Vazgen Manukyan: Armenia is located in South Caucasus. It will never
become Switzerland

2008-01-28 15:12:00

ArmInfo. Armenia is located in the South Caucasus. It will never become
Switzerland, and it really needs a powerful army, Leader of the
National Democratic Union, presidential candidate Vazgen Manukyan
briefed, Monday.

As regards the perspective of development of the Armenian army, Vazgen
Manukyan said definite integration processes in the region will start
no sooner than in 20-30 years. These integration processes will become
guarantor of more security for Armenia. ‘At present, we will lose
everything we have within the shortest period of time if we have no
strong army. We will lose Armenia, Karabakh and Syunik. That is why, a
strong army is a priority for Armenia’, he said.

The strength of the army is not in its quantity. ‘Army must be a place
for young people to serve with and to learn something. Service must be
pride’ , V. Manukyan said. He also stressed the great role of a
relevant climate in the country. In addition, the campaign program of
the candidate says that all the young people must serve in the army.
‘We believe it necessary reducing the service in army to 1.5 years and
then to 1 year. A year of service is sufficient for a person to master
the skills of weapon handling. Simultaneously, it is necessary to start
forming processional army that justified itself during the Karabakh
war’, V. Manukuyan said. He also added that it is a long-lasting
process since the reduction of the service period depends on
demographic problems and the creation of a professional army on
economic growth. ‘It is necessary to ensure economic growth to hire
professionals. Army has a fundamental part in all the security systems.
Without a strong army Armenia cannot live peacefully in this region.
Those who call on to refuse from it and live peacefully are misleading
the people. These people play on the weakness on the folks for their
personal goals. However, all this aims to weaken our country ‘, V.
Manukyan said.