On June 14 a roundtable was held in the National Assembly with the participation of joint delegation of the NATO PA Subcommittee on Democratic Governance and (CDSDG) Subcommittee on Future Security and Defence Capabilities, NA Vice President Vahan Hovhannisyan members of NA Standing Committees of Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs and Foreign Affairs. The themes of the roundtable were the reforms of the defensive sphere, regional conflicts and Euro Atlantic integration, obstacles and perspectives.

Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice President, considering effective Armenia-NATO partnership, noted that the cooperation with NATO is one of the guarantees of Armenia’s security, and taking into account that during the recent years the parliamentary diplomacy develops, highlighted the participation of the Armenian Parliament at NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

Aramayis Grigoryan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs highly evaluated Armenia-NATO partnership, noting that the integration into Euro Atlantic Alliance in the sphere of defense supposes creation of new edges and mechanisms of cooperation with NATO structures and member-countries, gives opportunity Armenia to more closely cooperate with NATO. He considered of key importance within the framework of RA-NATO Individual Partnership Actions Plan the cooperation, which was set up with NATO on December 16, 2005 and found important for Armenia, which chose the pat of democracy the economic, social, military and environmental reforms included in the program. The cooperation in the sphere of cooperation with NATO was considered important in the spheres of defensive reforms, fight against terrorism, improvement of legal field. Mr. Grigoryan noted that on October 10, 2002 Armenia joined the Partnership For the Process of Peace Planning and Review, the main military goal of which is to comply the military units declared by the member-states of the program with NATO standards, and in 2003-2004 the Republic of Armenia in NATO defensive sphere can be estimated as a turning year: on October 28, 2003 RA joined the agreement on the Status of the Armed Forces NATO-Partnership for Peace, which was ratified by RA NA on March 31, 2004. In 2003 the Republic of Armenia hosted “The Best Effort 2003” military exercises, on February 13, 2004 the peacekeeping platoon of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Armenia was sent to Kosovo in the staff of the Greek subdivision.

Mr. Grigoryan highlighted the preservation and establishment of peace in the region, which will be an impetus for the solution of the social-economic, military and environmental problems for the countries of the region and Armenia. The peaceful settlement of South Caucasus region’s conflicts will promote Armenia’s international and regional more closely partnership.

Armen Roustamyan, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations also highlighted Armenia-NATO partnership highlighting in this context the role of the parliament.

Mr. Roustamyan presented the committee’s view over the directions of Armenia’s foreign policy development.

In Mr. Roustamyan’s view, the South Caucasus region should find a new system of security, which will be acceptable by all countries of the region and will be a basis for the establishment of stable peace in the region. He noted that the integration into Europe is the priority of Armenia’s foreign policy, and the main vector, by which the foreign policy is pursued. Touching upon Armenia-NATO relationship, Mr. Roustamyan mentioned that in transition period Armenia observes the relations with NATO as one of the important components of its national security, regional security.

Vahit Erdem, Chairman of the NATO PA Subcommittee on Future Security and Defence Capabilities, noted that during these days different meetings were held, where issues concerning Armenia-NATO cooperation, Democracy, reforms on security and defense spheres, fight against terrorism and regional security. He noted that from the viewpoint of Euro Atlantic alliance, the South Caucasus countries are of strategic importance in the aspect of Euro Atlantic region’s security. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia are important for the Russian and European interests. These two interests should not cause any conflict, as Russia has partnership with NATO: NATO-Russia standing committee functions. In his view, the cooperation and dialogue are one of the important tools, which will boost the partnership. The Turkish Mp noted that one of the first important problems is the democratization of South Caucasus countries, and one of the most important elements is the holding of free and democratic elections. Besides, one of prior problems of Armenia will be the holding of 2007-2008 general elections in accordance with European standards. Touching upon the Karabakh conflict problem, he noted that it should be settled in peaceful way, through negotiations, and the dialog between Armenia and Azerbaijan should develop. Turkey is ready to support that dialog that NK problem should be settled in peaceful way without further conflict. IN his view, the conflict is a very serious obstacle for the further development of two countries.

