BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 26. The processes taking place in Azerbaijan, the region, and in the world reveal the fact that in order to preserve the independence of a country, to take its rightful place on the world stage, it's always necessary to have a strong army, and the establishment of a strong army is not a matter of one or two years.
To do this, a purposeful, reasonable and resolute policy, with all the risks calculated, is important. It can be said with full confidence that Azerbaijan today, is making a big leap forward in army building.
Determination of correct political strategy for maintaining independence, freedom of the country and its effective implementation, ensuring economic development that serves national interests, building self-confidence among the people, establishing political, economic, social, military stability within the country, implementing a sound foreign policy, a set of measures aimed to the protection and development of national interests and sustainable development in general, and the criteria for sustainable development necessary for the realization of all this are considered the main driving factors in army building.
Naturally, strong management is very important. Depending on historical conditions, the environment, various influences, objective and subjective reasons, any shortcomings in the administration of the state, requiring great responsibility and sensitivity, will also affect its army.
The Armed Forces of Azerbaijan, which have passed difficult tests in history, are marking their 105 years anniversary (on June 26, 1918, by the decision of the Council of Ministers of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the first regular military unit, the Separate Azerbaijani Corps, was established).
Despite that the national army was established in a short time, together with the Caucasian Islamic army of Nuru Pasha, it saved Baku from the Armenian-Bolshevik occupation. These military formations showed great courage in suppressing uprisings against the national government in Mughan and Asgaran. They defeated parts of the Armenian regular army, which violated the Azerbaijani border in Gazakh.
Unfortunately, after the fall of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in April 1920, the Bolshevik government disbanded Azerbaijani National Army. Most of its leaders, including 15 generals, were shot on Nargin Island.
The traditions of the Azerbaijan Army, laid down during the period of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, were preserved and developed later.
During the years of Soviet Azerbaijan, great leader Heydar Aliyev strove with great foresight to train national officer staff and achieved this. The goal of Heydar Aliyev was to achieve the training of military personnel from among the Azerbaijanis, so that they would have a deep understanding of military affairs and be able to handle modern weapons.
The great leader soon after coming to power in Azerbaijan - on June 20, 1971 - achieved the establishment of a specialized military school named after Jamshid Nakhchivanski. He also achieved the admission of Azerbaijani youth on preferential terms to the Baku Higher United Command and the Baku Higher Naval School, as well as to other military educational institutions of the USSR.
However, despite the fact that in 1991, after the restoration of state independence, it was decided to create the Azerbaijani army, in the first years of the restoration of independence, the useless policy of the then leadership of the country, internal squabbles had a negative impact on the army, and as a result, while Armenia occupied Azerbaijani lands, they could not cope with the work of building an army, they could not unite the military around a single command, which resulted in numerous problems with defending the country.
As a result, 20 percent of the lands were occupied, there was unrest in the society, and Azerbaijan faced the threat of losing independence.
At this time, Heydar Aliyev, who returned to power at the insistence of the people, abolished the armed formations and began the process of building a regular army. A rather important support for the great leader in this matter of the future army building of Azerbaijan were the professional military servicemen, including graduates of the specialized military school named after Jamshid Nakhchivansky, which showed the far-sighted policy of Heydar Aliyev.
At his call, a large-scale mobilization was carried out, military units were fully staffed. Inspired by this, Azerbaijani army carried out successful offensive operations and delivered crushing blows to the Armenian occupiers. The first test of the Azerbaijani army under the leadership of Heydar Aliyev took place in January 1994. As a result of a successful operation carried out by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces on the night of January 5-6, 1994, 20 villages of the Fuzuli district, including Horadiz village, and Jojug Marjanly village of the Jabrayil district were liberated from the occupation. In accordance with the Decree of Heydar Aliyev dated May 22, 1998, June 26 was declared the Day of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan.
During the leadership of President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, the process of establishing an army in independent Azerbaijan, the basis of which was laid down by Heydar Aliyev, entered a completely new stage.
Thanks to the attention and care of President Ilham Aliyev, who successfully continues and develops the military development policy of the great leader, improving the professionalism of military servicemen, combat spirit and morale-psychological training of personnel, provision of Azerbaijani Armed Forces with modern weapons and equipment has always been in the foreground.
Thanks to this policy of President Ilham Aliyev, which further increased attention and care for the army, the foundation of which was laid by Heydar Aliyev, the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan have become the most powerful army in the region in a short time.
As a result, three years ago, the Azerbaijani army ended a 30-year occupation with a 44-day second Karabakh war, restoring Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. This heroism of the Azerbaijani army attracted the attention of the whole world.
One of the priority issues facing the Azerbaijani state at the present time is the further improvement of army building, bringing it into line with more modern requirements and holding a permanent place among the strongest armies in the world, because people with a strong army will never be broken.
Azerbaijan also needs a strong army to prevent the insidious plans and intentions of neighboring Armenia, which set its sights on the strategic heights liberated by Azerbaijani army from Armenian occupation during the second Karabakh war and during subsequent anti-terrorist operations.
It's also not a secret that there are forces interested in this region, located in a favorable geographical zone, pursuing an anti-Azerbaijani policy.
All these factors also confirm that Azerbaijan is probably facing the biggest pressure in its history, but along with the correct foreign and domestic policy pursued, important steps in building an army allow Azerbaijan, by not only defensive, but also offensive diplomacy, to put an end to injustice against it within the framework of international law, and to establish justice.
“The task of further strengthening our Army remains the number one priority,” said President of Azerbaijan, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Ilham Aliyev on June 23, as he addressed a ceremony to present the battle flag to one of the commando military units of the Ministry of Defense.
Naturally, this is based on the development of Azerbaijan's Armed Forces on the basis of a single program, the purpose of which is to achieve in the near future a higher level of development of our Armed Forces, because it is very important to overcome pressure and threats against Azerbaijan, consistently respond to provocations and prevent all possible threats to Azerbaijan's territorial integrity.
Just like having favorable positions along the border with Armenia gives Azerbaijan a strategic advantage, it's just as important to maintain these positions.
Unlike Armenia, today neither the "civilian mission" of the European Union, nor the military forces of other states protect Azerbaijan's borders. Today, the sons of Azerbaijan, who restored the territorial integrity of their country, are also guarding the borders of their country, and are proud of it. Today it can be said with full confidence that Azerbaijan doesn't depend on anyone and will not depend either economically or militarily.