First Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia Davit Tonoyan told Mediamax Agency that the EU institutions “have given a proper assessment to the policy of the Armenian Defense Ministry for reinforcing civilian and democratic control over Armed Forces.”

Davit Tonoyan said this commenting by Mediamax’s request on the joint Document of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on the fulfilment of the European Neighbourhood Policy by Armenia and other partner states in 2011. “I would like to draw attention to fact that the framework of the documents differs from country to country. There is an impression that our EU partners mainly referred to spheres where the progress is tangible or there are serious issues that require speedy solutions. It’s noteworthy that out of countries in our region only in case with Armenia the EU referred to issues of civilian control over Armed Forces,” the Armenian Deputy Defense Minister said. “I think the reports offer an objective assessment of the current situation. The EU institutions gave a proper assessment to Armenian Defense Ministry’s policy for reinforcing the civilian and democratic control over Armed Forces. This policy is exercised both through provision of transparency acceptable in terms of national security and through improvement of human rights protection mechanisms and increase of awareness about them. There are certainly remaining issues conditioned by objective and subjective reasons, but we have to admit that the reformationis a stage-by-stage process and its continuity requires political will. These issues are in the focus of attention of the Armenian President and Defense Minister. The approach is as follows: there is no alternative to democratic values, including in defence and security domain”, Davit Tonoyan told Mediamax.