YASHAR JAFARLI: "THE UPCOMING MILITARY PARADE IS A DEMONSTRATION OF AZERBAIJAN’S MILITARY POTENTIAL NOT ONLY TO ARMENIA BUT TO ALL FORCES, INVOLVED INTO KARABAKH CONFLICT"
Today.Az
June 23 2008
Azerbaijan
Day.Az interview with Yashar Jafarli, chairman of the Azerbaijan
public association "Retired officers".
– A military parade on the 90th anniversary of the national armed
forces will be held in Azerbaijan this week. It has already been
announced that the unprecedented parade in the history of our country
will feature new technique of all kinds of armed forces. What is
it- a tribute to the jubilee event or demonstration of its power to
the enemy?
– This is a multi-mission event. Naturally, one of the tasks of this
event is a demonstration of power not only to its enemy but to the
entire region, the whole world. You see the conflict involves not only
two parties, regional countries, but also international organizations,
beginning from UN and up to the OSCE. Therefore, the head of state,
declaring possible resumption of hostilities with Armenia, in case
the potential of the peaceful resolution of the conflict is exhausted,
wants to prove that these words are not unfounded.
On the other hand, the parade also has other purposes. People
demand public control over the armed forces, demands report from
its government about the use of financial means, allocated for
defense. Naturally, the government must demonstrate the response to
these questions.
Furthermore, parade requirement definite readiness from the personal
staff of the armed forces and military technique. To march in rows
and columns requires readiness, Thus, it is also the training of
personal staff.
– Is the army well-equipped to impress the world and primarily Armenia?
– Certainly. We have more military facilities and it is better than
that of Armenia. You see, economic potential of a country plays a
decisive role and economically we are incomparably stronger than
our enemy and by all parameters we are the strongest state in the
region. This is also recognized by all international organizations
and even our enemies.
– Day.Az is holding a poll: "Can the military parade be held in
Azerbaijan until the occupied lands are not liberated?" in the
threshold of the parade. Readers are offered three options: 1.Yes,
because it raises military spirits of the population. 2. No, our
military potential should be demonstrated on the battle fields. 3. It
does not matter to me. The first two answers are almost on equally
popular among readers. And how you would answer this question?
– Of course, I support the first option. The parade is needed to
demonstrate our power to our enemies.
– Do you think this demonstration of power can influence the process
of Azerbaijani-Armenian negotiations on the resolution of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict?
– Yes, I am sure it will. Therefore, I support such actions, in our
conditions it is necessary.
– Do you think military parades of such a scale should be held
regularly, or at least more often than they are held in the past few
years, from jubilee to jubilee?
– Sure, they should become more frequent. Azerbaijan along with
the transitive period of its development is in a state of war with
Armenia. Our lands are still under occupation and until the situation
is preserved, it is necessary to hold large scale actions of such kind
at least once a year and military actions of local concern, dated to
holidays, can be held in different regions, including frontier area,
more frequently.