NATO Deputy Secretary General visits Yerevan and thanks Armenia for contributions to NATO missions
The NATO Deputy Secretary General, Ms. Rose Gottemoeller, visited Yerevan on Monday 18 December 2017 and met with President Serzh Sargsyan, with Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian, with Minister of Defence Vigen Sargsyan and with the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Ara Babloyan.
Speaking at a press conference with Minister of Foreign Affairs Nalbandian, the Deputy Secretary General thanked Armenia for the important contribution to the Alliance’s Resolute Support mission in Afghanistan and for the contribution to the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Ms Gottemoeller said that earlier this year Armenia agreed to a new Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO and that Armenia has chosen to work with NATO more closely on interoperability, defence education, and defence reform.
“We stand ready to continue working with you on all the areas that you have chosen”, she said.
Ms. Gottemoeller also thanked Armenia for organising the NATO Week and the workshop on Women, Peace and Security in Yerevan. The initiative on Women, Peace and Security was first launched as a United Nations Security Council Resolution, promoting the rights and the leadership of women, both in and out of conflict zones. “Societies are safer and fairer when women are empowered to take full part”, Ms Gottemoeller said.
All NATO Allies and partners in the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council adopted a policy and plan to implement the main planks of the United Nations Resolution on Women, Peace and Security. Ms. Gottemoeller said that NATO is ready to continue assisting Armenia in implementing the policy on Women, Peace and Security.
“So we are able to work together in many different fields”, the Deputy Secretary General said. “Cooperation between NATO and Armenia is in our mutual interest”.