Armenia’s peacekeeping brigade is the structure which will be further a basis for the establishment of a professional army, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan said on the occasion of Armenian Armed Forces’ new academic year, during the ceremonial meeting.
Seyran Ohanyan considers peacekeeping brigade as basis for establishment of professional army
STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 15, ARTSAKHPRESS-ARMENPRESS: “Brigade of peacekeeping forces is mainly staffed by professionals. You must not start a new way to absorb everything that is necessary to defend the homeland during each new academic year but need to add your skills to previously acquired skills. This means Armenian peacekeeping forces' brigade is the structure which will serve as a basis for establishing a professional army,” the minister mentioned.
According to him, the modern geopolitical developments in the region, security environment around Armenia and the threats which exist not only make to form national security guarantees , but also to provide security system by combination of international guarantees. Seyran Ohanyan added that our peacekeeping brigade has its big role and significance in the mentioned case.
Seyran Ohanyan considers this day symbolic as a few years ago, on February 15, all Soviet Union’s subdivisions, which were realizing a task in Afghanistan, were taken out from that country.
“But today our peacekeeping forces, along with united forces and security agencies of other countries, are conducting a big mission ensuring peace and stability for the Afghan people in this region. Being in places for numerous times, where Armenian peacekeepers performed their service, I only felt pride, I felt that every day, every year our reputation and significance of the Armenian peacekeeping forces increases and it is based on you, together with your commanders,” Seyran Ohanyan concluded.
The Armenian peacekeepers joined the NATO peacekeeping mission in February 2004. The Armenian peacemakers conducted missions at the American and Greece Armed Forces staff in Kosovo, from January 2005 until October 2008 as part of the Polish multinational division in Iraq and from January-February 2010, at the German Armed Forces staff in Afghanistan. The 32-member platoon of peacekeepers, from 26 November 2014, has been conducting peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, at the UNIFIL mission staff, under the Italian command. The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia participates in the peacemaking mission, in Mali since 2015.
