Armenian envoy, NATO Defence College head discuss cooperation

Arminfo
18 Apr 05

Yerevan, 18 April: Armenia is ready to cooperate with the NATO Defence
College, Armenian ambassador to Italy Ruben Shugaryan said at a meeting
with the commandant of the college, Lt-Gen [Marc] Vankeirsbilck.

During the meeting they discussed establishing contacts between
Armenian military schools and the NATO Defence College, as well as the
possibility of Ruben Shugaryan giving a lecture at the NATO Defence
College on the processes taking place in the South Caucasus region,
the Armenian Foreign Ministry’s information and press department has
told Arminfo news agency.

Lt-Gen Vankeirsbilck, who took over as the commandant of the college
in March 2005, expressed an interest in prospects of developing
cooperation with Armenia. He noted that the college is cooperating
closely with strategic and defence schools of NATO member and partner
countries. The general spoke highly about Armenia’s participation in
various events held at the college.

Shugaryan filled the general in on the current level of relations
between Armenia and NATO, stressing that Armenia is involved in various
NATO programmes and is cooperating with NATO as well as its neighbours,
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The NATO Defence College is the only NATO school in Rome which admits
high-ranking servicemen and diplomats who intend to occupy senior posts
at the NATO headquarters. Starting from 1991, the NATO Defence College
has been admitting representatives of NATO partner states as well.