ARMENIA IN TALKS ON JOINING NATO OPERATION IN AFGHANISTAN – FOREIGN MINISTER
Mediamax News Agency
Jan 9 2008
Armenia
Yerevan, 9 January: Armenia is holding talks on joining the ISAF
[International Security Assistance Force] operation, carried out on
the territory of Afghanistan by NATO.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Yerevan today that
at present ways of possible involvement of Armenia in the Provincial
Reconstruction Team (PRT), formed under the command of the Czech
Republic, are in the process of discussion.
At present, there are 25 Provincial Reconstruction Teams functioning
in Afghanistan under the command of NATO.
Vardan Oskanyan also said that Armenia intends to extend its
participation in the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said that Armenia uses the
mechanisms of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO
to reform its defense and security systems and to raise the level of
cooperation with members of the alliance.
Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, the minister said
that a number of measures were implemented under the IPAP in 2007.
Oskanyan mentioned the first visit of NATO’s IPAP Assessment Team
[to Armenia] which took place in January 2007.
The Assessment Team’s next visit will take place in February 2008.