Question: Mister Kirakoсsian, how will you evaluate the implementation of NATO Individual Partnership Actions Plan (IPAP) and Planning and Review Process (PARP). What stage have they reached?

Answer: As it is known, we have an Individual Partnership Actions Plan with NATO. This year the two- year program (2009-2011) was completed towards the implementation of the above-mentioned projects. In parallel to the evaluation of that process, we have already prepared an updated two-year program for 2011 and 2012. The adoption process is following: we present a draft, afterwards we discussed it together with the same evaluation group and then it is put for the discussion of the NATO member-states, who may or may not present their proposals. Then in July the two -year program Armenia-NATO IPAP was adopted as a document over which the sides should cooperate. Yesterday in the meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee, we heard the NATO’s delegation that consisted of the representatives of both international staff and international military personal.

The delegation’s members gave a preliminary assessment on the process of the implementation of the IPAP, and the final assessment they would present in Brussels after the appropriate discussions. I can say that in the course of the meeting they very positively evaluated the completed work, which was related to the implementation of the Action Plan, as well as planning and review process that takes place between the RA Ministry of Defense and NATO’s military personnel. The planning and review process itself is a permanent process.

Of course, there are parallels with the IPAP, which includes some elements of the PARP. It is about the reforms held in the defense system. This is the main issue and is both in the PARP and IPAP. The second main issue is related to our participation in the peacekeeping brigade or generally in peacekeeping operations, as well as the perspectives of the development of that brigade. Here the NATO helps us in the sense of theoretical- methodological and technical support in organizing of that peacekeeping unit and including it in specific activities, as is the case now in Afghanistan. As I said, this assessment can be considered generally positive. We have already prepared and will implement the third two-year program. As a co-chairman of the Interdepartmental Committee (the other one is a Ministry of Defense), I expressed gratitude to the members of the Interdepartmental Committee who actually have always gathered and carried out the works towards the implementation of the IPAP after the last assessment up to now. It is about the active involvement of the RA Defense, Foreign, Emergency and Nature Protection Ministries, Police and National Academy of Sciences in the cooperation with the NATO's relevant departments.

Question: How do you evaluate the current level of the Armenia-NATO relations?

Answer: First of all, we have to say that we have high-level partnership relations with the NATO. The implementation of this program is directed to this, as well. We use those programs for the implementation of our internal reforms not only in the sphere of defense, but also in strengthening of democratic processes. There are many things corresponding or in parallel to the implementation of the EU Neighborhood Policy and Eastern Partnership projects. The Government tasked us to go forward with reforms for reaching the European standards in all levels- both democratic, economic and defense. These processes are parallel to each other. The IPAP also will contribute to the implementation of our common priorities. In the meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee, I mentioned that Armenia will continue and deepen the mutually beneficial partnership with the NATO and in that context stresses the importance of the effective realization of the IPAP. We have a positive assessment in all theses. We will continue to develop our relations in all those spheres.

Question: What are the prospects of the development of the Armenia-NATO? Whether Armenia's membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the other CIS integration unions will not hinder the deepening of the NATO-Armenia relations?

Answer: It can not prevent. As I said, we do not propose a membership issue, because our task is to make reforms. The member states of the CIS and CSTO have also no such kind of formats of the cooperation with the NATO.

It means that today the NATO is viewed as a structure, the experience of which in using of high technologies, theoretical - methodological basis in the sphere of the army-building, as well as generally in issues of military reforms are not only useful for us, but also for Russia and the other CIS’s and CSTO’s member states. So, politically we have a strategic alliance with Russia and are a member of such military-political structure as the CSTO.

We aim to have partnership with the NATO that should contribute to the reforms being implemented in Armenia. Regarding the perspectives, I think that the only perspective is the implementation of the reforms and reaching standards which I have talked about. These two-year programs have progressive tendencies. Through the implementation of such programs, we can achieve our goals.