ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AND NATO SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSS OPERATIONS AND JOINT PARTNERSHIP

Defence Professionals

May 25 2010

On 25 May, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan met with Secretary General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen at NATO Headquarters, where they discussed
missions and operations, NATO-Armenia relations and regional issues.

In speaking to the press after their meeting, the Secretary General
thanked Armenia for its support to operations in Afghanistan and the
Balkans. He said that 2010 is a key year for the NATO-led mission in
Afghanistan, focusing on transitioning to an increased Afghan lead
role in the security field.

Mr Fogh Rasmussen also repeated his call for more training resources:
“We either generate more trainers to support the Afghan security forces
and underpin NATO’s transition strategy, or we prepare ourselves to
stay longer in Afghanistan.”

Mr Fogh Rasmussen commended Armenia on progress in implementing
defence reforms under its Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP)
with NATO. But these reforms, he said, “must go hand in hand with
political reforms and democratic institution building.”

He underlined the Alliance’s desire to deepen cooperation with Armenia
within the IPAP framework.

From: A. Papazian