NATO Highlights Peaceful Settlement of Conflicts in South Caucasus

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.07.2006 16:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The key security aspects are political issues
including the Euro-Atlantic integration of the South Caucasian states,
the integration with EU and NATO, the national security concept,
national defense strategy and foreign policy goals, NATO Liaison
Officer in the Caucasus Romualds Razuks said in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, it’s essential to develop practical
regional cooperation among the partners from the South Caucasus and
the Black Sea region as well as with Russia.

"One of the principal directions is combating terrorism. We also
highlight struggle against corruption and bringing of the national
legislation in line with international standards, ratification
of relevant CoE conventions (e.g. social chapter, national
minorities). The IPAP also provides for steps towards economic reforms
including remuneration system for public servants, management of
public enterprises, privatization process, state procurement process,
statistical records for tax collection, foreign trade and balance
payments statistics, antimonopoly legislation and competition policy,"
he said.

The NATO Liaison Officer underscored that NATO attaches importance
to a peaceful settlement of conflicts. "We consider that the leading
role in the peaceful conflict resolution policy belongs to the OSCE
and U.N. The measures include determination of status of autonomies,
return of refugees and IDP’s rehabilitation of conflict zones and
complementarity of actions of international organizations in Georgia.

NATO partnership policy is developing and covering new regions as
well as setting new priorities with a strategic goal of enhancing
security and stability.

South Caucasus was declared NATO’s geographical priority. New
partnership tools and schemes of cooperation including the IPAP are
introduced well adjusting them to already existing ones and making a
good use of both. Joining by Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan of the
IPAP process is a promising step towards promoting regional as well
as Euro-Atlantic security," Razuks said.