient armed forces today to hit back at its potential adversaries with strong efforts and to prevent future attempts of getting into fight against our country, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said today in a congratulatory address to graduates of military educational institutions.

In a speech at a diploma award ceremony (held at the Defense Ministry’s Administrative Complex), Pashinyan also wished the young officers a successful and fruitful career “to deserve the general’s shoulder strap”.

“The Republic of Armenia is a peace-loving country, with our armed forces and army being the key groundwork of our peace. Today, however, I would like to emphasize what kind of peace we actually need today.  What the Chinese military strategy states is that talented soldiers win without a war. This is the kind of peace we actually need. Our armed forces and state [must be efficient enough] to bring all the potential adversaries to the understanding that it is absolutely pointless to get into fight with us, as the only outcome and aftermath of such attempts would be the defeat of all the enemies and adversaries and the unconditional victory of the Republic of Armenia, its people and Armed Forces. We all are independent regardless of the uniform[s] we are wearing today; we are soldiers dedicated to those victories. Hence each and every one of us – from the frontline to the Government and the National Assembly – must serve that mission, and we all, regardless of the visible shoulder straps, are wearing first of all the shoulder strap of our people, history, ancestors and generations,” the prime minister said.