Azernews.Az

By Sara Rajabova

The settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict depends on the status of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces.

Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Colonel-General Zakir Hasanov made the remarks at a ceremony marking the graduation of forces in the special educational institutions of the Heydar Aliyev Higher Military School on June 24.

While addressing the graduates, Hasanov said they must bring new morale into the armed forces, and the enemy must know that Azerbaijani officers are strong.

Hasanov noted that despite the signing of the document on ceasefire, gunshots are heard on the frontline every day.

"Armenia's reconnaissance and commando forces are trying to attack our positions. However, they get a worthy rebuff and retreat, suffering huge losses," Hasanov said.

The Armenian sabotage and intelligence groups attempted several times to attack the posts of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces located on the contact line of the two countries' troops.

As a result of ceasefire breaches, two servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army were killed and another four were wounded in late May.

The Armenian Armed Forces further escalated the situation on the frontline with killing two servicemen of the Azerbaijani Army in June.

Besdies, the Armenian troops didn't hesitate to fire at the civilians, who live in the villages located near the frontline.

The four civilians were wounded as a result of Armenian Armed Forces' shelling of the houses and fields in the border villages.

Armenia captured Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in a war that followed the Soviet breakup in 1991. More than 20,000 Azerbaijanis were killed and nearly 1 million were displaced as a result of the war.

Large-scale hostilities ended with a Russia-brokered ceasefire in 1994, but Armenia has continued the occupation in defiance of four UN Security Council resolutions calling for their immediate and unconditional withdrawal.

Hasanov reiterated the Azerbaijani president's words that a second Armenian state cannot be created on the territory of Azerbaijan.

He said the enemy must take into account the reality and the balance of power in the region.

"We must liberate the territory occupied by the enemy and will certainly do this," Hasanov said.

Hasanov further said today it is necessary to recognize this fact as a historical reality that a new stage started in the process of building the army and military educational institutions after national Leader Heydar Aliyev returned to power.

Heydar Aliyev is the creator of the modern military education system. Thus, the Higher Military School was named after the Azerbaijani national leader.

"Currently, much and important work is being conducted to improve the social welfare of servicemen," Hasanov added. In this regard, he expressed his gratitude to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Hasanov congratulated the parents of the graduates of educational institutions that have received the rank of lieutenant.