Wikileaks has declassified a new document on NATO-Armenia relations
17.06.2011 | 18:31 | www.nt.am | Noyan Tapan | Politics
(Noyan Tapan - 17.06.2011) Wikileaks has declassified a new document
on the NATO-Armenia relations with the North Atlantic Alliance. As
azatutyun.am reports, then Antony Godfrey, the temporary attorney of
the United States Embassy to Yerevan touched upon the existing mood in
the Armenian government on the threshold of military exercises by NATO
in Baku.
Let's remind that the participation of the Armenian military officers
in those military exercises titled `The best effort 2004' was put into
doubt by Azerbaijan authorities.
`The best effort 2004' military exercises within the frameworks of the
`For Peace' program of `The leading representatives of the Armenian
government' Partnership are considered as an indicator: whether NATO
and particularly the United States are actually willing to work with
Armenia. Till the five Armenian military officials have not received
the permission by the Azerbaijan Embassy to Tbilisi to participate in
the military exercises, the Armenian officials, from the president to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will continue to consider the
situation as a test for the NATO,' Godfrey writes noting that the
Armenian authorities want to see whether the Alliance's leadership is
able to show a political will if the Azerbaijan leadership doesn't
allow the Armenian officials to enter the country.
The American diplomat also notes that in the summer of 2004, the
Armenian authorities actively pointed out the positive approach the
official Yerevan displayed in the NATO's implemented projects in the
Southern Caucasus.
`The members of Armenian government especially stress that they
allowed Turkey to participate in `The best effort 2003' military
exercises held in Yerevan. Besides, the Armenian authorities remind
that they also officially invited the representatives of Azerbaijan.
The Armenian authorities expect that the United States and NATO allies
will put pressure on Azerbaijan forcing Baku to allow the Armenian
officers to take part in the military exercises,' U.S. diplomat
writes.
Let's remind, that the pressure made by the Armenian side in the end
led to certain results. Azerbaijan authorities didn't allow the
Armenian officers to enter the territory of their country, but in
response to which several hours before the start of the military
exercises James Jounce, the chief supreme commander of the joint armed
forces of the NATO to Europe, announced the cancellation of the
holding.
In general, assessing the Armenia-NATO relations the temporary
attorney Godfrey wrote in August, 2004: `Serious signs appeared during
the recent months according to which Armenian trends to make
cooperation closer with NATO in the field of Defense. The Armenian
side develops the `Individual Partnership project' as well as has
agreed to accept the assessment mission of official field. The
Armenian authorities, however, assure that if `The best effort 2004'
military exercises are carried out without Armenia, it will lead to
serious disappointment to both the `Partnership for Peace' and the
North Atlantic Alliance in general.
17.06.2011 | 18:31 | www.nt.am | Noyan Tapan | Politics
(Noyan Tapan - 17.06.2011) Wikileaks has declassified a new document
on the NATO-Armenia relations with the North Atlantic Alliance. As
azatutyun.am reports, then Antony Godfrey, the temporary attorney of
the United States Embassy to Yerevan touched upon the existing mood in
the Armenian government on the threshold of military exercises by NATO
in Baku.
Let's remind that the participation of the Armenian military officers
in those military exercises titled `The best effort 2004' was put into
doubt by Azerbaijan authorities.
`The best effort 2004' military exercises within the frameworks of the
`For Peace' program of `The leading representatives of the Armenian
government' Partnership are considered as an indicator: whether NATO
and particularly the United States are actually willing to work with
Armenia. Till the five Armenian military officials have not received
the permission by the Azerbaijan Embassy to Tbilisi to participate in
the military exercises, the Armenian officials, from the president to
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will continue to consider the
situation as a test for the NATO,' Godfrey writes noting that the
Armenian authorities want to see whether the Alliance's leadership is
able to show a political will if the Azerbaijan leadership doesn't
allow the Armenian officials to enter the country.
The American diplomat also notes that in the summer of 2004, the
Armenian authorities actively pointed out the positive approach the
official Yerevan displayed in the NATO's implemented projects in the
Southern Caucasus.
`The members of Armenian government especially stress that they
allowed Turkey to participate in `The best effort 2003' military
exercises held in Yerevan. Besides, the Armenian authorities remind
that they also officially invited the representatives of Azerbaijan.
The Armenian authorities expect that the United States and NATO allies
will put pressure on Azerbaijan forcing Baku to allow the Armenian
officers to take part in the military exercises,' U.S. diplomat
writes.
Let's remind, that the pressure made by the Armenian side in the end
led to certain results. Azerbaijan authorities didn't allow the
Armenian officers to enter the territory of their country, but in
response to which several hours before the start of the military
exercises James Jounce, the chief supreme commander of the joint armed
forces of the NATO to Europe, announced the cancellation of the
holding.
In general, assessing the Armenia-NATO relations the temporary
attorney Godfrey wrote in August, 2004: `Serious signs appeared during
the recent months according to which Armenian trends to make
cooperation closer with NATO in the field of Defense. The Armenian
side develops the `Individual Partnership project' as well as has
agreed to accept the assessment mission of official field. The
Armenian authorities, however, assure that if `The best effort 2004'
military exercises are carried out without Armenia, it will lead to
serious disappointment to both the `Partnership for Peace' and the
North Atlantic Alliance in general.