NAGORNY KARABAKH BUILDS UP ITS MILITARY POTENTIAL
Translated by Anastasia Zanina

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 24, 2006 Monday

The military maneuvers which took place the other day showed the
increased skills of the soldiers of Karabakh

On the 20th of April there was the final phase of the command and
staff training which were held by the Defense Army of unacknowledged
Nagorno-Karabakhskaya Republic (NKR). As it was reported by
its Commander Sejran Ogayan, “The main task of command and staff
training became the improvement of the ability of the authorities to
command the organization and to carry out military operations”. In
his turn, head of the press-service of the Ministry of Defense of
Nagorno-Karabakhskaya Republic Lieutenant Colonel Senor Asratyan
specified that the training were carried out in accordance with
the plan of military training for 2006. Asratyan also reported that
“the objective of this event of the military purpose was to define
the level of military education of the Armed Forces in the process
of bringing them in the state of full war alertness, to improve the
administration of troops and coordination of their actions during
the defensive and counteroffensive operations”.

Asratyan underlined that it was very important during this training
to check the alertness of mobilization recourse to supplement military
personnel of troops within necessary time limits.

“Results of the initial stage of training showed that the military
personnel and the mobilization recourses of the republic are in the
state of fulfilling the tasks set before them and to demonstrate a
high level of military education”. As it was said by Seyran Oganyan,
the army of Karabakh is the most efficient and sui juris on the
whole post USSR territory. As a basis of the military training the
experience of the former USSR army was taken. In the Armed Forces of
NKR there are the same regs, courses of shooting and driving.

Military training and maneuvers are taken on the regular basis,
and not only active troops but also mobilization resources are being
got to them. In the AF of NKR there is no system of respites, as it
is in Russia, and every young man at the age of 18-20 years has to
serve for two years in the army. One quarter of the budget of the
country is spent on the Defense of the country. On the entire area of
250 kilometers of Karabakhsko-Azerbaijan boarder there are military
subdivisions, which are ready at any minute to hold off an attack of
an adverse side.

The servicemen of NKR study in the military institutions of Armenia,
Russia and other republics of the former USSR. The Part of the men who
serve on the contractual basis in the Army of the Ministry of Defense
of KNR is relatively low- 20-22 percents. Though, they have separate
subdivisions where only professionals serve. Material stimuli are
also very important. Lieutenants of the up-front in KNR get 150-170
USA dollars. Contract soldiers get 60-70 dollars. (In the Republic
an average salary is 25-30 dollars). Sergey Ogananyan thinks that
at present there is no need to employ peacekeepers in the zone of
the conflict.

“The best peacekeeper and the guarantee of keeping peace in the
conflict zone is the Army of NKR”, he has recently declared to the
journalists. Commenting upon the declarations of the Azerbaijan
authorities concerning the possible solution of the conflict by
means of military force, Oganyan said that the objective of these
declarations is the fortification of the position of Azerbaijan
authorities within their country.

Still, the situation may reach the point when we will have to carry
out preventive treatment. I do not want to speak about the possibility
of preventive attacks, though, I can say about a number of measures
which will prevent the possible threat”, underlined Oganyan.

These declarations of Oganyan testify to the fact that in case the AF
of Azerbaijan start preparing for active was actions, the Armenian
side will probably start carrying out preventive strikes in the
form of air attacks, missile attacks and so on. It seems like the
Armenian authorities do not take into account the military potential
of Azerbaijan. Speaking about the increase of military budget of
Azerbaijan, Oganyan remarked that “one thing is to build up military
capital, another thing is to use in the effective way the resources
the means you have”.

Oganyan also declared that NKR is actively equipping its boarders.

“Our boarders are safely equipped, engineering, missile equipments
are included here. Besides, not only staff, but also supernumerary
units of the direct-action have been existed for three years already”.

Speaking about the perspectives of Karabakh reconciliation, Oganyan
remarked that the two sides must be ready for compromises.

Nevertheless, NKR will fight for every centimeter of its territory.

And we are sure that the result of this process of conflict
reconciliation should be either recognition of independence of NKR,
or, as can be considered to be a dream of every Armenian, recognition
of Nagornuy-Karabakh to be the part of Armenia”, he underlines.

Information:

The military budget of Azerbaijan in 2006 was 600 millions USA dollars,
Armenia-150 millions USA dollars

Gdp of Azerbaijan is 12.6 billions USA dollars

Gdp of Armenia is 4.3 billions USA dollars

According to the data of the western resources, the military number
of AF of Azerbaijan is as follows

Military personnel – 69,900 (men)

Tanks – 259 (units)

Armored combat power (ACP) – 328

Artillery (122 mm and higher) – 303

Combat aircraft – 49

Attack helicopters – 15;

In Armenia it is a little bit less

Military personnel – 5,200(men)

Tanks – 102 (units)

Armored combat power (ACP) – 218

Artillery (122 mm and higher) – 225

Combat aircraft – 6

Attack helicopters – 9;

Meanwhile in Karabakh greater force is concentrated

Military personnel – 20,000-25,000 (men)

Tanks – 316(units)

Armored combat power (ACP) – 324

Artillery (122 mm and higher) – 322

Multiple artillery rocket system – 44

As we can see, the economic-military potential of Azerbaijan is much
higher than the counter side. In case of the military actions between
Armenia and Azerbaijan arise, the special military factor in the
future may be the circumstance that Baku has considerable resources
to supply petroleum, oil, lubricants, which are absent in Armenia.

The destruction of material stocks of petroleum, oil, lubricants and
so one will lead to the considerable decrease of military potential
of Armenian side. Though, mountain-woodland area, a high level of
moral spirit of Armenians may sustain to the active defense, including
partisan methods. Experts remark that in the process of the possible
military actions for NAgornuy Karabakh the conquest of it by the
Azerbaijan side is possible. The detention of this republic in the
frames of Azerbaijan State for along period of time is unlikely to
carry out.