DEFENSE MINISTRY OF AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE PROBLEMS WITH CONSCRIPTS
by Dzhasur Mamedov
Translated by Pavel Pushkin
Source: Voenno-Promyshlenny Kuryer, No. 34, September 06-12, 2006, p. 12
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
September 11, 2006 Monday
Drafting Police
CAN PROBLEMS IN DRAFTING CONSCRIPTS APPEAR IN AZERBAIJAN?; Many
observers did not pay attention to the events that happened last
month in Gyandzha.
Many observers did not pay attention to the events that happened last
month in Gyandzha; however, experts who studied the situation and
prospect of the armed forces of Azerbaijan seriously did not miss one
nuance. They took this event as a harbinger of a big threat expected
in the future. The matter is about work done in the Kyapaz District
with the persons evading the draft and use of police in solving of
this problem.
Ilgar Balakishiev, deputy director of the municipal police department,
reported that during the drafting campaign his subordinates visited
addresses of potential draftees and tried to bring them to the military
registration and enlistment offices. Samed Samedov, operational
officer on duty at the military registration and enlistment office
of Azerbaijan, confesses that in some regions of the country there
are cases of military service evasion but according to him there are
only a few of them.
For a country being in a state of war, study of the morale of the
conscripts is very important. Now it is believed that the wish of
an Azerbaijani soldier to fight for the Motherland is based not on
material but on moral values.
The events in Gyandzha shows that many people in Azerbaijan do not
perceive military service as necessary duty.
If the plans of buildup of the armed forces of Azerbaijan do not make
provisions for transition to contract service in the near future
the country may encounter a problem of conscript shortage. This
is a forecast of military expert Lieutenant Colonel of the reserve
Uzeir Dzhafarov. Dzhafarov states that there is already a problem of
shortage of conscripts in the country, "If the police joined solving
the problem it showed that symptoms of evasion did appear."
According to Dzhafarov, if the system of drafting and service in
the army is not changed the problem will only grow. The military
expert presumes that already now there are financial possibilities
for transition of the armed forces of Azerbaijan to the contract basis.
Dzhafarov remarks, "At present so many unnecessary expenditures are
financed under the pretext of military expenditures. If the allocated
money is spent sensibly it is possible to do a lot. In my opinion,
there is no need to preserve large military formations now. Instead of
one huge mechanized infantry brigade it is expedient to maintain one
mechanized infantry battalion on the contract basis. The coefficient
of efficiency of such a battalion is bigger than such coefficient of
a brigade and is possibly even bigger."
Major Ilgar Verdiev, officer of the press service of the Defense
Ministry, disagrees with this stance. Verdiev considers the events
in Gyandzha to be "ordinary." He says, "There the matter was about
students enlisted to the higher educational institutions bypassing
the state entrance exams done by the state commission. They evaded
service. The problem was finally solved." Verdiev does not share the
forecast about possible shortage of conscripts. According to him,
the army is manned with conscripts almost 100%. Answering the question
about transition to a contract army Verdiev said, "The parliament has
to amend military law. Only after that it is possible to do anything
for transition to contract service."
According to Lieutenant General Zakir Gasanov, commander of the
Interior Forces, "The armed forces should be manned on a mixed
basis." Gasanov proposes, "In the framework of capabilities of the
state crews of tanks, artillery crews and other specialists responsible
for combat operations can serve on a contract basis."
Gasanov explains that transition of the entire army to the contract
system of service is connected with big financial expenditures. The
general adds, "It is necessary to bear in mind the state of war with
Armenia because there is a need for annual increase of the number
of shooters."
Major General Tadzheddin Mekhtiev, former Defense Minister, sees
prospects of Azerbaijani armed forces not only in contract manning.
Mekhtiev says, "Yes, we need a strong army only for counteraction to
the neighbor. However, Azerbaijan should have such strong economy
to be able to maintain a professional army." Mekhtiev says that to
begin with "It is necessary to form one brigade. Afterwards it is
necessary to broaden it to a corps and to study the experience. It
is necessary to form a contract army on the competitive basis from
the former soldiers and sergeants."
As we see, there are many opinions. So far, it is clear only that
debates about a professional army will grow especially bitter when
the parliament starts debating amendments to the military laws of
the country.