– Mr. Ohanyan, up until now the talks about the prolongation of the deployment of the Russian military base in Gyumri don’t stop. Many of the governmental officials are trying to convince that the Russian troops will mediate during the possible resumption of the Armenian-Azerbaijani war. In your recent interview you have clearly mentioned that the guarantor of the security of the NKR is Armenia. But will the armed forces of the Russian Federation mediate to help Armenia when the war turns into a war against Armenia? In that case, are the assumptions truthful that the Russian military base in Armenia will deprive Azerbaijan from a chance to attack Armenia?
– First off I’d like to mention that in Gyumri city of Armenia the 102nd military face of Russia is deployed. That base has its military objectives and with its section is integrated with the defense system of Armenia. It means that in the event of any military action against Armenia the Russian base will jointly defend our troops and borders. As of the NKR conflict then you are right that the guarantor of the security of the NKR is Armenia. And it means that any attack against the NKR, which will endanger the security of the people of the NKR the Armenian defense troops will definitely assist the NRK forces. Therefore, I think that the leadership of the neighboring state realizes that in the event of military actions by their side with the expectation of having military success will fail as it will become an international hazard and the appropriate prevention will be inevitable. In this regard, the military forces of Russia and Armenia and in general the serious reaction of the international community will prevent our adversary from having extra illusions and ambitions.
– Recently the ARF recommended to make a military alliance agreement between Karabakh and Armenia. What do you think about this idea? Is it realistic?
– From the military prospective there is no need for such alliance because there are fully improved cooperation mechanisms between the defense forces of Armenia and Karabakh. Thus, such alliance would have only a political meaning. I think that the president and the foreign affairs minister of Armenia, who are negotiating with the Minsk Group, have many political tools like this in their “arsenal”.
– The recent incidents in the Armenian army raised serious public discontent. Now, when time has passed since those incidents, can you say what the reasons are and what problems should be solved?
– As all the other armies of other countries the Armenian army cannot be free of incidents. The army is an armed collective consisting of thousands of armed people, where there may be incidents as there may be violation of the rules of using the armaments, there may be car accidents and health issues too. Such things are very painful both for me and the authorities, even if people don’t make much noise. A part of the society, which is in the army, cannot stay apart from the civic processes in the society. Many of the soldiers who are drafted to the army have certain traditions and customs, which they want to bring to the army with them and share with the people there. And when their attempts are resisted by intolerance, in some cases it may result in other relations. The army is a close institution, but we think that the society should know about what is happening there, especially the non-governmental organizations should be informed. The Armenian armed forces are on the way to public control and are cooperating with more than 75 non-governmental organizations, as well as the ombudsman’s office. For the purpose of strengthening the rules in the army, the armed forces have adopted other projects too, which are aimed at protecting the rules in the army, discipline, providing secure conditions for army service and preventing such incidents. We think that certain work should be done with the young people before the drafting age. For this purpose the minister of defense has issued an order for cooperation with 1400 schools throughout the country. During the time I am with the army all the high rank officials, including me, are cooperating with universities. During the investigation of the incidents we understood one more time that the reforms in the army must still continue. And I believe the reforms we are doing now will bring to a positive change the society and the authorities are expecting.
– After a recent incident resulting in the death of 5 soldiers a number of army officials were publicly punished, which was accepted by a part of the society as a propaganda action rather than a real action to punish the culprits. Do you think such punishments can be effective to prevent such incidents in the future?
– For every single incident criminal case is launched, as well as the minister orders to convene commissions including the most professional officers of the army to investigate the incidents in army headquarters, reveal the reasons, as well as discover violations committed by soldiers in order to punish the culprits. Notwithstanding the conclusions of the criminal case, based on the results of the inner investigation the minister issues an order to punish, including to the extent of firing from the armed forces all the culprits notwithstanding their honors. Certainly during the past months there were tragic incidents in the armed forces, and as a result of the investigation it turned out that some of the soldiers had been criminally persecuted before joining the army, and in some cases it was a result of bad control on part of the army officers. There is a principle of individual and different approach to everybody in the army. Only through this approach the commanders can find out what characteristics soldiers have. It is also worth mentioning that another factor which results in such incidents is the fact that through the time the number of people who are convicted or charged for crime before joining the army is growing. The commanders of that army headquarter could not discover those soldiers who committed that crime during their service. The incidents were also the result of the fact that in those army headquarters where the incidents happened the commanders had failed to carry out their duties in a duly manner. In those army headquarters the commanders had lost their control over the daily regime and activities, as a result of which there were so-called “authorities” among the soldiers who were trying to manage the processes in the way they wanted. By the order of the minister of defense 8 officers have been fired, a number of soldiers have been subject to administrative punishment, and a lot officials lost their ranks. The same order also writes instructions how to prevent such incidents in the future. Meanwhile I would like to mention that there are people in Armenia who are looking at the army through dark glasses and they are ready to undermine the stability of our statehood for their purposes by spreading fake information.
– Following the incident there was a noise about drafting the young people who have health problems and should not serve in the army. The problem does not concern the military basements only and there are problems in medical commissions too. Are the representatives of the medical commissions punished as well? Does the ministry of defense have the right to punish them?
– Before the drafting time we are doing our best to recruit healthy soldiers in the army. All the young people subject to army service are firstly examined by doctors in the drafting offices. If they find anything wrong with the health conditions of these young people, they send them to the leading medical institutions for examination, after which they have to undergo the expertise of the military central commission consisting of professional doctors. The young people are examined one more time in the republican drafting central point, they get several preventive injections and only after these procedures join the army. When even small problems are found, they are sent back for double check and professional examination by the commission. If they have health problems after joining the army they get medical treatment at the military hospitals, and if serious problems are found, the issue is submitted to the central military commission for discussion. The soldiers who have some health problems are subject to the local medical commission tests in a month after they join the army. As for the punishment, before every circle of drafting soldiers to the army the government of Armenia makes a decision to define the composition of the commission in charge of examining the young men with health problems, which consists of high class doctors, who are fully responsible for any failure in accordance to the law.
– Many mothers of soldiers have written letters to you asking to “clean-up” the army from corruption. What is being done to control and fight corruption in the army?
– We see the places where there can be corruption and other negative things like that. We are struggling against such shortcomings by making joint efforts, as well as reforms, orders and instructions. Of course it does not mean that we have the solutions to all such problems but we are able to close the ways to such malformations. Often we receive complaints about the provision of holidays to soldiers. I must admit that according to the minister’s order schedules of holidays to be provided to soldiers have been made at all the headquarters and military basements, which also writes the day of the holidays. This process is controlled by the military authorities. As well as the material provisions are controlled. We must control these processes by all means.
– Recently the parliament developed a draft on the discipline in the armed forces of Armenia. Do you think the law reforms may help to fight against the shortcomings the army?
– I believe both the adoption of the law on discipline in the army, as well as the improvement of the legislation of this sector will result in the solution of the problems in the army and prevention of shortcomings in the future.