Valeh Barshadly

Valeh Barshadly Valeh Bərşadlı
Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan
In office September 5, 1991 – December 11, 1991
President	Ayaz Mutalibov, Abulfaz Elchibey
Preceded by	office established
Succeeded by	Tajeddin Mehdiyev
Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces
In office December 11, 1991 – September 4, 1992
Preceded by	Colonel Rufat Amirov (acting)
Succeeded by	Colonel General Safar Abiyev (acting)
Personal details
Born	July 6, 1927 Gubadly, Azerbaijan
Died	May 15, 1999 (aged 71) Baku, Azerbaijan
Religion	Islam
Military service
Service/branch	Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Rank	Lieutenant General

Valeh Barshadly Eyyub oglu (Azerbaijani: Valeh Bərşadlı Eyyub oğlu) (July 6, 1927 – May 15, 1999) also spelled as Valeh Barshadli, was the first Minister of Defense of Azerbaijan after restoration of its independence in 1991.^[1]

Early life

Barshadly was born on July 6, 1927 in Gubadly, Azerbaijan.^[2][3] Throughout his early years, he completed a military school, Military Academy of Tank Forces of USSR, Military Academy of General Staff of Soviet Armed Forces and was the youngest officer of Azerbaijani nationality to receive the rank of a General.^[4]

Career in the military

Soviet Azerbaijan

In the 1970s, Barshadly was Deputy Commander of the 3rd Shock Army stationed in East Germany.^[4] While the First Secretary of Azerbaijan SSR, Heydar Aliyev invited Valeh Barshadly from Germany to lead the military lyceum and the naval school in Zikh, just outside Baku, to increase the number of professional Azeri officers. The number of Azeri officers were to grow by 50%.^[5]

Azerbaijan Republic

Barshadly has played a significant role in training Azerbaijani officers during Soviet rule and in re-establishing an Azerbaijani Army. The decree to establish the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan was signed on September 5, 1991. Barshadly who was a well experienced general was to lead the ministry. During first few days, the Ministry consisted of 4 people: General Valeh Barshadly, General Arif Salahov, Colonel Telman Mehdiyev and General Zaur Rzayev.^[6] On October 9, 1991 the Supreme Soviet of Azerbaijan SSR passed a bill about "Establishment of self-defense forces" to speed up the process.^[7] The first unit of the new army was formed on the basis of the 18-110 military unit of mechanized infantry of the 4th Army located in Shikhovo, south of Baku. When the ministry was being formed, every officer had only one pistol.^[8] In general, Barshadly was in favor of creating a professional army on the basis of contractual relationship between the army and servicemen. He proposed to create 16,000 men brigades with numbering of and assigning a flag to each tabor. In addition, he favored creation of additional raid tabors. However, his offer was rejected by the parliament and it was decided to create the army on basis of conscription. First two brigades were established on conscripted and volunteered servicemen.^[9]

Realizing the access to international community was important, in November 1991, Barshadly made attempts to establish press service of the ministry for timely communications with the press and appointed Ramiz Melikov to lead the department.^[10] During times of disorganization, Barshadly was also proponent of creation of partisan groups to fight the enemy but never succeeded in doing so.^[11]

On December 11, 1991 Barshadly was replaced by Tajeddin Mehdiyev, and appointed the Deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of General Staff of Azerbaijani Armed Forces.^[12][1] During his term as Chief of Staff, Azerbaijani army has achieved successful military victories on the Karabakh front.^[4] He also prevented the ammunition from being destroyed when the remaining Soviet army was pulling out of Azerbaijan in 1992.^[13] On September 4, 1992 Barshadly was relieved from his duties as Deputy Minister and Chief of the General Staff by a presidential decree of Abulfaz Elchibey. Some allege he resigned himself, under pressure from the Popular Front of Azerbaijan.^[1][14] In later years he worked as the rector of the Jamshid Nakhichevanski Military Lyceum and was again appointed the deputy Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff under Heydar Aliyev but then he resigned and return to the lyceum where he worked until end of his life.^[3]

Death

Barshadly died on May 15, 1999. He was buried with honors on May 18, 1999 at the Avenue of the Honored Ones Cemetery.^[3]

On July 6, 2007, Azerbaijani government held the 80th anniversary of Valeh Barshadly.^[15]

See also

• Azerbaijani Army
• Ministers of Defense of Azerbaijan Republic

References

1. "The Center of Effective Initiatives". Retrieved 2010-07-12.
2. "Gubadli. History in brief". Retrieved 2010-07-12.
3. R. Kerimov (2006-07-08). "Валеху Баршадлы исполнилось бы 79 лет..." [Valeh Barshadly would have turned 79...]. Ekho. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
4. "General-leytenant Valeh Bərşadlının doğum günü qeyd ediləcək" [Birthday of Valeh Barshadly will be celebrated]. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
5. "Военному лицею имени Джамшида Нахчыванского - 30 лет" [Military lecum named after Jamshid Nakhichevanski is turning 30]. Nash Vek. 2003-04-25. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
6. Rashad Suleymanov (2010-01-31). "General Zaur Rzayev: "Ürəyimdə bir arzu qalıb..."" [General Zaur Rzayev: "I have one wish..."]. lent.az. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
7. Vugar Orkhan (2010-01-29). "İşğalçı ordunun "ad günü"" [Birthday of the occupying army]. 525-ci qazet. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
8. "Azərbaycan Respublikası Müdafiə Nazirliyi. 1991-dən sonra" [Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan Republic. Events after 1991]. Archived from the original on July 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-01.
9. "Müdafiə Nazirliyinin yaranmasının 18 ili tamam oldu" [18 years pass since establishment of the Ministry of Defense]. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
10. ""Doktrina" Jurnalistlərin Hərbi Araşdırmalar Mərkəzi" ["Doctrine" Military Research Center for Journalists]. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
11. "Azerbaijani Popular Front". Retrieved 2010-07-12.
12. "V.Ə. Bərşadlının Azərbaycan Respublikasının müdafiə naziri vəzifəsindən azad edilməsi haqqında AZƏRBAYCAN RESPUBLİKASI PREZİDENTİNİN FƏRMANI" [Order of President of Azerbaijan Republic on V.E. Barshadly's]. Retrieved 2011-01-05.
13. "Азербайджан: руководство оборонным сектором и военные реформы" [Azerbaijan= guidance in the defense sector and reforms in the military]. Retrieved 2010-07-12.
14. "Decree of the President of Azerbaijan Republic on V.E. Barshadly". Retrieved 2010-07-12.
15. "General-leytenant Valeh Bərşadlının anadan olmasının 80 illiyi qeyd ediləcək" [80th anniversary of Colonel Lieutenant Valeh Barshadly will be held]. Azeri Press Agency. 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2010-07-12.