The army is ready to solve its issues
"The army is the only structure that started from zero in the years of independence and, in a short matter of time, went on to solve the primary and most complicated issue facing the newly independent country-coming out of a war that was imposed on the country," former minister of Defense, General-Lieutenant Vagharshak Harutyunyan told "A1+" today.
He stood at the core of the army's creation and held the first military gathering with RA Minister of Internal Affairs Valeri Poghosyan in 1991, before the decree on establishment of the army issued by Levon Ter-Petrosyan. At the time, Harutyunyan was the minister's first deputy on defense.
On January 28, 1992, RA First President Levon Ter-Petrosyan's decree laid the foundation for the creation of the Armenian Army. The military cadres played a rather huge and decisive role, although the Land Defenders' voluntary detachments also greatly contributed to victory.
"War is an evaluation of an army and our army honorably overcame that obstacle. The courage and personal sacrifice of the Land Defenders voluntary detachments and the Armenian soldiers, their victories and the state figures' consistent policies led to the creation of our army as a strong pillar of our statehood," said the former Defense Minister.
According to different experts, the Armenian Army is currently considered as the most combative army in the region and the first large-scale military parade held on September 21, 1999 could be considered as brilliant evidence of that. On that day, there was a unique sense of pride and protection at Republic Square. Whereas Vazgen Sargsyan and Vagharshak Harutyunyan, who were heading the military parade, already knew what Armenia had, for former chairman of the National Assembly Karen Demirchyan, this was something new. He would later take pride and be amazed at the strength and capabilities of our army.
Vagharshak Harutyunyan refused to talk about the issues facing the army. "Today, the army is ready to solve its issues," he said briefly.
There was a time when Commander-in-Chief Vazgen Sargsyan said: "The year of the army has no beginning and no end, just like patriotism has no beginning and no end."
