Development and deepening of relations with NATO promotes conducting of
more flexible security policy

2008-02-01 20:03:00

Mariam Levina, ArmInfo, January 30, 2008 .

Interview of Head of RA Mission to NATO Samvel Lazarian with ArmInfo
Agency

How do you assess Armenia’s cooperation with NATO in 2007?

One can say for sure that the relations between Armenia and NATO in
2007 rose to a new qualitative level. Fulfillment of the Individual
Partnership Action Plan [IPAP] was first assessed at the beginning of
2007; and the results of assessment were discussed at NATO session on 4
April in which Armenia took part in the format 26+1. Armenian Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan visited NATO headquarters and that was the
first visit of the Armenian premier in the history of Armenia-NATO
relations. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, Defence Minister
Mikhael Harutyunyan, commander of General Headquarters Seyran Ohanyan
and a group of Armenian parliamentarians also visited NATO.
Representatives of different ministries and departments took part in
sessions of various committees, that deal with transport,
communications, civil population protection, medicine and science
issues. A week of NATO
was held in Armenia in March. Armenia took an active part in the Second
Security Forum held in June. A seminar on the topic of fighting
terrorism was held in Yerevan in July. Special representative of NATO
secretary general Robert Simmons paid working visits to Armenia, over
which he met President Robert Kocharyan, Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisyan, speaker of the parliament Tigran Torosyan, foreign and
defence ministers and took part in the sitting of the IPAP. As you see
that was a very active year in our relations.

What level is the political dialogue with the Alliance at? Can we tell
of the achievements in this context in 2007?

Armenia achieved much in developing political dialogue with NATO in
2007. Armenia and NATO leaderships have discussed not only bilateral
cooperation and the situation in the South Caucasus, but also other
security-related issues. Particularly, the parties discussed the
problems of further fulfillment of the Treaty on Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe, deployment of American anti-missile system in Europe,
the future status of Kosovo, and extension of NATO.

What stage is implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan
with NATO at?

Actually, Armenia has successfully completed the two-year cycle of the
Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO. Afterwards, we will
discuss together the document prepared by NATO experts in Brussels.
Many goals included in the Plan have been achieved or will be achieved
shortly. We strictly followed the schedule of the Plan. Now, we need to
coordinate isolated parts of the document in order to set new goals and
establish the next cycle of their fulfillment.

What events, including NATO exercises, have been scheduled for 2008 and
is participation of Armenia’s representatives envisaged in them?

The Armenian delegation took part in the annual Planning Symposium in
Oberammergau (Germany) on January 23-24. The issues of different
formats of partnership with NATO were
discussed at the Symposium. An informal meeting of NATO countries’
defense ministers will be held in Vilnius on February 7 with
participation of the states, contributing to the peacekeeping
operation in Kosovo. However, the greatest event is, of course, meeting
of NATO heads of state and governments in Bucharest scheduled for April
2-4, 2008. Within the frames of the Summit, NATO members will meet the
Euro- Atlantic partners on April 3. In 2008, we schedule to hold the
second week of NATO in Armenia. Preparatory work over two seminars on
the topics "Fights Against Cyber- Terrorism" and "Energy Security" is
underway". In April, we shall participate in the exercises on
management of crisis situations CMX 08: these exercises are headed by
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. A big event will be held
in Armenia in 2008 in the sphere of military cooperation: exercises
"Longbow/Lancer 08" will be held within the frames of the Partnership
for Peace programme.

How do you assess activity of NATO Special Representative to Caucasus
and Central Asia as regards deepening of Armenia’s relations with this
structure?

From the very beginning of his appointment in 2004, Robert Simmons
actively contributed to development of multilateral relations between
the Alliance and Armenia. He visited Yerevan already 8 times over the
last years, and his every visit was an additional stimulus for
extension of our relations. I hold regular consultations with Robert
Simmons on a wide circle of issues. In Brussels, we keep in daily touch
with his colleagues from the International Secretariat. The recent
appointment of the new communication officer Z. Rybatsky (he started
taking up his duties in September, 2007) much facilities the problem of
coordination in situ.

How much, in general, Armenia strives for deepening the relations with
the Alliance, taking into account the fact that joining this
organization is not the goal of Armenia, as RA president used to say?

The president, stemming from the national interests of ensuring
security to the state, adopts a decision regarding Armenia’s joining
any organization. At the same time, there are very wide opportunities
of partnership with NATO: it may be in the political dialogue, military
reforms, crisis situations, science and parliamentary cooperation.
Development and deepening of relations with NATO promotes conducting of
more flexible security policy, upgrading of our armed forces and
strengthening of the structure engaged in emergency situations.
Importance of our relations with NATO is reflected in National Security
Strategy and in Military Doctrine.

Will possible entering of other South Caucasian countries,
particularly, Georgia, NATO reflect the relations of Armenia with the
Alliance? If yes, how?

Only Georgia, of all our direct neighbours, actively strives for the
membership in NATO .This is Georgia’s sovereign right. NATO Summit in
Bucharest will probably discuss the issue of presenting the Membership
Actions Plan to Georgia, and it is not ruled out that a positive
decision will be made. It is necessary for us to be ready to the
situation when our northern neighbour, with which we have only friendly
relations, will become NATO member in time. We should use this new
situation for strengthening of our security, including further
development of relations with NATO.

Is involvement of NATO in Karabakh conflict settlement, in particular,
in the monitoring of preserving the cease-fire regime, possible? Did
Armenia apply with proposal to organize such a monitoring? If no, then
why?

NATO has not been not directly involved in the Karabakh conflict
settlement process and it has no such intention: NATO Secretary General
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer multiply told about it. For its part, Armenia did
not apply the Alliance with such a request. The negotiation process on
Karabakh conflict settlement is held within the frames of OSCE Minsk
Group. Deployment of any peacekeeping forces in the region of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict is possible only after reaching a political agreement
and by consent of the all the conflict parties.

Does Armenia’s partnership with Iran emerge in our relations with NATO?

This issue has never emerged in our relations with NATO. The Alliance
has always highly appreciated Armenia’s policy and aspiration to
support and develop normal relations with all the countries in the
region.

Armenia is a member of CSTO and actively cooperates within the frames
of this organization. At the same time, Armenia develops the relations
with NATO. Does cooperation within the frames of one organization
hinder Armenia to develop relations with another one?

There has been no problem in this sense. We hope that there will be no
problem in the future either. Our membership in the CSTO and
partnership with NATO are the components of our foreign policy of
complementarity and Armenian security policy.