ROBERT SIMMONS: NATO IS READY TO CONTINUE SUPPORTING REFORMS OF RA ARMED FORCES

Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. At the June 22 meeting of the RA
Prime Minister Serge Sargsian and the Special Representative of NATO
Secretary General to South Caucasus Robert Simmons, both sides in
the respect of development of Armenia-NATO political dialogue and
cooperation attached importance to the Individual Partnership Actions
Plan (IPAP), which includes all possible spheres of cooperation
with NATO.

S. Sargsian said that the departments included in the commission
founded for the purpose of IPAP implementation are continuing their
interested work in the direction of implementation of the IPAP’s
working program. The Prime Minister said that the RA government will
allocate financial resources for the program’s implementation and
will concentrate its efforts on implementing the program efficiently
according to the schedule. S. Sargsian attached importance to
NATO’s support for reforms aimed at making the RA armed forces more
competitive and the creation of a defence system meeting modern
military requirements.

R. Simmons reassured that NATO is ready to continue supporting the
reforms.

Expressing satisfaction with the adoption of the RA national security
strategy, as the next important step, he mentioned elaboration of a
military doctrine, for which, in R. Simmons’ words, NATO is ready to
provide experts and to show consultation assistance.

S. Sargsian said that the national security strategy is considered as
important in the RA government’s program of the next five years. The
program stipulates that it has been worked out on the basis of that
strategy, too.

Both sides attached importance to the creation of a crisis management
center in Armenia, in the direction of which efficient discussions
are already being held with the RA Rescue Service.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA government Information and
Public Relations Department, during the meeting S. Sargsian and
R. Simmons also touched upon Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping
actions. The Prime Minister emphasized that Armenia is ready to take
an active part in that mission.