IT IS FOR ARMENIA TO DECIDE HOW CLOSELY TO DEVELOP RELATIONS WITH NATO: REPRESENTATIVE OF MARSHALL CENTER

Yerevan, February 5. ArmInfo. The process of reforming the security
sphere in Armenia started within the framework of the Individual
Partnership Action Plan, which implies an individual approach to
the country, Major-General Horst Schmalfeld, Deputy Director of
the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, told
an ArmInfo correspondent. According to him, it is for Armenia to
decide how closely to develop relations with the Alliance, and to
advance on its way to democratization, including reforming of the
defence sphere. The Major-General noted that a joint Action Plan
was worked out, and the goals were determined under IPAP, including
participation of Armenia in the Partnership for Peace program, as well
as the increase of the civil control’s role in the security sphere of
the country. He added that the results achieved while implementing
the tasks are presented to the Alliance for evaluation in order to
determine the further direction of assisting the country on its way
to stability and freedom. It is beyond the scope of NATO to approve
the results, NATO can only identify the spheres where it can help
the country in the reforming process. This is the key idea of the
program and it has nothing to do with the idea of Armenia’s joining
NATO, Horst Schmalfeld emphasized. He added that for joining NATO,
the Membership Action Plan is implemented which is quite different
from IPAP. Certainly, the long process of joining the Alliance
implies correspondence with the criteria and standards of this
military organization. However, many countries, including Armenia,
have expressed a desire to cooperate with NATO as partners within the
frames of IPAP. Now Armenia is in the middle of this process. NATO
contributes to the development of democratic processes, but in the long
run, Armenia will have to decide itself what to do with the reforms,
as it is Armenia’s Plan, he said. Explaining the principle of joining
the Alliance, Horst Schmalfeld pointed out that unlike the entry
into the European Union which demands a country’s own application,
the Alliance itself sends official invitations for membership.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress