On the 9th of February, 2010 the RA Minister of Defence met the principal of one of the advanced science-research centers in France – Fund-Institute for Military Research – Kamil Gran. After their talk, in a meeting with representatives from French MoD, scientists, journalists and militants, Seyran Ohanyan thoroughly talked about the principles, priorities, the influence of the defence surrounding and the main directions of the international military cooperation of the defence policy of the RA MoD in South Caucasus, and the position of the RA MoD regarding different activities in the region. The Minister also answered some questions.

On the 8th of February, 2010 the delegation headed by the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan arrived in Paris by the invitation of the Minister of Defence of the Republic of France E. Moghini. In the frames of the visit the Minister is to meet the Minister of Defence of France, Chief of the AF GS, Head of the Millitary Office of the President of France, President of the Security, Defence and Internal Affairs Permanent Committee of the National Assembly, principal and experts of the Strategic Research Fund, and representatives of the Armenian community in France. The RA Minister of Defence will also visit military educational institutions and AF sub-units of France. The signing of a cooperation document is planned to take place in Paris. This document will create legal bases for a bilateral cooperation between the defence departments of the two countries.

On the 8th of February, 2010 the delegation headed by the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan made a five-day official visit to France. In the frames of the visit the Minister is to meet the Minister of Defence of France, Chief of the AF GS, General of Army Jan-Lui Gorgelen, Chief of the Special General Staff of the President of France, Admiral Eduar Giyar, President of the Defence and AF Permanent Committee of the National Assembly Gi Tesie, principal of the Strategic Research Fund-Institute Kamil Gran, head of the French diocese of the Armenian Apostolic church Bishop Norvan Zakaryan and representatives of the Armenian community in France.

Honorable Mr. President,
Gentlemen generals and officers,
Dear guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Today is a special day for our state and our people – the main guarantee of the RA security, the Armenian Army is becoming 18 years old. An exact age for a newly recruit, when for the first time he wears military uniform, enters a detachment, takes up a gun, then ceremonially takes an oath to entirely serve the motherland. However, our Army, which has risen from the hits of the war, has already passed through all of this from the very day of its birth, it has become forged and brave in difficult military activities, has acquired battle experience and skills, learnt to unbendingly overcome difficulties, struggle and win. And today our 18 year-old Army shows up not as an inexperienced young recruit, but as quite mature – powerful and victorious.

I cordially congratulate you on the 18th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian Army. The 28th of January is one of the most significant days in our country. Being a birthday for our army it is a holiday for all Armenians.
Here I can’s help remembering the mood people had in Soviet times on the 23rd of February. That day had grown to be men’s day. Today one can fact that 28th of January is such a day in the Republic of Armenia - a celebration of the nation’s strength, power and dignity. The Armenian Army was born in the battlefield, became forged in battle activities and has overcome that severe challenge with honor, restoring the truth that our people are able to consolidate its strengths and achieve victory even with heavy losses.

Not at all overlooking the role of separate voluntary detachments I find it worth mentioning that parallel to the development of our state we owe the regular detachments for our final triumph in the freedom fight of Artsakh – detachments, which were formed in the heat of the war.
In the past 18 years our army has grown and became powerful. It has become a firm stronghold of the creative work of our nation and a reliable guarantee of peace. By systematically visiting detachments I myself watch over the processes that go on there, the work that is being done, the living conditions of the staff, the moral-psychological atmosphere and of course the realization of the battle readiness program. Indeed, the progress and developments are obvious in the professional development of the staff, I in reequipping and actualizing the armaments and military equipment and in the sphere of effectively organizing the process of fighting capacities.
However, we don’t have the right to be content with what we have achieved. The official system has to be in tune with the demands of the time and the new standards. It requires a constant and continuous development.
Today reforms in the AF continue. A new 2010-2015 phase of reforms is planned, and its step by step realization will make our army more efficient and perfect both physically and morally. So, we all are to face a consistent and persistent work.

Although today is a celebration but we ought never to neglect the shortcomings in our army. Addressing my words to the commander personnel of the RA Army, to all the officers in general, as a co-server I want to ask, and as the Chief of the RA AF GS – to demand that they be model, never tolerate negative phenomena in the army, spare no efforts to educate your inferiors with the spirit of valour and unlimited devotion to the motherland.

Dear Colleagues,

According to the well established tradition, I am glad to welcome you on our January’s meeting. Today I will briefly introduce you to the main military-political developments and the defence policy implemented by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) of Republic of Armenia (RA) throughout 2009.

Assessment of the Security Environment

First of all I would like to point out that the changes in the international security environment have direct influence on Armenia and its neighbourhood. The development of the security environment in the South Caucasus continue to be characterised by instability, mistrust, collision of contradictory interests, different perceptions about security, provocation of ethnic conflicts and demonstrations of arms race.

On the 24th of January, 2010 under the heading of the Armed Forces spiritual leader Bishop Vrtanes Abrahamyan in the Cathedral of St. Echmiadzin a holy mass was given in the light of the 18th anniversary of the RA National Army. The RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan, high ranked militants and representatives of the AF officer staff were presents at the ceremony.

RA MoD Department of Information and Public Affairs

On the 20th of January, 2010 the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan received the newly appointed ambassador of India to Armenia Mr. Achal Kumar Malhotra. Congratulating the ambassador on the high and responsible post, Seyran Ohanyan hoped that during his office the Armenian-Indian relations, including those in the defence sphere, will develop and strengthen even more, and that the cooperation will enter a new stage.

On the 20th of January, 2010 the RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanyan received the ambassador of China to Armenia Mr. Hong Jiuyin on the occasion of his finishing his diplomatic mission in our country.

On the 10th of January, 2010 around 19:00 o’clock a trespassing incident on the Yeraskh-Nakhijevan sector of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border was reported. The RA citizen Eghishe Petros Gevorgyan (born 1958), together with his wife and three under-age children (7, 6 and 3 years old) by a car of “Eraz” model, ignoring the warnings of the Armenian frontiers broke through the blockings and crossing the border, through the shootings of the Azerbaijani side passed to the territory of Nakhijevan. The Armenian frontiers did not open a destructive fire for the sake of the three under-age children in the vehicle.
Eghishe Petros Gevorgyan was previously sued 8 times for robbery, car stealing and other crimes. The respective international humanitarian organizations were informed about the incident. A law suit was taken, an investigation is in process and the details of the incident are being specified.

RA MoD Department of Information and Public Affairs