REFORMS IN DEFENCE SPHERE OF ARMENIA ARE NOT AIMED AT JOINING NATO, ARTUR AGHABEKIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 05 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Three-day seminar dedicated to
the reforms in the sphere of RA defence opened on February 5 in
Yerevan. The seminar entitled "Introduction of Civil Element into the
Defence System and Amendments to RA Law "On Defence" was organized
by RA Defence Ministry and George C.Marshall European Center for
Security Studies.

As RA Deputy Defence Minister, Colonel-General Artur Aghabekian stated,
it is planned that the reforms starting in 2007 will be completed in
2015. Their main goals are modernization of Armenian armed forces and
raising of their fighting efficiency, provision of country’s military
security, cooperation with international structures.

In A.Aghabekian’s words, National Security Strategy has been already
worked out and will be adopted soon. Soon the Defence Ministry will
start to work out the defence doctrine, which will be completed in
late 2007. He stated that after the parliamentary elections the newly
elected National Assembly will implement legislative reforms in the
defence sphere. A.Aghabekian said that as a result of amendment of RA
law "On Defence" and adoption of law "On Special Civil Service" it will
become possible to replenish the Defence Ministry with a civil staff.

Programs of territorial optimalization of military units, raising
of management efficiency of subdivisions will be implemented in
2008-2010. A.Aghabekian attached importance to the construction
of a new building of Defence Ministry, which will enable to
centralize all subdivisions of the military department, including the
general headquarters, in one territory. It is planned to finish the
construction of the building proceeding under the Minister’s direct
control in 2007 autumn.

A.Aghabekian said that experts of Lithuania, Estonia, Romania, U.S. and
NATO participating in the seminar will present experience of defence
reforms in other countries. In his words, Armenia has it peculiarity,
as it has to implement the reforms in conditions of keeping the army
in fighting preparedness.

Answering journalists’ questions, the Deputy Minister said that
no task of aiming the reforms at joining NATO has been set before
Armenia. In A.Aghabekian’s words, the issue of Armenia’s membership
to NATO will not be discussed in the nearest future. "Armenia carries
on complementary policy, which is also manifested in the sphere of
defence. We aim our cooperation with CSTO and NATO at modernization
of our army and counteracting to the threats," the Deputy Defence
Minister declared.