Armenia actively and effectively cooperating with NATO
08.11.2016,
16:09
Armenia –a former Soviet republic - is actively and effectively cooperating with NATO, the deputy director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan said today.
YEREVAN, November 8. /ARKA/. Armenia –a former Soviet republic - is actively and effectively cooperating with NATO, the deputy director of the Yerevan-based Caucasus Institute Sergey Minasyan said today.
"If we ignore the Georgia’s factor, Armenia has the largest peacekeeping contingent, participating in NATO operations in Afghanistan," - he said during a discussion at the Armenian Institute for International and Security Affairs titled "West-Russia: Confrontation until When?".
Armenia has been participating in NATO peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan since 2010. The 56-member Armenian contingent carries out its mission as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
"The 20 year-long cooperation with NATO has led to several important results. The first is the creation of the peacekeeping brigade, which is unprecedented for the country, which is a Russian ally in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The second important outcome is the creation of an effective combination of civil and military systems, which is important in the context of creating a generation of security and defense specialists", - Minasyan added.
He noted also that Armenia's cooperation with NATO is important in the context of its relations with the major member countries of the Alliance - the US, France, Germany and Greece. According to him, cooperation with these countries in the military sphere has contributed to the development of combat skills of the Armenian army.
"Nevertheless, there are issues which for obvious reasons can not be resolved in the near future. For example, NATO and member countries can not provide security guarantees to Armenia not only because Armenia is not a NATO member and will not be in the foreseeable future, but also because of Turkey, which has a special significance for the organization. However, it does not mean that we have to limit ourselves in this area. I think that Armenia will continue its current strategy", - Minasyan said.
Cooperation between Armenia and NATO is now proceeding in accordance with the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), which was signed in December 2005. -0-
"If we ignore the Georgia’s factor, Armenia has the largest peacekeeping contingent, participating in NATO operations in Afghanistan," - he said during a discussion at the Armenian Institute for International and Security Affairs titled "West-Russia: Confrontation until When?".
Armenia has been participating in NATO peacekeeping missions in Afghanistan since 2010. The 56-member Armenian contingent carries out its mission as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
"The 20 year-long cooperation with NATO has led to several important results. The first is the creation of the peacekeeping brigade, which is unprecedented for the country, which is a Russian ally in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). The second important outcome is the creation of an effective combination of civil and military systems, which is important in the context of creating a generation of security and defense specialists", - Minasyan added.
He noted also that Armenia's cooperation with NATO is important in the context of its relations with the major member countries of the Alliance - the US, France, Germany and Greece. According to him, cooperation with these countries in the military sphere has contributed to the development of combat skills of the Armenian army.
"Nevertheless, there are issues which for obvious reasons can not be resolved in the near future. For example, NATO and member countries can not provide security guarantees to Armenia not only because Armenia is not a NATO member and will not be in the foreseeable future, but also because of Turkey, which has a special significance for the organization. However, it does not mean that we have to limit ourselves in this area. I think that Armenia will continue its current strategy", - Minasyan said.
Cooperation between Armenia and NATO is now proceeding in accordance with the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), which was signed in December 2005. -0-
