Yashar Jafarli: "If we speak about problems in Azerbaijan, it would be better to speak about problems of the army"

"Reforms in the army are closely connected with general reforms in all spheres. These reforms are executed in the country  like in the army as an army is a social institution. If we speak about social and political problems, problems in the sphere of democracy and protectionof human rights in Azerbaijan, it would be better to speak about problems of the army", Jafarli continued.

He considers that  the leadership of the army should be blamed while the Defense Minister is responsible for the situation in the army.

"Our country has lost over 3.000 soldiers since signing of the ceasefire agreement in 1994. However, no one has been brought to responsibility", the retiree said.

"Absence of due control by the executive and legislative powers, as well as civil society, causes increase in the number of law offenses", Jafarli said.

The expert considers that Azerbaijani army is the largest and best-equipped one in the South Caucasus.

"As to the combat training, this is a debatable question which can find solution only in case of war", the officer continued.

Jafarli noted speaking on the correspondence of Azerbaijani army to NATO standards that NATO is a military-political bloc.

"Therefore, its standards are divided into two parts. On the one hand, these are military standards, aiming to  ensure mutual aid of the coalition member-states in case of war. Other standard imply provision of democratic rights and liberties, settlement of social problems and others", he continued.

Jafarli admitted that reforms are conducted in the army with the simultaneous study of experience of other member-states of NATO, Russia and even Pakistan in this sphere,

"I have been a deputy chief of department of human resources under the Ministry of Defense for 5 years, therefore, I am aware of the situation  with reforms in our country. For example, this year the whole staff of divisions has  undergone reforms in line with the NATO standards, while the structures of the Defense Ministry and Joint Staff operate on basis of the old system", the officer said.

Touching upon the cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO, Jafarli recollected our country's participation in such programs as "Partnership for Peace" and assumed commitments.

"On the whole, NATO representatives positively assess the reforms conducted in our army, but at the same time they point out a number of problems. One of them is that our government does not inform the community about the assumed commitments. Moreover, no one is informed about programs in the framework of the plan of individual cooperation between Azerbaijan and NATO (IPAP). This year Azerbaijan has completed the first stage of the program but no one knows the details, as well as the details of the first stage", Jafarli said.

He considers that the conducted reforms mainly refer the staff, structural and technical changes.

"No political reforms are conducted. moreover, the Defense Ministry does not execute hundreds of court decisions. For example, officers do not have a right to ballot for parliamentary elections. This is a direct violation of human rights".

He said the situation is also complicated with the war veterans, invalids and martyrs' families and others.

"No reforms are carried out in this sphere", he said.

He noted that there is a progress in the sphere of military training of the youth.

"We have everything for catching up at least with Georgia: we have funds, intellectual potential, military structures and NGOs dealing with military issues. Our leadership says it is not necessary to advertise war, but at the same time our powers do not exclude possible armed resolution of the conflict. Thus, the  military training is necessary and due state programs should be adopted for it. I hope  that most problems in the military field will be settled in 2008, the year of the 90th anniversary of our army", Jafarli noted.

/Day.Az/