POLITICAL LEADERSHIP OF NATO VIEWS RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH PROBLEM ONLY WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF OSCE MINSK GROUP

Noyan Tapan
Nov 6, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to military
cooperation of Armenia and NATO, the establishment of international
security and stability, the participation of the Armenian armed
forces in NATO operations, the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement,
and regional developments in the context of possible normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations were discussed at the November 6 meeting
of RA Minister of Defence Seyran Ohanian and the NATO Secretary
General’s Special Representative to the South Caucasus and Central
Asia Robert Simmons.

R. Simmons expressed satisfaction at the Armenian armed forces’s
willingness to take part in the operations of International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, saying that it will improve
cooperation of the Armenian armed forces with NATO and contribute to
the formation of similar approaches to the problems of international
security and stability in South Caucasian countries.

The sides stressed the importance of efforts on establishing diplomatic
relations between Armenia and Turkey and opening the borders, saying
that these efforts will undoubtedly strengthen the security and
stability in the region.

As regards the Karabakh conflict settlement process, R. Simmons said
that the political leadership of NATO views the problem’s resolution
only within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, ruling out the
use of force.

According to the Information and PR Department of the RA Ministry
of Defence, the interlocutors also addressed such issues as the
development of peacekeeping capacities of the RA, reforms in its
military education system, the introduction of the institution of
civil servants in the RA Ministry of Defence, involvement of partner
states in the preparation of the new strategic concept of NATO,
and other issues.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress