We are sure to come out as winner again in case of renewed hostilities, says Armenian defense official

14:43 • 09.05.20

Event

Should the adversary ever trigger a war against Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), we are sure to come out as winner again, according to Colonel-General Movses Hakobyan, the chief of the Defense Ministry's Military Oversight Service.

Commenting on the Azerbaijani defense minister's recent threats warning of the "highest ever risks" of renewed military actions, Hakobyan said they are permanently ramping up the national defense forces in the face of the adversary's repeated warmongering rhetoric.

"Should the adversary ever trigger a war, I am sure we will come out as winner. I have never had doubt - not even a single second - that our army will be equal with its task. We have celebrated great victories on the battlefield, the May 'triple holiday' bearing witness to that. Our people's greatest achievement in the past centennial has been the [creation of a] free and independent Artsakh with its territory, as well as the army," he told Tert.am on Saturday.

Addressing the 2016 Four-Day War Karabakh, Hakobyan said he thinks that the heavy frontline offensives four year ago proved that today's generation "truly represents the descendents of the heroes behind the 1990s glorious victory".

Asked to comment on the concerns over the Russian foreign minister's recent statement (proposing a phased settlement), the defense official said he firmly believes that they Armenian people "have already determined the borders of Artsakh".

"Our people did make their statement back in 1994. drawing their own borders. We do not care about others' opinion," he added.

As to elaborate on his attitude towards Russia as a pivotal role-player within the OSCE Minsk Group, Hakobyan said, "No matter who [the mediator] is, it is up to our people to make their choice. And the people have already voiced their position."

The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh broke out in 1988 when the Armenian majority of the then autonomous region declared its intention to break away from Azerbaijan. In a referendum held on December 10, 1991 (days before the collapse of the USSR), the population voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence (99.89%). The move was followed by Azerbaijan’s large-scale military operations against Nagorno-Karabakh and seven neighboring regions. The armed violence left around 25,000-30,000 people dead; thousands were internally displaced. The Ceasefire Accord, which went into effect in May 1994, formally put an end to the armed attacks in the conflict zone. Since 1994, the OSCE Minsk Group, a mission co-chaired by France, the United States and Russia, has been spearheading the efforts towards a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The hostilities escalated to an unprecedented degree in April 2016 into what was later dubbed a Four-Day War along the frontline. In the early hours of April 1, 2016, Azerbaijan's armed forces launched heavy offensives across the Line of Contact, provoking large-scale confrontations with the Defense Army of Nagorno-Kkarabakh. The adversary also shelled civilian settlements, particularly the southern and north-eastern regions of Hadrut and Marakert.

A ceasefire was reached on 5 April between the chiefs of the armed forces of Azerbaijan and Armenia in Moscow. The Nagorno-Karabakh authorities also welcomed the verbal agreement.

news.view.author Ani Gevorgyan