Until There is a Peace Agreement, There Will Be No Demarcation or Delimitation – Movses Hakobyan

Until there is a peace agreement, there will be no demarcation or delimitation; that is the reality in the world. This was stated by Movses Hakobyan, the former Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, during an interview on Tert.am’s program “Interview with Bethlehem Arabyan.”

Commenting on the Ministry of Defense's draft, which proposes reforms and changes to the position of the Chief of the General Staff, Movses Hakobyan mentioned that there are both positive and negative aspects. The positive aspect is the resolution of housing issues.

Regarding the involvement of civil organizations, Movses Hakobyan said: “As a soldier, I must state that it is forbidden for anyone to dig a soldier's trench besides himself. I must dig my trench with my own hands for my own comfort in combat. Regarding food supplies, during the 44-day war, this system didn't work and there’s no such example in any army in the world where civilian organizations can ensure rear and technical support during wartime.”

Regarding the Chief of General Staff, who, according to the draft, is supposed to be the first deputy of the Minister of Defense but will not be able to replace him, Movses Hakobyan noted that the formulations are unclear: “This project will create misunderstandings, and we will have scapegoats but no responsible parties. I have reviewed the document four times, and it is unclear who will be leading the army; the army has been left without a head.”

On the issue of demarcation and delimitation, Movses Hakobyan stated that there is a problem at hand. The document will have an annex, and in his opinion, Armenia and Azerbaijan are not ready to sign it today: “And until there is a peace agreement, there will be no demarcation or delimitation.”

Regarding the statement from November 9, 2020, about lowering the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, Movses Hakobyan commented: “The issue of Artsakh was entirely resolved on November 9, 2020, at 18:00. There are no negotiations on this issue; Armenia and Azerbaijan are negotiating within the framework of the EU regarding their matters.”