MANVEL GRIGORYAN AND THE LAND DEFENDERS

A1Plus.am
January 28, 2010

General-Lieutenant Manvel Grigoryan visited Yerablur when the
President, Prime Minister, Defense Minister and other officials and
soldiers had gone. He came, hugged his friends in combat, smoked and
laid flowers near the monument in memory of the dead soldiers.

Talking about the latest developments of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
Manvel Grigoryan said that it was not worth talking about handing
the liberated territories in exchange for Karabakh’s status.

"I am not in favor of any issues connected to Karabakh. The people of
Karabakh obtained and enjoy their independence. The Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict was resolved a long time ago and people are living in an
independent country. Nobody will give or take lands. Can they take
those lands?" said Grigoryan.

According to the general, the country is in danger of war and the
Land Defenders have never stepped back from a war.

"The Armenian army is currently involved in defending the state
borders. There are no victims or injured. Don’t you know that?" asked
Grigoryan. But when journalists mentioned that there was no official
information about that, the former Defense Minister said: "There is
no official news about a war." Manvel Grigoryan.

As far as Turkish-Armenian relations are concerned, Manvel Grigoryan
is in favor of relations between neighboring countries.

"Only the blind and deaf wouldn’t want to be good neighbors. That’s
life, but it depends on the conditions under which the border will
be opened. There are many issues. We also favor having good relations
with everyone, but not by their demands or motives," said Grigoryan.

President of the Land Defenders’ Union denied the rumors according to
which the authorities are planning to reinforce the "Land Defenders".

"Land defenders are the Armenian people and they reinforce people,
not the opposite," said Grigoryan.

In regard to former members of the "Land Defenders’ Union", Manvel
Grigoryan said that he had not removed anybody from the union.

"I have not removed anybody. I personally am not offended by anyone.

This was created by Vazgen and the people and nobody has the moral
right to personally get offended. Whoever is offended by the Land
Defenders is offended by the nation," said Grigoryan.

Is the Land Defenders’ Union ready to go to war again even after
the events of March 1 and getting political revenge from some of
the members?

"Land defenders fight 24 hours a day. We are not offended. No land
defender has the moral right to get offended, if people are physically
prepared," said Grigoryan.

Manvel Grigoryan wished national unity to Armenians on the occasion
of Army Day. "We need unity in order to talk about the good things
and not about who gave and got what," said Grigioryan.