EREVAN, JULY 19, ARMENPRESS. The secretary of the Security Council of Armenia, Armen Grigoryan, stresses that Armenian recruits will no longer be sent to the Republic of Artsakh for military service.
Grigoryan added that recruits in Artsakh will continue to be recruited for military service in the Artsakh Defence Army.
ARMENPRESS: Mr. Grigoryan, there have been many complaints recently that the Republic of Armenia is withdrawing its troops from Nagorno-Karabakh, leaving Nagorno-Karabakh defenseless. How would you respond to this complaint?
Grigoryan: During the war, several sets of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia passed to the NK Defense Army. After the status quo of the ceasefire and the deployment of the peacekeeping contingent of the Russian Federation, the withdrawal of the armed forces of the Republic of Armenia from NK makes sense.
ARMENPRESS: But doesn’t that mean that Nagorno-Karabakh is completely helpless?
Grigoryan: No, because in the past the service of ensuring the security of the NK was again performed through the NK Defense Army. And nothing is replaced in this regard. However, it should be noted for the record that the deployment of Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh will be a guarantee of security.
ARMENPRESS: But the occasions in Parukh showed that this is the case. . .
Grigoryan: The events in Parukh were a flagrant violation of the trilateral declaration of November 9, 2020 and applicable foreign law. The armed forces of Azerbaijan invaded the domain of duty of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. The Russian Federation has entrusted us that the invading forces from Azerbaijan will have to withdraw, and we hope that the Russian peacekeeping forces will ensure the withdrawal of the Azerbaijani outfits that illegally invaded the domain of duty of the Russian peacekeeping forces in Nagorno-Karabakh. The presence of Russian peacekeeping forces itself shows that Russia accepts the fact that there is a genuine existential risk to the population of NK and that peacekeeping forces are of key importance in ensuring the protection of Armenians from NK.
ARMENPRESS: Please clarify: are the recruits of the Armenian Armed Forces in NK replaced by contract (voluntary) or are the ensembles of the Armed Forces of Armenia taking flight from NK?
Grigoryan: Let me explain to you to be clear. Due to the war, several sets of the Armenian Armed Forces entered NK to end the Defense Army. After the status quo of the ceasefire, they returned to the Republic of Armenia. This procedure is coming to an end and will continue. finish in September. Regarding the Defence Army: it has been and continues to be in Nagorno-Karabakh.
ARMENPRESS: Does this mean that no Armenian soldiers will be deployed to NK from September?
But as won by the NK authorities, recruits from Nagorno-Karabakh will continue to serve in the defense army as before.
ARMENPRESS: What about the hired (volunteer) soldiers?
Grigoryan: According to data obtained from NK authorities, the contract will continue to serve in the Defense Army as before.
ARMENPRESS: From Armenia too?
Grigoryan: Members of the Armenian Contracts Service are deployed in the NK Defense Army. If necessary, NK organizes the intervention of subcontractors on site.
Shant Khalghatian