news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2010
Minister Seyran Ohanyan man of principle, MP says
September 17, 2010 | 13:59
All those guilty of the recent incidents in the Armenian army must and
will be punished, Hrayr Karapetyan, the Chairman of the Standing
Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, MP of
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), told a press conference.
`I am so confident because I know Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan
very well. He is a man of principle. After each incident we met or
talked over the phone,’ Karapetyan said. The army incidents are
deplorable, but Minister Ohanyan is doing his best to eradicate all
the negative occurrences, which stem up from the Soviet times and the
Karabakh war. Corruption is among the deplorable experience existing
in the army. `However, relevant work is under way, Educative booklets
form officers have been published. Commanders must learn to respect
soldiers as they respect their children,’ Karapetyan said. He pointed
out that the draft disciplinary code of the RA Armed Forces has been
submitted to the CE Venice Commission.
In his turn, Galust Sahakyan, Chairman of the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) parliamentary faction, said that he is more concerned
over the moral and psychological atmosphere in society rather than in
the army – this, in fact, affects the Armed Forces. More serious
problems existed in the Armenia army, but, because of a strained
political situation, they were in the background. `At present,
however, the political situation is calm, and some are trying to
berate the incumbent authorities by discrediting the army. Well, we
are ready for that too. But let them leave the army alone – it is one
of the greatest achievements in Armenia’s modern history,’ Sahakyan
said. On the other hand, he stressed that even a minor army incident
is blameworthy.
From: A. Papazian