Azad Isa-zade: Military parade is not just a festivity, but a demonstration of power (part 2)

Azerbaijani Military Day has been celebrated in the country since 1998. Our VK correspondent asked military psychologist Azad Isa-zade to say some words about the history of the Azerbaijani army, its traditions and the current situation in the military.

- What is the level of Azerbaijan’s cooperation in the military field with other countries?

- Our policy in this regard is balanced. We cooperate with EU and NATO states, especially Turkey, but we also have treaties with Russia and Iran, as well as with Georgia and Ukraine. Our officers study in many European countries, as well as in Turkey and in Russia. Our units participated in the Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan campaigns: it is dangerous but extremely useful experience of international military cooperation.

- How will the Azerbaijani army benefit from its organization by the NATO scheme?

- There is no such thing as an army fully answering to NATO standards. Army organization differs even among NATO-member states. But the main focus in all NATO states is on the servicemen themselves: their rights, the conditions of their lives, their future job placement. I think we should adopt this principle to create a maximum efficient army.

- Azerbaijan has had its own military industry for several years now. How did this factor affect Azerbaijan’s position in the region?

- It is a very important factor of our international relations as well as an indicator of our country’s self-sufficiency. We can produce all the necessary weaponry for our army ourselves. For example, the Azerbaijani model of sniper rifle is more efficient than the Armenian one, so when our soldiers started using this model, Armenian officials started negotiating the removal of all snipers from the frontline.

- Will Azerbaijan introduce alternative civilian service?

- We are obliged to do that by the agreements we signed on entering EU Council, whether we like it or not. Those who say that we can’t yet introduce this kind of service as we are in a state of war are mistaken, as officially we are not at war with any state. We will never recognize Nagorno-Karabakh's independence: as far as Azerbaijan is concerned, it’s a part of its territory occupied by terrorist-separatist movement. I believe that alternative service is necessary because, if unwilling people are forced to join the army, its combat-readiness will only be decreased. Right now, people who didn’t serve in the army are not admitted to government service, so some of them try to trick medical commissions to pass for service – and that also affects the army’s efficiency. I think that the army is better off with a small number of professional and willing servicemen.

Interview by Ramin Naziyev, Baku. Exclusively to VK