DEFENSE MINISTER: ARMENIA’S AF EFFICIENT AND READY TO IMPLEMENT MILITARY TASKS

ARKA
11 Sept 2007

YEREVAN, September 11. /ARKA/. The program of providing the fighting
efficiency of Armenia’s Armed Forces is fully done: Armenia’s AF is
ready to implement military tasks, said Armenia’s Defense Ministry
Mikayel Haroutiunian when presenting the report on the execution of
the state budget in 2006.

"As in previous years, in 2006 the main objective of Armenia’s Defense
Ministry was to provide constant efficiency of the Armed Forces,
necessary number of serviceable military techniques ready to defend,
ammunitions, military and technical property and material resources,"
he said.

According to Haroutiunian, AMD 75bln 299.9mln was allocated from the
state budget for these purposes, and in fact, the execution reached
100%. He also informed that 82.7% of the above-mentioned assessments
were directed to current expenditures and 17.3% – to capital ones. As
compared to 2005, the financing of the sphere increased by 17%, at
that, 60.4% was directed to the financing of current expenditures,
and 39.6% – to capital ones.

"In 2006, the process of staff training went on, which was directed to
the successful execution of military tasks. For the right organizations
of military duties, large-scale work in the military bases were held,"
he said.

According to the data provided by Haroutiunian, 15km of antitank
tranches, 32km of antitank ditches and 13km of defense lines were
dug, and 45km of new military roads were built. In the Syunik region
21.5hectares were cleared of mines and transferred to villages.

"During the accounting period, 26ths units of weapon and 147 units
of new automobile techniques were obtained. Work on maintaining
military efficiency of the techniques was organized, 18ths units of
military techniques, weapon and ammunition were subjected to technical
inspection and repair," Haroutiunian said.

In 2006, according to the data provided by the Ministry, the system
of computerized control of the AF in the territory of Armenia was
expanded, the system of radar monitoring of the civil aviation
-implemented, the system of anti-aircraft defense – modernized.

Besides, the food of servicemen was improved; if in 2005 the daily
ration made 3780 kilocalories, in 2006 it made 3824.

"In 2006, due to new achievements, the medical sphere was provided
by new equipment; AMD 250mln is allocated for the medical service of
servicemen and their family members," he said.