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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
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