Armenian minister lays wreaths at war tomb

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
23 Feb 05

[Presenter] Russia and some other CIS countries celebrate 23 February
as Defender of the Fatherland Day. In Soviet times 23 February was
celebrated as Red Army Day.

Defender of the Fatherland Day or Red Army Day is not celebrated
officially in Armenia. Armenia celebrates the establishment of the
Army Day on 28 January.

Every year Armenian and Russian servicemen and high-ranking officers
come to Victory Park in the Armenian capital Yerevan to lay wreaths
and flowers at the Unknown Soldier Tomb. Representatives of the
Armenian army said that not to celebrate 23 February, means to forget
the past. But it is impossible to forget it. The Armenian army was
established on the basis of the Soviet army.

[Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan, captioned, shown in
Victory Park] I came here, first of all, because our army was
established on the basis of the Soviet army, second, we all came from
and grew up in that country and third, as you all saw on 28 January
our Russian colleagues had played an active part in our army’s
anniversary celebrations.