DISCUSSIONS TO BE ORGANIZED IN NATO ON OCCASION OF DECLARING MONATORIUM OVER CFE TREATY BY RUSSIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Mikayel Haroutiunian, the RA Defence
Minister, received Robert Simmons, the special representative of the
NATO’s Secretary General in the South Cacausus and Middle Asia. During
the June 22 meeting the interlocutors mainly spoke about Armenia-NATO
relations.

Attaching importance to Armenia’s participation in international
peacemaking missions, Robert Simmons particularly appreciated the
cooperation in Kosovo where Armenia has become a serious security
guarantee together with other peacemaking forces.

The sides exchanged ideas concerning the process of the reforms
envisaged by the Individual Partnership Actions Plan (IPAP), the
involvement of citizens in the sphere of defence, the clarity of sphere
activities, the continuing participation of Armenian divisions in the
structure of international peacemaking forces, and issues concerning
the training of specialists.

R. Simmons expressed his satisfaction on the occasion of the successful
implementation of the IPAP stages. He mentioned that the partnership
does not compete with other security systems, be that Russia or
the Collective Security Treaty Organization. Just on the contrary,
all efforts are directed to the defence of interests of cooperating
countries, including Armenia.

M. Haroutiunian declared that one of these days the Armenian Human
Rights Defender (Ombutsman) will have a representative of armed
forces, which will contribute to the creation of Human Rights Defender
Institution in the Armenian Armed Forces.

At the end of the meeting the sides touched upon the developments
taking place in the region. M. Haroutiunian expressed his anxiety
about the recent statement of Azerbaijan concerning the fact that it
wants to leave the Treaty of the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe
(CFE Treaty). R. Simmons stressed in his turn that NATO is definitely
for a complete implementation of all the provisions of the treaty,
which is conditioned by the necessity of preserving security and
stability in the region. He added that NATO will organize special
discussions concerning the fact that Russia and Azerbaijan have
declared a moratorium over this treaty.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA Defence
Ministry, Samvel Mkrtchian, the RA representative to NATO, was also
present at the meeting.