PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.ArmeniaForeignMinistry.am
Minister Oskanian Meets with NATO Secretary General, Discusses NATO Baku
Exercises
During a two-day working visit to Brussels, Armeniašs Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
on Monday, September 13. The meeting took place just as Azerbaijan
continued to reject Armenian officersš participation in NATO Best
Effort Exercises to be held in Baku this week. The Secretary General
stated NATOšs decision to cancel the exercises if Azerbaijan continued
to reject the participation of a member state. Minister Oskanian
welcomed NATOšs principled stance on the matter, regretting this
missed opportunity for regional cooperation. Armenia, the Minister
said, remained ready to participate in and host NATO activities.
The Secretary General stated his satisfaction at Armeniašs level
of engagement in NATOšs Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, as well
as Armeniašs recent decision to enter NATOšs Individual Partnership
Action Plan.
Minister Oskanian said Armenia welcomes NATOšs Istanbul declaration
in June to place greater emphasis on cooperation with the Caucasus
and Central Asia. The Secretary Generalšs appointment of a Special
Representative to the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as a Liaison
Officer in the three countries of the Caucasus is certain to strengthen
such cooperation, the two agreed. The Minister also said now that the
first Armenian contingent has returned from Kosovo, Armenia expects to
continue its participation in KFOR. Armenia looks forward to hosting
the Euro Atlantic Partnership Councilšs Seminar on Contribution to a
More Favorable Security Environment thru Public Information, to be held
in Yerevan this October, as well as the Annual Session of the Atlantic
Political Advisory Group of the EAPC, also in Yerevan, in April 2005.
Armeniašs minister briefed the Secretary General on the status of
the Nagorno Karabakh peace process.
Minister Oskanian also met with US Ambassador to NATO, Nicholas
Burns. The two discussed Armeniašs engagement in NATO programs,
regional security concerns, as well as issues related to conflict
resolution and confidence building.
On the same day, the Minister also had meetings scheduled with Belgian
Foreign Minister Karel de Goucht, as well as the European Union
Special Representative to the Caucasus, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.ArmeniaForeignMinistry.am
Minister Oskanian Meets with NATO Secretary General, Discusses NATO Baku
Exercises
During a two-day working visit to Brussels, Armeniašs Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
on Monday, September 13. The meeting took place just as Azerbaijan
continued to reject Armenian officersš participation in NATO Best
Effort Exercises to be held in Baku this week. The Secretary General
stated NATOšs decision to cancel the exercises if Azerbaijan continued
to reject the participation of a member state. Minister Oskanian
welcomed NATOšs principled stance on the matter, regretting this
missed opportunity for regional cooperation. Armenia, the Minister
said, remained ready to participate in and host NATO activities.
The Secretary General stated his satisfaction at Armeniašs level
of engagement in NATOšs Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, as well
as Armeniašs recent decision to enter NATOšs Individual Partnership
Action Plan.
Minister Oskanian said Armenia welcomes NATOšs Istanbul declaration
in June to place greater emphasis on cooperation with the Caucasus
and Central Asia. The Secretary Generalšs appointment of a Special
Representative to the Caucasus and Central Asia, as well as a Liaison
Officer in the three countries of the Caucasus is certain to strengthen
such cooperation, the two agreed. The Minister also said now that the
first Armenian contingent has returned from Kosovo, Armenia expects to
continue its participation in KFOR. Armenia looks forward to hosting
the Euro Atlantic Partnership Councilšs Seminar on Contribution to a
More Favorable Security Environment thru Public Information, to be held
in Yerevan this October, as well as the Annual Session of the Atlantic
Political Advisory Group of the EAPC, also in Yerevan, in April 2005.
Armeniašs minister briefed the Secretary General on the status of
the Nagorno Karabakh peace process.
Minister Oskanian also met with US Ambassador to NATO, Nicholas
Burns. The two discussed Armeniašs engagement in NATO programs,
regional security concerns, as well as issues related to conflict
resolution and confidence building.
On the same day, the Minister also had meetings scheduled with Belgian
Foreign Minister Karel de Goucht, as well as the European Union
Special Representative to the Caucasus, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie.