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  • NATO Summit And Armenia

    NATO SUMMIT AND ARMENIA
    Gevorg Harutyunyan

    Hayots Ashkhar Daily
    April 01, 2008

    Armenian official delegation headed by the President elect Serge
    Sargsyan, is going to participate in regular NATO Summit, in Bucharest
    on April 2-4.

    Chair of the Committee on Defense, National Security, and Internal
    Affairs Arthur Aghabekyan introduces the prospects of the cooperation
    between Armenia and Euro-Atlantic Military Political Union in his
    interview with the correspondent of "Hayots Ashkharh" daily.

    "Mr. Aghabekyan what agenda issues is going to be discussed in the
    NATO Summit in Bucharest and with what expectations will Armenian
    side participate in the military political gathering of more than
    sixty countries?"

    "The peculiarity of NATO Bucharest Summit will be the participation
    of the countries which have great desire to become members of this
    military political structure. Many of these states however, will
    unavoidably appear in the focus of the collapse of the interests
    of NATO member countries. And they will have to overcome lots of
    obstacles to make their desires come true.

    Armenia is going to participate in NATO Summit as a partner. The
    foundation of our cooperation format is the general program
    "Partnership for Peace". With the years' effective partnership we
    have recorded essential progress, we jointly implement the program
    "Individual Partnership Action", which can be considered a serious
    achievement. This individual program clarifies the goals of the
    cooperation between Armenia and NATO, which is based on the provision
    of security for our country and our people. The cooperation assumes
    implementation of joint actions, not only with this powerful military
    political structure but also with the member countries in separate."

    "Are they planning to discuss issues regarding South Caucasus and
    particularly Armenia?"

    "Georgia is trying to pave the way towards NATO by means of
    implementing individual programs. But the expectant stance of many
    European countries and internal problems will surely prevent Georgia
    to achieve its end. Georgia intends to solve its territorial problems
    by means of cooperation with NATO or becoming NATO member country. The
    participation of The Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Summit
    in Bucharest prompts that this time the issue of Georgia's membership
    won't be included in the agenda.

    >From all the agenda issues Armenia is mostly interested in discussions
    around "the challenges of the 21st century". NATO Secretary has
    already announced that on 2009 they are going to elaborate the new
    strategy of the military political union. This strategy will derive
    from the exact evaluation of the challenges of the 21st century,
    which will be outlined during the forthcoming Summit.

    The cooperation with NATO is one of the components of Armenia's
    security. That is why it is very important what extension tactics will
    NATO adopt during the coming five years to overcome the challenges.

    We have already carried into circulation the new draft on "Security",
    which is mainly aimed at transforming the cooperation from tactical
    to strategic level. Our peacekeeping division in Kosovo proved that
    we could be integrated in the multi-national subdivision."

    "Current year NATO is planning to hold unprecedented military trainings
    in Armenia. What does this testify to?"

    "Armenia expressed readiness to host similar military trainings two
    years ago. Many military staffs from NATO member and partner countries
    will participate in the military training called "Joint Bow". The
    Conference on planning and final arrangements is in process. The
    same way as in 2003, when Armenia managed to prove that the latter
    is NATO's loyal partner and can provide the implementation of the
    military trainings to the best of its abilities, this time also we
    will prove the same.

    Whereas in 2004 Azerbaijan didn't find strength in itself to meet
    the demands vested with the member countries and for the first time
    in its history NATO was obliged to cancel the military trainings.

    For Armenia the aim of these developments and reforms is absolutely not
    in becoming NATO member country. We have underscored many times that we
    haven't got similar issue in the foreign policy agenda. Our principal
    goal is to have armed forces, which can confront the challenges of
    the 21st century. We must always consider the fact that with time
    the challenges, the targets, and the demands are also changed.

    I must also underscore that each country decides its foreign policy,
    evaluates the danger jeopardizing the country and the people and
    chooses the ways to confront them, on its own."
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