NKR: We Are Not Dizzy of Our Achievements

WE ARE NOT DIZZY OF OUR ACHIEVEMENTS

Azat Artsakh – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR)
28 Jan 05

On January 26 the press conference of NKR minister of defence Seyran
Ohanian took place. Seyran Ohanian regularly meets with journalists
because, as he said, he feels obliged to inform people through the
mass media what happensin the Defence Army. As a rule, at the end of
every year the results of work is summed up at all the military units,
and before answering the questions of journalists the minister of
defence briefly presented the results of work in NKR armed forces in
2004 and the plans for 2005. According to Seyran Ohanian, in 2004 also
the effectiveness of the army was improved. The problem of great
importance in present relationships with the enemy – sentry duty- was
in the center of attention. The minister of defence emphasized that
the previous year for the Defence Army was a year of improvement of
effectiveness and fortification. The minister gave a low assessment
for the effectiveness of the army as there were drawbacks. It was
mentioned that in 2005 more determined and effective actions would be
taken. Recognizing the importance of fortifying the front line the
engineering works which started after the cease-fire and gather
momentum year by year were continued in 2004 for improving security
and living conditions. Today the command of the army reports with
pride that owing to the skillful organizational work of commanders of
all the levels and the conscientious service of the military personnel
they managed to fulfil all the tasks set before them. At the same time
the minister of defence thinks that achievements in engineering works
will have a continuous development in 2005. According to Seyran
Ohanian, the life in the army in 2005 will be the logical continuation
of the year 2004. Teaching will be in the center of attention of the
command.` Through intensive training, overcoming of difficulties,
determined work andgood knowledge in the field of military actions we
will achieve significant success,’ said the minister. `The military
exercises in August showed that the level of mobilization readiness of
the command and the military units is 99 per cent. This means that
the men who formerly fought and the personnel who started service in
the postwar years are well-aware that continuous accomplishment of the
army is a vital necessity,’ said Seyran Ohanian. He added that the
army-people relationship strengthening year be year shows that the
army andpeople are unified and thereby invincible. As to education and
discipline, the minister mentioned that in the past three years there
is progress in this sphere too. The cases of emergency in 2004 had
decreased since the previous year. The drawbacks in this sphere are
the consequences of the actuality that being`a family of men’ army
involves young men with various characters whose ardour, feeling of
self-assertion create obstructions in getting adjusted to army
realities. As a result there are emergency cases which worry the
command. Among the achievements the significant improvement of the
social conditions of servicemen was mentioned. Since January 1 the
salaries of officers, corporals and serviceman on contractual basis
were increased. The volume of building increased by about 300 million
drams. A separate sum of 750 million drams will be provided for
improvement of housing conditions of officers. Like the previous year
this year too 300 million drams will be provided for improvement of
housing conditions of the families of killed and disabled
soldiers. `The social problems of commanders are among the priorities
of the army. The army officers must be sure that the rear is safe in
order to work freely in the military units leading ahead our army,’
said the minister of defence of NKR. For the Defence Army the year
2005 was announced year of `Improvement of effectiveness and
strengthening of discipline’. And the motto of the year `Intensive
training,military skills and stable progress’ show that education in
the army is in the first place. ` The army command is glad but not
dizzy of the achievements. We seek to discover the faults, eliminate
them and take measures to prevent them. The fewer faults there are,
the more effective the army will be. There is progress every year and
not only the command says this but also regular checking shows,â=80=9D
said NKR minister of defence Seyran Ohanian.

LAURA GRIGORIAN.
28-01-2005