SITTING OF NATO MILITARY COMMITTEE GROUP IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net - "The Armenia-NATO relations have transferred to a qualitatively different plane. We build our relations in tune with the European integration policy," stated Deputy Defense Minister of Armenia, lieutenant general Artur Aghabekian addressing the sitting of the NATO military committee working group in Yerevan today. It is the first event of the kind held in Armenia. Initially, the intention of the organizers the sitting was to hold it in all capitals of the South Caucasian countries, however Azerbaijan's refusal to accept Armenia impelled the organizers to refuse the idea of holding such a meeting in Baku. Out of the CIS countries representatives of Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine take part in the NATO military committee working group sitting.

In Aghabekian's words, Armenia's interest in development of cooperation with the NATO "does not issue from immediate benefits and goals, but is based on long-term plans of state building and security." He informed that in 2004 Armenia took part in 5 NATO exercises and it is planning to participate in 8 exercises in 2005. Specifically, next year next year Armenia till participate in maneuvers to be held in Ukraine.

Aghabekian noted the huge importance of Armenia's joining to the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP). He also reported that next year the respective document will be ready and it is being working hard on.