Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan: “War will be the accident for Azerbaijan!”

The fighting general Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan, popular in Armenia and in Nagorno-Karabakh, who is called simply as «Commandos», now coordinates the work on creation of the Suvorov and Madatov Karabakh military college. He told our portal that the situation round Nagorno-Karabakh can’t be resolved by power way, and that the Army of defense of NKR became a powerful geopolitical factor which simply should be considered:

- The statements that it is possible to resolve an issue only by military way are regularly distributed from Azerbaijan at different levels.

- If to see things really, there is no other way out for Ilham Aliyev: he has to speak so! The consciousness grows in Azerbaijan, people understand that they had a culture, there was a past. And the person without the past means nothing! And this ethnos which in Azerbaijan exists, it doesn’t create the united nation. And Aliyev needs to create normal society in Azerbaijan, but we see that there are no areas, nor independent regions. Even if say that somebody needs to give the status, they have no statuses after all — all is taken away! Aliyev needs to sit on petrodollars and to create an image of the enemy. We read such things about us!

All these statements and words that allegedly a lot of money is spent for arms, become specially. You know, the military science is very conservative. Clausewitz told that society which is ready to war, has to have trinity of the government, army and society. Society in Azerbaijan isn’t ready, the government is Aliyev and his clan, and army is multinational. And what is created in it: murders, suicides, crossing of the border and delivery by the Armenian serviceman with a request of transfer to the third country. In the Azerbaijani army is only disorder and swaying that speaks about its moral spirit. They simply don’t understand, in what country they live and who are they?!

- The peace in Nagorno-Karabakh is preserved since 1994 despite surges in intensity. Does the factor of fighting capacity of armed forces of NKR play the crucial role here?

- I have three books on a desktop: Churchill, Gandhi and Seneca. At Churchill I met interesting thought which struck me: who can well be at war, that can’t sign the good peace treaty. And who isn’t able to be at war well — at those the diplomats act well.

Why do I speak about it? Because in 1994 they asked CIS countries — the big role in it was played by Boris Yeltsin — that Levon Ter Petrosyan signed the peace treaty. And they after all were broken; we practically could reach Baku …

Also they signed: both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh; and the annoying that was written there was to disengage the armies from these territories. Can you imagine: to ask on a lap and to receive such prize in diplomacy! It turns out that we preserved the peace, but lost in diplomacy and still we lose.

And our armed forces become stronger. Military experts of the different countries give us appreciation: both Russian, and American … The army gives a guarantee of peaceful life to the people.

Somehow Nagorno-Karabakh was visited by the general Lebed who is loved at us very much. He took an interest in coefficient of technical readiness; this coefficient is simply defined: how many tanks could leave the boxes … When he was told that the coefficient is 100%, the general decided to check himself. He gave the command to get equipment. He all saw and highly appreciated! Here everything is simple: in Nagorno-Karabakh the faulty equipment isn’t present and can’t be!

And that the people were convinced of fighting opportunities of the army, it is open at us. For example, parents can come to army to the son every month. And people, of course, have to know where is the money allocated for defense. Yes, it is difficult to us in the economic plan, but there is an understanding for what it becomes.

The army of defense of NKR is capable not only to defend, but also to conduct offensive actions. Why? Because we know our opponent and we understand that the statements for desire for peace in Azerbaijan aren’t true. God forbid, of course, the war began — it will be the big misfortune for us. And for Azerbaijan it becomes the most present tragedy.

- When the matter concerns you in conversation, at once remember how the armies under your command took being considered unapproachable Shusha …

- I studied eight years: in the highest military college in Baku and in Academy in Leningrad. War is the exact science! Sun Tzu, Napoloen — they should be studied! And I agree with them that when the moral spirit of army is high, its forces treble. And in spite of the fact that we were few, our moral spirit was very high. Our forces, thus, trebled and I got to know this factor when was the commander of armies which went into battle.

And they spoke to me: we will take Shusha! And if only according to only military science, I have to have the armies 3−4 times bigger than had. Everything is important: confidence of the forces, ability, fine investigation. We after all knew not only the arms and an arrangement of the opponent, but even the names of commanders …

And we won! Not thanks to that I drew the plan on paper, but thanks to that there were volunteers who told: ok, the commander, we will go forward! That commander who has such fighters is happy. They understood, for what they are at war.

We were compelled to take up the arms, to be protected, but it turned out so that we were protected, but they ran … And now instead of sitting down at a negotiating table, they conduct such policy that everything can be solved by force. But it won’t be possible to Aliyev and his company living for petrodollars.