At the Sardarapat Memorial outside Yerevan, former Armenian Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan told reporters covering celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the first Armenian republic, that one hundred years ago all sectors of the Armenian nation united and achieved victory; a victory that would serve as the basis for victories to come.

When one reporter noted that the anniversary of the first republic was being celebrated in a new Armenia, Ohanyan said: “There is no Armenian in the world who has followed recent events and wasn’t amazed at the energy of the youth, at those developments that must serve as an example to all.”

The former defense minister said that Armenia’s political and geo-political leadership must work in a new way, in a legal way, and that he was sure that new government would do so.

When asked to comment on the view held by some that Movses Hakobyan, recently removed from the post of Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, was one of those responsible for the losses the Armenian military incurred during the 2016 “Four Day War” with Azerbaijan and should not have been appointed Chief Military Inspector, Ohanyan replied Hakobyan was a seasoned military general and that the minor mistakes of the past should not be rehashed.

“We’re talking about the same time period when I was defense minister. We shouldn’t talk about the minor shortfalls of the April War. We achieved victory because of the valor shown by officers and soldiers, and we must build the future of the army on that basis.

When asked if he believes that the loss of 800 hectares of land to Azerbaijan during those four days can be considered a minor shortfall, Ohanyan said the Armenian military was able to thwart the main aims of Azerbaijan.

“Our army closely monitors the movement of positions. The change of positions and anti-assault operations later on were curtailed due to political decisions. Our army today is ready to resolve any problem it faces, whether defensive or offensive,” Ohanyan said.