Answering to the further development of Armenia-NATO and Armenia-EU relations, in this context to the issues related to Armenia-Russia relations, Mr. Hovhannisyan noted that since the Soviet years NATO has been perceived in Armenia as a military organization, which was united to preserve the European, democratic values and institutions. Then it became clear that many countries go to NATO not having those values of priority for them, but to be better protected, finding a roof.

Mr. Hovhannisyan noted that Armenia is a part of Collective Security Treaty (CST) organization, which is not much of military, but of anti-terrorist and internal security character, and nevertheless the NATO membership for Armenia means review of relations with that organization, to which Armenia is not ready.

In response to the question of Frank Cook, representative of Great Britain, what the threatening dangers to Armenia are, Vahan Hovhannisyan indicated Turkey, which blockaded many years Armenia and puts such preconditions against establishing diplomatic relations, which make the improvement of the relations impossible: reject the prosecution of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, empty the Armenian forces from Karabakh, which means that the whole Armenian population should empty Nagorno Karabakh, and eventually, the problem of recognition of Turkey’s regional integrity, which Armenia never officially disputed because there is Kars Treaty, which nobody has reviewed yet. Turkey continuously violates the Kars Treaty, in particular the clauses 17 and 19, according to which the railway and other means of communication, should be kept, providing the free, transit transportation of the people and goods without obstacles. After gaining independence, rejecting to establish diplomatic ties with our country, Turkey continuously violated the provision of the Kars Treaty, according to which consular conventions should be concluded between the parties. “Turkey, requiring to re-establish adherence to the Kars Treaty from Armenia, willy-nilly makes noticeable its own suspicions toward that treaty. And it’s understandable as the Kars Treaty completely reminds the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, by which the Nazi and Bolsheviks divided Poland. Just in the same way in 1921 by Lenin-Ataturk agreement /Moscow agreement, which was re-affirmed in Kars/ the occupied Armenia was divided between Turkey and Soviet Russia as a result of joint aggression.”

In Mr. Hovhannisyan’s opinion, Turkey being NATO member does not save Turkey’s neighbours to become victim of its aggression because there is the fate of Cyprus.

Mr. Roustamyan, answering the question of Tchetin Kazak, Chairman of the Subcommittee on Democratic Governance, representative of Bulgaria, on Armenia’s complimentary policy, noted that the policy of adding one another today is one of main provisions of Armenia’s foreign policy, the starting point on which our foreign policy is built. Being in transition period, Armenia has a security system, today a necessity of new security system arose and during the transition period the foreign development of the country should be implemented secure, which is a logical demand. For the implementation of secure development a volume of minimum guarantees is necessary, and to ensure that one should be able to communicate with all countries, so that the volume won’t reduce. The complementarism has no alternative for Armenia, and if one day a new system of security is formed, then the priorities of foreign policy could be reviewed. Mr. Roustamyan noted that the relations are in that context. Armenia does not want to give to this or that relation formal character. The important thing is to fully accept the values of the European Union, and not only become a member of the European Union. Today, Armenia implements relations with NATO through Individual Partnership Actions Plan (IPAP).

Touching upon the Karabakh conflict key problem, Mr. Roustamyan noted that Armenia is in favour of peaceful settlement of the conflict and considered necessary the comprehensive and complete study of the problem based exclusively on the facts. Mr. Roustamyan considered unacceptable that Karabakh is presented as a conflict subject, but not as a participant, and the Karabakh issue is observed as a dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mr. Roustamyan considered necessary Karabakh’s participation in the negotiation process.

Mr. Roustamyan noted that as a result of parliamentary hearings, the Standing Committee on Foreign Relations has formed a complete conclusion, with which the Armenian party presents its approaches on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict problem.

MP Samvel Nikoyan noted that the frozen conflict with Azerbaijan is also one of the threats of Armenia’s national security. He mentioned that Karabakh has been voluntarily withdrawn from Armenia by the Soviet Union and returned to Armenia from the collapse of the USSR, as a result of a war, which had initiated Azerbaijan.

During the roundtable other issues of bilateral interest were also discussed.