NATO plans to develop ties with Armenia, Moldova, AzerbaijanApril 1, 2014 - 18:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Spiegel Online obtained a NATO document on practical steps to develop cooperation with Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Russia Today reported. The paper details the Alliance’s plans for the partners’ support in the region. NATO’s short-term goal stipulates for promotion of stability in the Eastern Europe in the context of current developments. Besides, to be considered are possibilities to increase compatibility between the armies of NATO member states and those of countries listed, which probably means holding joint drills and military training, Spiegel notes. Individual programs are envisaged for each of the 3 countries. A liaison officer will be dispatched to Kishinev; energy and cybersecurity cooperation will be boosted with Azerbaijan, with increase of qualification of the armed forces personnel as a priority in Armenia. As NATO Liaison Officer for the Caucasus stated at the Yerevan-hosted international conference titled NATO’s Partnerships and the South Caucasus: A Strategic Approach to Regional Security in March, “any country of the Caucasus region can become a NATO member.” According to Willoam Lahue, NATO builds cooperation based on the rule of law and democracy, while valuing the freedom of every country in the Alliance. Lahue criticized Russia’s actions on Ukraine as a threat to the stability in the Caucasus as well as North Atlantic regions. He further welcomed Armenia as an important NATO partner, hailing the country’s adherence to obligations to the Alliance. “Armenia is the only CSTO country participating in the NATO operations. It’s an impotent factor allowing to combine different approaches, especially in the light of disagreements between the CSTO and NATO member states,” he concluded. Related links: Top stories The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. London’s Armenian community has been left feeling “under attack” after the city’s Genocide monument was vandalised. Partner news | Armenia to participate in key EU meeting for the first time ever National Assembly speaker Alen Simonyan has said that Armenia will for the first time participate in the Conference. Russia clarifying reports on Baku’s alleged arms supply to Ukraine Russia says is carefully working to verify reports about alleged arms supplies from Azerbaijan to Ukraine CSTO: Armenia has not participated in secretariat’s work recently Recently Armenia has not participated in the work of the secretariat of the CSTO, Imangali Tasmagambetov said. Meeting with U.S., EU not against third parties, says Armenia The meeting scheduled for April 5 is dedicated to strengthening of the Armenia-EU-US cooperation, Yerevan added. |