MIKAEL HARUTUNIAN COMMENTS ON HIS IMMINENT APPOINTMENT AS NEW DEFENSE MINISTER

Armenpress
Apr 24 2007

YEREVAN, APRIL 24, ARMENPRESS: Mikael Harutunian, chief of the general
staff of the Armenian armed forces, was asked today by journalists to
comment on rumors that he has been picked up by president Kocharian
to serve as new defense minister.

The position was vacated by former defense minister Serzh Sarkisian
after he was appointed acting prime minister.

Mikael Harutunian described the position as ‘very important’ saying
that journalists should wait for a presidential decree, which is to
be made today.

Harutunian was also asked whether his possible appointment would
entail changes in the defense system. He said: "The armed forces is
a structure that needs constant changes." However, he added that no
well-working military officer should be afraid of being sacked.

Harutunian also said every army General thinks about shifting to
professional contract army, ‘but to have such an army the country
should have a developed economy."

Major-General Mikael Harutunian, a career military officer, was
born in 1946 in an Armenian village of Sagian in Shemakha region of
Azerbaijan. He graduated from a military college in Baku, Azerbaijan
and later from two Russian military academies. Harutunian was
appointed chief of general staff of Armenian army and first deputy
defense minister in 1994.