Armenpress
ARMENIAN DM SHRUGS OFF REPORTS ABOUT APPOINTMENT OF
TURKISH GENERAL TO TOP POSITION IN AZERI ARMY
YEREVAN, JANUARY 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense
minister Serzh Sarkisian shrugged off today media
reports that Azerbaijan has launched a project to
elevate its military to NATO standards and is planning
to recruit a Turkish general as its deputy defense
minister to promote the plan.
According to news reports in the Azeri press a
Turkish general will assume the post in mid-2007.
Speaking to a news conference today Serzh Sarkisian
said the appointment of a top military of one country
to a top position in another country’s armed forces is
not a right decision, but he added that even if this
happens it is hard to say whether it will have any
effect on Azerbaijan’s army.
A news story in an Azeri daily earlier this month
wrote that Baku will grant the Turkish general
significant authority and permit him to work with his
team from Turkey. The partnership is planned to
continue until 2011, during which time several Turkish
generals will be selected by the Turkish Armed Forces
consecutively to occupy the post.
"Turkish military officers have been instructing
the armed forces of Azerbaijan since 1992-1993, but I
can not say whether their instruction has improved its
army. I cannot either say what it would have been
without Turkish military instructors," Sarkisian said.
Serzh Sarkisian pointed out that Azerbaijani
authorities have cut drastically their war rhetoric
saying it indicates that the official Baku has
eventually realized that any attempt to solve the
Karabakh issue by force will be condemned by the
international community.
Concerning Azerbaijan’s allegations that Armenia is
violating the balance of arms the minister said,
‘Armenia must have an army with modern weapons…
Without these weapons we will not have an effective
army,’ he said.