ARMENIA, NATO DEVELOPING COOPERATION

Armenia-NATO cooperation is successfully developing. New events in the framework of the Individual Partnership Action Plan, said Robert Simmons, NATO special representative for Caucasus and Central Asia. “We are continuing cooperation with the Armenian Defense Ministry. NATO assists implementation of reforms and development of strategically important documents,” he told a news conference in Yerevan. Mr. Simmons said the Alliance is thankful to Armenia for participation in peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan. He also informed that NATO is negotiating establishment of anti-crisis reaction center with the RA Ministry of Emergency Situations.

Nazar [muratoglunazar@yahoo.com]

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Armenia to develop cooperation with NATO

The 6th International NATO Seminar was initiated by the Armenian Atlantic Association(ААА) in Yerevan on Mar. 13-14. The Seminar “South Caucasian Youth Forum. 60th Anniversary of NATO – The New Beginning” was organized with the assistance of NATO and the US Embassy in Armenia. 30 representatives of Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Georgia, Latvia, Turkey as well as the US Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, GB Ambassador to Armenia Charles Lonsdale and NATO official representatives participated in the seminar.

European integration, in particular, development of relations with NATO is one of the priorities in the Armenian foreign policy, said Arman Israelyan, Head of the Armenian Foreign Ministry Department for NATO, speaking at the opening of the seminar ‘South-Caucasian Youth Forum: 60th Anniversary of NATO: New Start.

Armenia is interested in maintaining the relations with NATO as never before. The country’s involvement into the NATO PfP project is one of the most important elements of the country’s multiple-aspect security system and even one of the dynamically developing dimensions of the foreign policy, he said. A. Israelyan highlighted the importance of Armenia-NATO cooperation in reforming the military system of Armenia where NATO provides consultations and renders specialized assistance to Armenia. The final goal of the reform is to bring the Armenian army in conformity with European standards.

‘Participation of the Armenian contingent in the peacemaking mission in Kosovo is very important to us. The Foreign ministry is currently studying the issue of sending an Armenian contingent to Afghanistan. In 2008 the number of Armenian peacemakers to Kosovo has been doubled. The ministry is likely to adopt a decision to send a contingent also to Afghanistan’, he said.

In the nearest future Armenia’s new Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO, meant for two years, will be adopted.  The NATO representatives, who participated in the sixth annual youth seminar informed on this.