ARMENIAN ACTING LEGISLATION HAMPERS ARMED FORCES REFORM
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.02.2007 13:53 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An interdepartmental commission that includes
officials of the RA Defense Ministry and NATO proceeded to work in
order to promote the military reform in Armenia, RA Deputy Defense
Minister, lieutenant general Artur Aghabekian said at a seminar
titled "Military reform in Armenia: provision of Defense Ministry
with civil personnel and introduction of amendments in the law On
Defense", initiated by the George C. Marshall Center. In his words,
the cooperation with NATO is developing both within the Individual
Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) and in the framework of planning and
coordination of reforms.
"Our reforms will be carried out in three stages: reconsideration of
the strategy of military security to be completed in 2008, reforms in
the armed forces in 2008-2010 and ensuring of sustainable development
of the RA armed forces proceeding from international standards and
commitments Armenia undertook to European structures. The last stage
is planned for 2010-2015," Aghabekian said.
At that the RA Deputy Defense Minister remarked that the acting
Armenian legislation is outdated and hampers the armed forces’
reform. "The law On Defense should be reconsidered. Changes are
needed in provisions on call-up and engagement of civilians in the
army structures. We have to elaborate a military doctrine that along
with the national security strategy will raise the efficiency of the
Armenian armed forces. The law On Defense was adopted in 1997 and does
not answer modern demands especially in the light of the reviewed
Constitution. We also have to establish civil control over the army
and elaborate a law on peacekeeping forces," Aghabekian underscored.