OSCE Office in Yerevan promotes co-operation between army and public

Ways to enhance relations between the armed forces and civilians was the focus of the hearing at the Armenian National Assembly on 15 April 2013.

The hearing was organized and hosted by the Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs, with the participation of the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of the Armed Forces (DCAF) and the support of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

Members of the Parliament, representatives of different bodies of state administration, and more than 20 international and local experts and media representatives discussed the institutional framework and reform priorities for co-operation.

“Civilian control of the armed forces and hence closer co-operation between civilians and the army is very important”, said Ambassador Andrey Sorokin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan. “It will directly affect the level of public trust, which will in turn enhance the human rights protection in the armed forces”.

Koryun Nahapetyan, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee, Seyran Ohanyan, the Acting Minister of Defence and Phillip Fluri, Deputy Director of DCAF also addressed the participants. Representatives of local non-governmental organizations active in the security and human rights field also shared their concerns and recommendations.

At a workshop following the hearing, the DCAF experts shared their knowledge and experience with Armenian partners. They discussed the experience and lessons learned from security sector reform in Eastern Europe. 

The OSCE Office in Yerevan has been supporting security sector reform in Armenia within the framework of a memorandum on co-operation signed between the Office and the Armenian National Assembly and a co-operation plan agreed with the Armenian Defence Ministry in 2011.