Sargsyan: The April War and Tavush Events Cannot Be Compared

Former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan addressed the issue of the Armenian-Azerbaijani clashes in the Tavush border zone during a press conference in July. He stated, "The April war and the Tavush events cannot be compared in any way. Our armed forces performed excellently in Tavush and accomplished an extremely important task. This must be appreciated, but the same should have been done in May and June 2018 in the direction of Nakhchivan, as it was a necessity... We should also have been a bit more informed about the particular acts of heroism for which 70 individuals were awarded the 'Combat Cross' high decoration. After the ceasefire in 1994, when the first President of Armenia summarized the military operations of the previous four years and recognized those who actively participated, only two dozen people were awarded the 'Combat Cross.' I am not saying this to blame anyone. The difference is significant; one is extensive operations spanning over 200 kilometers, while another involves combat clashes occurring within a few hundred meters of our territories. I am very glad that once again our armed forces showcased their best performance. At least now nobody can say that they are not combat-ready."