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Exclusive Interview With Head Of Defence Policy Department Of The Ar

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  • Exclusive Interview With Head Of Defence Policy Department Of The Ar

    EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH HEAD OF DEFENCE POLICY DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY, 2ND STATE AIDE DAVIT TONOYAN

    Mediamax
    July 20 2010
    Armenia

    [Correspondent] How do you assess the process of defence reforms
    in Armenia?

    [Tonoyan] The process of defence reforms can be assessed positively. I
    would not like to make a big statement since high standards are set
    for us by the military-political leadership of Armenia.

    The achievements of reforms are already noticeable. In particular, as
    a result of the implementation of the law "On Defence" and "On special
    civil service", it became possible to reform structures of the Defence
    Ministry and the General Staff of the armed forces, and to introduce
    a special civil service at the Defence Ministry. The main outcomes
    of the said legislative reforms were to streamline the command,
    control and management practices with the mechanisms of democratic
    control over the armed forces and also increase professionalism
    through recruitment of specialists to those areas of expertise,
    which do not require military education.

    Reforms in the spheres of personnel management, logistics, budgetary
    planning and programming, and the military education progress
    successfully. The most important achievement is the fact that the
    outputs driven from the different segments of defence reforms, after
    being consolidated, substantially boosted the level of overall combat
    readiness of the armed forces.

    [Correspondent] What are the main tasks for the upcoming year?

    [Tonoyan] The upcoming year will become crucial for defence reforms
    since they are descending from the higher command and staff levels
    to the troops and have started to touch upon fields, conscription,
    such as combat readiness and mobilization, military training, command
    and control systems, structures and types of troops, armaments and
    logistics. Today full-scale activities are ongoing in all these
    directions at the Ministry of Defence and the General Staff.

    [Correspondent] At what stage is the implementation of the Strategic
    Defence Review (SDR) and when do you plan to complete it?

    [Tonoyan] Strategic Defence Review is directly related to the defence
    reforms. The content and the size of the reforms will be determined
    by the results of the SDR. Currently, the SDR is at its final stages,
    where proposals on changes of the structure of the armed forces'
    structure, definition of tasks for new structures and military units
    are being elaborated. Based on these proposals, appropriate decisions
    will be made by the military-political leadership of Armenia.

    The process is planned to be completed by the beginning of 2011,
    after which the Long-term Development Plan of armed forces of the
    Republic of Armenia will be elaborated and approved.

    [Correspondent] What level of importance is attached to defence
    reforms at meetings between the Armenian Defence Minister and his
    foreign counterparts?

    [Tonoyan] Defence reforms continue to be the focus of the minister's
    constant attention. Taking into account the fact that in the process
    of implementing reforms, we actively use international experience and
    the opportunities provided by international military cooperation,
    this topic is constantly touched upon during bilateral meetings of
    the minister.

    [Correspondent] There is an opinion that while implementing defence
    reforms, Armenia cooperates only with NATO countries. How justified
    is this opinion and isn't there experience exchange with Russia and
    the CSTO countries?

    [Tonoyan] This must [be] a biased opinion. Most likely, opinions
    such that one are conditioned by the fact that cooperation with NATO
    supports the introduction of new components, which were either absent
    in the Soviet system or functioned on the basis of other logic and
    criteria. It is normal that these issues attract more attention of
    society and are covered more.

    There is strategic cooperation between Armenia and Russia, our
    countries are members of one security organization CSTO, and,
    naturally, all reforms and integration processes are coordinated. On
    this matter, taking into consideration Armenia's success in the
    implementation of the Euro-Atlantic best practices of defence reforms
    as a result of efficient cooperation with NATO, Armenia occupies
    exemplary position in CSTO.

    [Correspondent] One of important directions of reforms is the
    development of peacekeeping forces of Armenia and provision of their
    inter-operability with foreign armed forces. At which stage is that
    process?

    [Tonoyan] Formation of Armenian peacekeeping forces aims to provide
    capabilities in maintaining international peace and security. The
    volume of our participation increases simultaneously with increase
    of our capabilities.

    Peacekeeping forces are developed in two directions, and this is
    conditioned by the necessity to be able to fulfil various international
    security operations and missions. To that end, the units of Armenian
    peacekeeping brigade are inter-operable with NATO member and partner
    countries' forces if on a mission under the NATO command.

    Within the framework of CSTO, inter-operability is provided by other
    units, which are trained and ready to operate within the framework
    of possible missions of the CSTO.

    In any case, both mentioned forces, as operational military units of
    Armenian armed forces, have other primary tasks while stationed at
    home and the peacekeeping is an additional task for their training
    and readiness.

    [Correspondent] The Defence Ministry announced vacancies for a number
    of civilian positions. What are the results that you expect from this
    and how will integration of civilian specialists take place?

    [Tonoyan] Integration of civil specialists into the system of the
    Defence Ministry can be considered successful. In a number of spheres,
    like defence policy and planning, finance, jurisprudence, procurements,
    public relations and others, they work successfully. I believe that
    this is natural, since the armed forces of Armenia have rich experience
    in involving qualified specialists with civilian background.




    From: A. Papazian
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