NATO HQ 6 Dec. 2000

Speech by Mr Serge Sargsyan, Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, at the Meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Honorable Mister Chairman. Dear Colleagues. I extend my greetings to all of you on the occasion of this significant event aimed at strengthening of stability and mutual confidence in Euro-Atlantic Region. First I would like to thank Honorable Lord Robertson for his letter, which clearly stated the directions of NATO's future activities, enabling Partner Countries to develop most effective ways of cooperation with NATO. Annual meetings of Defense Ministers of Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council witness that we are really on the path of cooperation and our efforts are aimed at the great idea to make the 21st Century the epoch of peace. In the existing geopolitical situation almost all the countries chose the way of reforming their Armed Forces. Armenian Government has also adopted the policy of gradual reforms. In the process of army building, Armenia is lead by the principle of diversity. In particular, military education policy is implemented in different directions simultaneously: today, Armenian Officers are trained and retrained both in military educational establishments of Russia and NATO member states. The results of this policy will be seen in several years, when Armenian Military will not have any obstacles on the way of many-sided cooperation. Serious programs on the improvement of Armed Forces management are also developed. Their implementation will create new perspectives for the development of most effective ways of cooperation with friendly countries and alliances. Our most important guide is the principle of qualitative, but not quantitative improvement of armaments and technologies aimed at the implementation of Defense Strategy. The next issue I would like to refer to is the issue of Armed Forces reduction. Indeed, there is no country in. the world that would not like to reduce its Armed Forces and use the saved money for economic development. Unfortunately, this opportunity for Armenia is strictly limited today. The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, almost double inferiority of Armenian Armed Forces to Azerbaidjani Armed Forces, strains and threats existing in the Region force us to delay the programs of Armed Forces reduction for some time. I must add that the positive results of the improvement of the mechanisms of Armed Forces democratic control are already seen, Armenian Units become more and more open to the Public and Media representatives. The acceptance of Armenia to European Council will impose a responsibility on it to democratize its Armed Forces. Here I must mention that Armenia's membership in the European Family will not only contribute to speeding-up of democratic processes in the country, but will also become a new impulse for the enhancement of cooperation with NATO, as Alliance still remains one of the pillars of European Security. The Republic of Armenia, being guided by the principles of adopted policy of interchangeability, year by year extends its cooperation with NATO, particularly within the scopes of Partnership for Peace Program. Certainly, there is a number of obstacles on the way of the most efficient involvement in PfP Program, like differences in standards and concepts, as well as language obstacles. Nevertheless, serious steps were taken this year by Armenia to overcome these obstacles. The Peacekeeping Battalion is currently being formed, and its final formation will enable us to participate both in Peacekeeping and other planned exercises, as this Unit is formed in compliance with all international standards. Here I must thank our Greek Partners for their kind assistance. As a matter of fact. Peacekeeping Battalion will become the basic cell to provide our practical involvement in PfP activities. As for the language problem, I declare that significant success has been achieved in that field, too. In particular, with kind assistance of Great Britain, an English Language Training Center was established in Yerevan, which will serve to the improvement of language skills of the Armenian Armed Forces. I must also inform you that good prerequisites for regional cooperation were created also in the field of humanitarian demining. As you know, US sponsored humanitarian demining courses were organized in Georgia this year with participation of Units from the three Trans-Caucasian States. Armenia is going to found a Regional Demining Center in Yerevan, that will serve to the establishment of stability in the Region rich with conflicts and mined areas. With joy I declare that humanitarian demining was included in the Partnership's working program this year, and we are intending to actively participate in the activities organized in this respect, and after the establishment of our own center we are going to organized such activities ourselves. Dear Colleagues, I am sure that the above-mentioned initiatives will greatly contribute to Armenia's most active involvement in NATO/PfP events. Trying to present briefly the perspectives of NATO-Armenia cooperation, I basically emphasized the organizational and technical issues. Now allow me to refer briefly to military-political aspects. As you know, Armenia is bordering with NATO, but with a heavy heart I must declare that there are still no diplomatic relations with that NATO member state bordering with Armenia - Turkey, moreover political strain is still preserved. The existing situation greatly obstructs the development of full-fledged relations between Armenia and NATO, forms unfavorable public opinion about NATO in Armenia. Certainly this rostrum is not a rostrum of mutual accusations, but a rostrum for discussions around cooperation issues, and I believe that high-level meetings like this also contribute to smoothing the existing disputes and controversies. I am sure that the final settlement of regional conflicts and the dispersion of atmosphere of distrust will create new perspectives for cooperation with NATO. Thank you.