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13.03.2019
Panel Discussion on Democratic Control of the RA Armed Forces Begins in National Assembly Held
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On March 13, in the Gilded Hall of the RA National Assembly within the framework of NATO Week a Panel Discussion on the theme Democratic Control of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia was held, where the NA deputies, representatives of the RA Government, diplomatic corps, the civil society and the Human Rights Defender took part.

In his opening remarks of the Chair of the RA NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan welcomed the guests and underlined that the parliamentary extraordinary elections held in Armenia on the previous year in December served as a best example of manifestation of democracy. According to the Committee Chair, the new formed parliament highly assesses the mutually beneficial cooperation with the NATO and other partner countries and the level of the political dialogue. The speaker expressed hope that within the framework of the NATO Week the events would be fundamental and effectively promote the further expansion of bilateral relations and the multilateral development. Andranik Kocharyan highlighted the active involvement of the civil society in this event, as in the context of the parliamentary oversight and international cooperation the latter should have a specially underlined role. The Committee Chair wished the participants of the event fruitful work.

The RA NA Vice President Alen Simonyan made welcoming address to the participants of the discussion. The NA Vice President touched upon the political crucial changes occurred in Armenia on the previous year, and mainly the Armenian people, the Armenian people’s will and resoluteness assisted it. According to Alen Simonyan, the extraordinary parliamentary elections held in December strengthened the RA self-sovereignty and democracy.

“For many years Armenia has had underlined partner relations with the NATO member countries. On the previous years firm and good neighbourly relations have already been established, and we are the bearers of the previous ones in new Armenia and the warrant of the continuation of cooperation of new, wider and inclusive format. The new formed parliament highly appreciates the cooperation with the NATO and the level of the political dialogue. We emphasize the mutually beneficial policy with the NATO and the CSTO member countries, the inter-parliamentary inclusive and multi-profile relations and the implementation of the programmes from the both sides,” Alen Simonyan stressed.

The NA Vice President has noted that within the framework of the partner relations with the NATO Armenia provides high level participation also in the numerous international peacekeeping missions.

The Deputy Head of the legislative body touched upon the challenges and problems existing in the spheres of defense and security. Noting that the sphere always needs amendments and reforms Alen Simonyan has underlined that Armenia has a goal of more improving the bilateral relations with the NATO in the spheres of defense and security.

“In this case I would like to especially touch upon the implementation of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan/IPAP for 2017-2019. A number of provisions on defense and security spheres are included in the programme, and the responsible body for its implementation is the RA National Assembly. I would like particularly to indicate the expansion of the parliamentary and the public oversight mechanisms and ways, the transparency and accountability, the upgrading of the legislative field, the elaboration of the legal new mechanisms, the active cooperation with the civil society, the elaboration of the executive main indices, etc,” the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament said.

According to Alen Simonyan, the parliament fully bears the responsibility of the fulfillment of the obligations reserved to it and is ready to be more constructive during the implementation of the Action Plan to be designed for the following years.

“We have our underlined vision in the implementation of the democratic control in the sphere of security, the improvement of cooperation with the civil society, in the issues of protection of human rights in the armed forces,” the NA Deputy Speaker documented.

In his welcoming address the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to the Republic of Armenia Bernhard Matthias Kiesler highlighted the discussion of the theme, expressing conviction that after the political changes occurred in Armenia the role and opportunity of the civil society had increased, and their voice would be not only audible, but also would have its active role in the control of the armed forces. According to the Ambassador, after the constitutional amendments the transition into the system of the parliamentary government was a right step in terms of strengthening of the parliament. Noting that his country has a good experience of parliamentary government, Bernhard Matthias Kiesler has underscored that the German Bundestag has an important role in the control of the armed forces. He emphasized the united work of the government, parliament, civil society and the Human Rights Defender.

At the first session the items of the democratic control of the RA Armed Forces and the opportunities provided by the new Armenian Constitution were discussed.

Andranik Kocharyan emphasized the NATO Week launched in Armenia within the framework of the relations between our counrty and the North Atlantic Military Alliance. According to the Committee Chair, Armenia as a parliamentary state highlights the improvement of the civil control mechanisms. He has noted that the parliament controls the activity of the executive power in the provision of security, and in certain cases established by the RA legislation directly takes part in the decision making processes. The Committee Chair is convinced that the active engagement of the civil society in the government processes will have more than positive impact on overcoming the challenges existing in the sphere of security and will promote the rise of the efficiency of the civil control efficiency and transparency.

To Andranik Kocharyan's assessment, in the solution of the problems of the sphere the activity should be carried out in the directions of making strict control towards the elaboration and implementation of the policy, the upgrading of the legislative field, the process of purchases and government in different spheres. He has assured that the Committee led by him is ready to closely cooperate with the representatives of the civil society: the NGOs, the journalists and the employees of the scientific sphere.

“Today, in the conditions of the parliamentary government system it is necessary for us to understand the opportunities of implementing effective control by the functioning legislation. In this respect it is very necessary for us to study the international successful experience. I am sure that our international colleagues will support us to create a forum comprised of the organizations making statements on the civil society - protection of the rights of the NGOs, academic section, journalists and the former employees of the security sphere,” the Committee Chair said. Let us note that the Forum will function under the aegis of the Committee.

