Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan introduced the newly appointed Minister of Defense Suren Papikyan to the Defense Ministry personnel and the top military officials of the Armed Forces.
The Prime Minister thanked former Minister Arshak Karapetyan for his work in the Ministry of Defense and referred to the decision to appoint Suren Papikyan as Minister of Defense. "In fact, I have made an important political decision. When we met with Mr. Karapetyan this morning, he said an idea with which I cannot disagree, and which I cannot but voice. He rightly noted that the status of the Minister of Defense is perhaps the most vulnerable status in the Republic of Armenia or one of the most vulnerable. I would like to thank Mr. Karapetyan for his responsibility and courage in assuming that vulnerable status. At the same time, I would like to thank Mr. Papikyan for accepting my decision, in fact, replacing the less vulnerable status of the Deputy Prime Minister with the very vulnerable status of the Defense Minister.
Dear colleagues, dear Generals, officers, our country is facing serious strategic challenges, we simply have no right not to manage those challenges in line with the interests of the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh and the Armenian people. You know, there can be many assessments, those assessments can be emotional, less emotional, but we must know for sure that the Government of the Republic of Armenia, the leadership of the country clearly understand what steps are needed to successfully bring the country out of the crossroads of these strategic challenges, to pave the way for sustainable development, and we will pursue that way.
I told Mr. Karapetyan this morning that I continue to consider him a teammate. You know that Suren Papikyan is my old political ally and companion, and I want to make the following statement once again here.
Following 2018, when I assumed the post of Prime Minister, there has not been a single case when the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, the Ministry of Defense, put forward an issue that is within the scope of the Government's capability to solve it, which has not been solved. This will be the case after this, I do not want to say we will do more, because we have not done less before this, but we are facing a very important and serious challenge, the solution of which Mr. Karapetyan started, I am sure Mr. Papikyan will continue successfully.
The Ministry of Defense, the Armed Forces is the largest state body in our country, and that body must be healthy, efficient in terms of functionally, the decisions of which must be deep, substantiated, based on our military-strategic needs. In this regard, I want to emphasize this nuance, around which we must continue to work," the Prime Minister said.
Arshak Karapetyan thanked the Defense Ministry’s personnel and the officers of the Armed Forces for the joint work. “I ask everyone to consider this my last order: do everything, support the new Minister, consoidate around the new Minister. I am confident that Mr. Papikyan will be able to continue and implement the programs approved by the Government for the Armed Forces. I had a private conversation with Mr. Papikyan, I expressed my readiness to support in case of necessity. Mr. Prime Minister, thank you for your trust, I hope that the next Minister will be even more successful. Thank you for the joint service”, Arshak Karapetyan said.
In turn, the newly appointed Minister Suren Papikyan said, “Honorable Prime Minister, Generals, officers, dear colleagues, It is a great honor for me to assume this position in this responsible and difficult period. Thank you, Mr. Prime Minister, for entrusting me with this responsible position. I am ready to serve the Republic of Armenia day and night."
