KOCHARIAN MEETS TOP ARMY BRASS
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Nov 15 2007
President Robert Kocharian met with Defense Minister Mikael Harutiunian
and the top brass of Armenia’s Armed Forces during a visit to the
Defense Ministry in Yerevan on Thursday.
In a short statement, Kocharian’s office said Harutiunian and top
army generals briefed their commander-in-chief on their work done
this year and "activities mapped out for next year." It said Kocharian
also discussed with them the ongoing defense reforms which are meant
to bring the Armenian military into greater conformity with Western
standards. No details were reported.
Kocharian had previously visited the Defense Ministry last April
to introduce its newly appointed head, Harutiunian, to the ministry
staff. "Security is a high priority for the country, and our policy is
aimed and will be aimed at further boosting the army’s combat-readiness
and paying particular attention to security issues in general,"
he said during that meeting.
Armenia’s defense spending is projected to grow, in U.S. dollar terms,
by over 30 percent to approximately $400 million in 2008.
Armenian leaders say the planned increase is a response to Azerbaijan’s
soaring military budget. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev said last
month that it will grow by $300 million to $1.3 billion in 2008 as
part of his government’s efforts to change the balance of forces in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Azerbaijan’s favor.