Welcoming and considering the creation of the Forum as an important initiative, the Head of the Human Rights and Building Integrity Center of the RA Ministry of Defense, Colonel Alik Avetisyan noted that it would give an opportunity for the specialists of the sphere to get involved in the process, and make the work with the representatives of the civil society more professional. The speaker has talked about the necessity of the civil democratic control of the armed forces has underlined in many countries the armed forces have been under the civil control. Taking into consideration the discussions with the institutes of the civil society in recent period, Alik Avetisyan highlighted the necessity of the legal definition of the civil control term.

The Board Member of the Armenian Atlantic Association Ashot Khurshudyan presented the results of the research before the constitutional reforms and touched upon the objective and subjective sides of the civil oversight.

Highlighting the discussion, the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has noted that the civil oversight towards the protection of human rights is great significance. According to the structure, the structure implements a process promoting the legislative reforms, monitoring works through visits and gets individual complaints. Talking about the cases occurring in the armed forces, Arman Tatoyan emphasized the quick response of the official resources.

The Deputy Head of Operations in the South East Europe Division, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) Antje Fritz, the Senior Civil Servant in the UK Ministry of Defence David Howarth, the Vice Chair of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security, Senate of the Czech Republic Patrik Kunčar, the Former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces of the German Bundestag Reinhold Robbe, the Former Minister of Defence of Lithuania, former President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Head of the Parliament Delegation to the NATO PA Parliamentary Assembly of the Lithuanian Seimas Rasa Juknevičienė and the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Security of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Member of the Committee on Defence delivered speeches on the themes Civil-Military Oversight in Mature Democracies: The Best International Practice and Parliamentary Control Over the Security & Defence Sector: Principles, Mechanisms and Practical Aspects . The speakers talked about the possible gaps and necessary reforms in the spheres of defence and security and presented the international experience in different spheres. The speakers referred to taking necessary steps for raising the efficiency of the reforms, emphasized the role of the parliament on elaboration of the national security strategic policy of the country. The reporters underlined the parliamentary oversight towards the spheres, the accountability to the legislator and the harmonisation of the laws of different spheres. They mentioned the challenges of the parliamentary oversight and considered necessary the improvement of the experts’ knowledge of the parliament staff.

The representatives of the international community expressed readiness for successful cooperation with the relevant Committee of the Armenian Parliament and providing experts’ support.

Evaluating the launching of the reports Andranik Kocharyan noted that the countries that had passed democratic path also had obstacles. According to the Committee Chair, without strong oversight it is impossible to develop the armed forces.

“Today, in the conditions of the parliamentary government system it is necessary for us to understand the opportunities of implementing effective control by the functioning legislation. In this respect it is very necessary for us to study the international successful experience. I am sure that our international colleagues will support us to create a forum comprised of the organizations making statements on the civil society - protection of the rights of the NGOs, academic section, journalists and the former employees of the security sphere,” the Committee Chair said. Let us note that the Forum will function under the aegis of the Committee.

Welcoming and considering the creation of the Forum as an important initiative, the Head of the Human Rights and Building Integrity Center of the RA Ministry of Defense, Colonel Alik Avetisyan noted that it would give an opportunity for the specialists of the sphere to get involved in the process, and make the work with the representatives of the civil society more professional. The speaker has talked about the necessity of the civil democratic control of the armed forces has underlined in many countries the armed forces have been under the civil control. Taking into consideration the discussions with the institutes of the civil society in recent period, Alik Avetisyan highlighted the necessity of the legal definition of the civil control term.

The Board Member of the Armenian Atlantic Association Ashot Khurshudyan presented the results of the research before the constitutional reforms and touched upon the objective and subjective sides of the civil oversight.

Highlighting the discussion, the Human Rights Defender Arman Tatoyan has noted that the civil oversight towards the protection of human rights is great significance. According to the structure, the structure implements a process promoting the legislative reforms, monitoring works through visits and gets individual complaints. Talking about the cases occurring in the armed forces, Arman Tatoyan emphasized the quick response of the official resources.

The Deputy Head of Operations in the South East Europe Division, Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) Antje Fritz, the Senior Civil Servant in the UK Ministry of Defence David Howarth, the Vice Chair of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security, Senate of the Czech Republic Patrik Kunčar, the Former Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces of the German Bundestag Reinhold Robbe, the Former Minister of Defence of Lithuania, former President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Head of the Parliament Delegation to the NATO PA Parliamentary Assembly of the Lithuanian Seimas Rasa Juknevičienė and the Vice-Chairman of the Committee on Security of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Member of the Committee on Defence delivered speeches on the themes Civil-Military Oversight in Mature Democracies: The Best International Practice and Parliamentary Control Over the Security & Defence Sector: Principles, Mechanisms and Practical Aspects . The speakers talked about the possible gaps and necessary reforms in the spheres of defence and security and presented the international experience in different spheres. The speakers referred to taking necessary steps for raising the efficiency of the reforms, emphasized the role of the parliament on elaboration of the national security strategic policy of the country. The reporters underlined the parliamentary oversight towards the spheres, the accountability to the legislator and the harmonisation of the laws of different spheres. They mentioned the challenges of the parliamentary oversight and considered necessary the improvement of the experts’ knowledge of the parliament staff.

The representatives of the international community expressed readiness for successful cooperation with the relevant Committee of the Armenian Parliament and providing experts’ support.

Evaluating the launching of the reports Andranik Kocharyan noted that the countries that had passed democratic path also had obstacles. According to the Committee Chair, without strong oversight it is impossible to develop the armed forces.


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