On February 9, Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan met with the teaching staff and students of Yerevan State University. The Minister spoke about the reforms in the armed forces, successes of the last year, the current problems and challenges, as well as the key elements of his New Year’s message.

At the end, several participants shared their impressions with the newspaper “Armenian Soldier”.

Aram Simonyan

YSU Rector

– Each meeting at our university with the Minister of Defence is significant, because it contains the potential of educating of students. And we appreciate that very much. From the New Year message of the Minister I would like to emphasize the idea of ​​the nation-wide army. We are a small nation, we have a small country, and that our army is in fact the only guarantee of the existence, which is really so,  it is necessary that every Armenian, regardless of whether is living in Armenia or outside, be held responsible for the development, establishment and strengthening of the Armenian army. In my opinion, here it is the most important idea of ​​the message.

Valery Arakelyan

Director, Center for semiconductor devices and nanotechnologies of the Faculty of Radio Physics, PhD

– I have always been proud of our army, and after such open and sincere meetings, this faith is strengthening even more. I am sure that we will have a more powerful army if the projects presented by the Minister be implemented.

In a letter to me an important place occupies the desire to normalize relations between commander and soldier, make them kinder, more respectful.

Vladimir Harutyunyan

NAS RA Academician

 – I hope that the directions mentioned in the letter, especially regarding the military industry and increase of the defense capability, come true. Very promising message, the Minister’s report was also very positive. Definitely, today the army is the most sacred institution in our country.

Gurgen Melikyan

Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Doctor of Philology, Professor

– Such meetings guide us, make us to be obliged. If we want our dreams for the future come true, we must stand behind the army, support it.

At this meeting, I received answers to many questions concerning the army, as well as of concern to me. And now, inspired with what I heard, I’ll go into the audience and all of this will be discussed with the students.

Hayk Avetisyan

Head of the Department of Archaeology and Ethnography, Doctor of historical sciences, professor

 – Message from the Minister is a kind of call to the staff of universities, especially students to love the army, to be close to the army and to prove once more that the guarantor of the Armenian statehood is indeed the Armenian army.

Artak Movsisyan

Doctor of Historical Sciences

 – It is important that the Minister of Defence periodically visits Armenian universities and meet with faculty members. The university and the army are intertwined with each other, many of the students from the first year go into the army. Of course, this mutual cooperation is welcomed. I think, in the message of the Minister all the items are important, without exception. This message is of fundamental importance, it comes from the experience of life, the need of the situation, it is properly conceived and set forth.

Bagrat Movsesyan

Sr. Lieutenant