Armenia’s Defense Ministry has a new headquarters

by Armen Hakobyan

Published: Saturday September 27, 2008

The ceremonial opening of the new Defense Ministry complex. Photolure.

Yerevan - Armenia's new Ministry of Defense complex is situated in north Yerevan, between the Avan and Nor Nork communities. The opening ceremony for the complex took place on Independence Day, September 21. The commander-in-chief, President Serge Sargsian, was present for the occasion, as was Karekin II, the Catholicos of all Armenians.

The construction of the ministry complex was one of the largest construction projects undertaken in Armenia in recent years. Karlen Hakobian of the ministry's Major Construction and Army Lodging department told the Armenian Reporter said the complex cost some 16 billion drams (about $53 million at the current exchange rate) to build. He added that the work was carried out over two and a half years. Over twenty contractor firms were involved.

With the satisfaction of a person who has accomplished his work with quality, Hamlet Tsarukian, director of the Shinveranorogum Company, which built the structures at the entrance to the new complex, said, "I am very pleased. I am very happy that we proudly completed another complex. We, the constructors and staff feel very good, especially that the works have been carried out for the Armed Forces of our fatherland. And, of course, the fact that the complex is being inaugurated on Independence Day is symbolic."

Grigor Azizian, director of the Haynakhagits Institute and head of the design group, and Stepan Lazarian, chief architect for the project, participated in the opening ceremony with the same emotions. The challenge they faced was to build the complex on the foundations of an unfinished hospital complex, the construction of which had begun during the Soviet period in 1985.

"Our main task was to bring the partially constructed building up to a good condition and reinforce it, as it did not comply with today's standards. A clinic had been planned here and so, in terms of reinforcement, we made the partially constructed building comply with today's standards and then completed the complex. In essence, the building comprises three subsidiary buildings and so the appearance of the previously envisaged building has completely changed. One of the difficulties was that no matter how partially constructed the building was, it dictated the present design of the complex. And today, when the works are over and the building has been inaugurated, I am happy and content that out Armed Forces are going to have such a complex," Mr. Lazarian told the Armenian Reporter.

The building and its surrounding territory occupy about 26 hectares land. The main building is eight stories tall and about 360 meters long.

The ministry had long deemed a new building necessary. One of the key issues the new building addresses is a need for various departments to be in closer vicinity to each other.

During a speech at the opening ceremony Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said, "The fact that the Defense Ministry is celebrating the 17th anniversary of the Republic in its new home is emotional and fills us with a sense of responsibility. This complex, built on one of the northern heights of the capital city instills us with dignity and deepens the belief that we truly do have an established state which is also worried about the well-being of its army. I believe it is inarguable that the Armenian soldier has deserved the right to serve in dignified conditions," said Mr. Ohanian. He gave credit to Mr. Sargsian, who had served for many years as defense minister and had initiated the project.

Mr. Ohanian added, "All necessary conditions have been created here in order to implement the management of the army using modern methods. This building reflects the optimization of defense ministry infrastructures. It eliminates the necessity for maintenance of numerous buildings and structures scattered throughout Yerevan and its environs and the necessity for repeatedly implementing services and many other activities. The centralization of Defense Ministry and Armed Forces headquarters subdivisions in one building also symbolizes the integrated management system of the Armed Forces, which is also an initiative established by the president, an experienced leader in the military field with many years of active service. In the near future the system will be confirmed by the adoption of the law on Defense."

The minister also referred to the changes currently underway in the armed forces by the decision of the president. He noted that as a result of those changes, "we will have a stronger, improved army, which will be able to neutralize all aggressions threatening Armenia and Artsakh."

The catholicos blessed those gathered in a speech and prayer.

NATO exercise in Armenia kicks off

Some 1,100 military personnel from 21 countries are arriving in Armenia for the NATO exercise Cooperative Longbow 08/ Cooperative Lancer 08 (COLW/COLR 08). The exercise is scheduled to last until October 21.

The preparatory phase began on September 15 at the Vazgen Sarkissian Military Academy, Lt. Col. Mesrop Nazarian told the Armenian Reporter.

The aim of COLW/COLR 08 is to improve the interoperability of NATO and other forces. The exercises will involve service members from seven NATO member states, 12 countries (such as Armenia) cooperating with NATO in the Partnership for Peace (PfP) program, and other countries.

The scenario will be based on a United Nations (UN) mandated NATO-led Crisis Response Operation (CRO), Mediamax reported. COLW/ COLR 08 is meant to provide a visible demonstration of NATO's ability to conduct a complex and dynamic operation aimed at the interoperability of NATO and partner forces. COLW/ COLR are aimed at providing a good balance between NATO's training requirements and PfP training needs. NATO's real-world operational experiences will be incorporated.

COLW will be a Command Post exercise with a Multinational Brigade Headquarters as Primary Target Audience (PTA) and unit and sub-unit Response Cells as Secondary Target Audience. The exercise aims at teaching and training basic NATO staff skills and procedures to qualify participants to participate as individual augmentees in NATO exercises and/or deployments.