“USA SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN'S MILITARIZATION”
Support A1+!“A weak enemy is not necessarily a good enemy,” said Richard Giragosian, a U.S.-based political scientist, during a Yerevan discussion on October 10.
According to Richard Giragosian, the military equilibrium between the three regional countries is changing but not in favor of Armenia.
Azerbaijan is boosting military expenditure which may considerably change the balance in the upcoming years. In this sense the military advantage of Armenia in the region is temporary. The political scientist says as long as Safar Abiyev is Azerbaijan's Defense Minister, we can be sure that the appropriations for the army are dissipated and the army remains weak and disorganized. On the other hand, however, big appropriations may in the future give advantage to Azerbaijan.
One of the supporters of Azerbaijan's militarization is the USA, he says. The procedure is underway in Georgia as well.
Richard Giragosian thinks Armenia should take measures in this context. The first should be sustainable dynamic of military reforms. In this respect, Richard Giragosian points to military intelligence as an important factor, adding that the death of the head of military intelligence Basentsi Azoyan was a great loss for the Armenian armed force and now somebody is sought to replace him.
According to the political scientist, the next strand of military reforms should refer to technology. Richard Giragosian thinks Armenia can place the army at a new technological level thanks to its IT potential.
Besides, Richard Giragosian thinks diplomatic, political cooperation with international organizations is also important to support the Armenian army.
“The Armenian army has a defensive function, and it can serve a guarantee for stability in the region,” he says.
Apart from all, the U.S.-based Armenian political scientist thinks it is highly important for Armenia not to rely on external guarantees of security, Russia or NATO, to be a self-sufficient country and rely on its own potential. Therefore, the political scientist says, it is necessary to acknowledge that the biggest threat to security is inside, i.e. corruption, which hinders the development of the country’s economy.
Richard Giragosian highlighted the formation of mobile military special groups. Armenia is surrounded by unfriendly countries therefore it should be able to react accordingly. The political scientist is surprised at Armenia's indifference towards aviation.
