Armenpress
ARMENIA DEVELOPS IPAP WITH NATO
YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS: Speaking at a seminar today in Yerevan
organized and conducted by the George C. Marshall European Center for
Security Studies to support Armenia as it develops its NATO Individual
Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), deputy defense minister Arthur Aghabekian
said the main reason behind Armenia’s joining IPAP is to build a security
system in conformity with the requirements of the 21-st century.
IPAP is a document outlining general objectives and timelines of a
country for its future activities within the framework of cooperation with
NATO.
Aghabekian outlined major reforms in the defense system, which Armenia
will have to carry out within the frameworks of the IPAP and also
cooperation mechanisms to achieve this, such as regular consultations with
NATO on the issues of regional security, development of security strategy
and military doctrine, improvement of defense spending planning, ensuring
operative interaction with NATO in emergency cases, higher education level
of the personnel, development of more effective mechanisms of democratic
supervision of the armed forces and so on.
Aghabekian said Armenia does not expect any material or logistical
assistance from NATO. According to him, Armenia expects only effective
consultations. He said the axis of the reforms will be development of a
security strategy that will be submitted to parliament’s consideration after
standing the test of wide public discussion in 2007.
The deputy defense minister said the IPAP allows to reform the defense
system by stages under the condition of unresolved conflict. He expressed
hope that Armenia would be able to build by 2015 an army that would be able
to respond to 21-st century’s challenges.
The Marshall Center delegation is headed by Major General (retired) Dr.
Horst Schmalfeld, German Deputy Director of the George C. Marshall European
Center for Security Studies. The Marshall Center is located in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. US and German ambassadors to Armenia, John
Evans and Heike Peitsch welcomed participants of the seminar.