OSKANYAN MET NATO SECRETARY GENERAL

A1+
[06:32 pm] 07 December, 2006

RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan met NATO Secretary General Jaap
de Hoop Scheffer today.

During the meeting the sides discussed the Individual Partnership
Action Plan of Armenia which is the core of the cooperation between
Armenia and the NATO. The first two-year phase of the IPAI started
in January.

The sides expressed their content with the results of the first
evaluation of the IPAP procedure discussed during the NATO session
which took place with the format 26+1. The Minister mentioned that
the evaluation was important for us in order to clear up the criteria
of the NATO towards the realization of the Plan.

Minister Oskanyan mentioned that the Armenian IPAP Committee which is
responsible for the realization of the plan has had eight sessions this
year which actively discussed issues about the process of realization.

The Secretary General found the enhancing of democratic procedures
important in Armenia. He especially stressed the NATO support in
carrying out reforms in the defense field. He highly appreciated the
investment of Armenia in the peace-keeping missions of the NATO.

The sides also referred to the November 28-29 NATO summit in Riga,
as well as to the relations between Armenia and Turkey, and the
process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.