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NATO'S PARTNERS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
NATO HQ
Sept 10 2012
Last week, NATO's Secretary General visited the South Caucasus -
a region that is strategically important to the Alliance. NATO has
been progressively deepening dialogue and cooperation with Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia since the early 1990s. All three partners
provide valuable support to NATO-led operations, while benefiting
from NATO support for security and defence-related capacity building
and reform.
The South Caucasus is a crossroads of civilizations, situated between
the Black Sea to the west, the Caspian Sea to the east and bordering
Turkey, Russia and Iran. The region has been of considerable
geostrategic importance through the ages - and continues to be
so today.
The region borders the territory of a NATO member state and includes
Georgia, a country aspiring to join the Alliance. It also offers
useful alternative transit options for the transport of supplies to
and from the NATO-led force in Afghanistan.
Shared security concerns
The Allies and their partners in the South Caucasus face the same
security challenges, such as terrorism and the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. Such threats defy borders and can only
be addressed effectively through international cooperation.
Energy security is an important security issue of shared concern. The
South Caucasus sits on key oil and gas transit routes, and has
significant oil and gas reserves. Energy-importing countries are
looking to diversify their energy sources and supply routes, while
energy-exporting and transit countries need to ensure the security
of their industry and pipeline infrastructure.
One serious concern are the protracted conflicts in the region.
Following a conflict between ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis from
1988 to 1994, the sides agreed a cease fire in May 1994. However,
a political settlement still needs to be found. The Abkhazia and
South Ossetia regions of Georgia continue to be sources of tension,
in particular following the conflict with Russia in August 2008.
NATO does not seek a direct role in the resolution of these conflicts,
but supports the efforts of other international organizations,
which have specific mandates for their mediation roles.The peaceful
resolution of conflict is a core value of NATO and is at the heart of
the commitments that NATO's partners in the South Caucasus undertook
when they joined the Partnership for Peace.
Valued support for operations
All three Caucasus partners have provided valuable support for NATO-led
operations. Armenia has been contributing troops to the Kosovo Force
(KFOR) since 2004. It first deployed personnel in support of the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in 2010
and increased its deployment from 40 to 126 in 2011.
Having actively supported KFOR in the past, Azerbaijan currently has
94 personnel deployed in support of ISAF. The country also supports
ISAF's mission with over-flight rights and has contributed to the
development of Afghan national security forces through financial
support and training in de-mining.
Today, with around 800 military personnel deployed in Afghanistan,
Georgia is the second largest non-NATO ISAF troop contributing
nation and planned deployments this autumn will make it the
largest. The country also supports Operation Active Endeavour,
NATO's counter-terrorist maritime surveillance operation in the
Mediterranean. Georgia also contributed to KFOR in the past.
All three countries are actively working towards the development of
units that meet NATO standards and that can in future participate in
international peacekeeping operations.
Deepening partnership
Bilateral partnership programmes with NATO allow each of the Caucasus
partners to draw on Allied expertise in adapting their defence
institutions and capabilities to deal with security challenges. In
the past decade, all three countries have chosen to deepen the level
of cooperation and tighten the focus on their respective reform
priorities.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have both developed Individual Partnership
Action Plans with NATO. In the case of Georgia - following a dialogue
with the Alliance about its membership aspirations and the declaration
by Allies at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that the country will become a
member - intensified cooperation is now being taken forward through the
unique framework of the NATO-Georgia Commission that was established
in September 2008.
Beyond cooperating on security and defence-related capacity building
and reform, NATO and its partners in the South Caucasus work together
in other areas such as border security, cyber security, and disaster
preparedness and response.
Partnership has also brought some tangible benefits for citizens in
the Caucasus countries. For example, in Armenia - a country prone to
earthquakes - NATO provides training to improve the search-and-rescue
capabilities. In Azerbaijan and Georgia, NATO has supported projects
to clear and safely dispose of large numbers of dangerous, unexploded
and obsolete landmines and munitions.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-9CCD8989-19B5F8F0/natolive/news_89866.htm
NATO HQ
Sept 10 2012
Last week, NATO's Secretary General visited the South Caucasus -
a region that is strategically important to the Alliance. NATO has
been progressively deepening dialogue and cooperation with Armenia,
Azerbaijan and Georgia since the early 1990s. All three partners
provide valuable support to NATO-led operations, while benefiting
from NATO support for security and defence-related capacity building
and reform.
The South Caucasus is a crossroads of civilizations, situated between
the Black Sea to the west, the Caspian Sea to the east and bordering
Turkey, Russia and Iran. The region has been of considerable
geostrategic importance through the ages - and continues to be
so today.
The region borders the territory of a NATO member state and includes
Georgia, a country aspiring to join the Alliance. It also offers
useful alternative transit options for the transport of supplies to
and from the NATO-led force in Afghanistan.
Shared security concerns
The Allies and their partners in the South Caucasus face the same
security challenges, such as terrorism and the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction. Such threats defy borders and can only
be addressed effectively through international cooperation.
Energy security is an important security issue of shared concern. The
South Caucasus sits on key oil and gas transit routes, and has
significant oil and gas reserves. Energy-importing countries are
looking to diversify their energy sources and supply routes, while
energy-exporting and transit countries need to ensure the security
of their industry and pipeline infrastructure.
One serious concern are the protracted conflicts in the region.
Following a conflict between ethnic Armenians and Azerbaijanis from
1988 to 1994, the sides agreed a cease fire in May 1994. However,
a political settlement still needs to be found. The Abkhazia and
South Ossetia regions of Georgia continue to be sources of tension,
in particular following the conflict with Russia in August 2008.
NATO does not seek a direct role in the resolution of these conflicts,
but supports the efforts of other international organizations,
which have specific mandates for their mediation roles.The peaceful
resolution of conflict is a core value of NATO and is at the heart of
the commitments that NATO's partners in the South Caucasus undertook
when they joined the Partnership for Peace.
Valued support for operations
All three Caucasus partners have provided valuable support for NATO-led
operations. Armenia has been contributing troops to the Kosovo Force
(KFOR) since 2004. It first deployed personnel in support of the
International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan in 2010
and increased its deployment from 40 to 126 in 2011.
Having actively supported KFOR in the past, Azerbaijan currently has
94 personnel deployed in support of ISAF. The country also supports
ISAF's mission with over-flight rights and has contributed to the
development of Afghan national security forces through financial
support and training in de-mining.
Today, with around 800 military personnel deployed in Afghanistan,
Georgia is the second largest non-NATO ISAF troop contributing
nation and planned deployments this autumn will make it the
largest. The country also supports Operation Active Endeavour,
NATO's counter-terrorist maritime surveillance operation in the
Mediterranean. Georgia also contributed to KFOR in the past.
All three countries are actively working towards the development of
units that meet NATO standards and that can in future participate in
international peacekeeping operations.
Deepening partnership
Bilateral partnership programmes with NATO allow each of the Caucasus
partners to draw on Allied expertise in adapting their defence
institutions and capabilities to deal with security challenges. In
the past decade, all three countries have chosen to deepen the level
of cooperation and tighten the focus on their respective reform
priorities.
Armenia and Azerbaijan have both developed Individual Partnership
Action Plans with NATO. In the case of Georgia - following a dialogue
with the Alliance about its membership aspirations and the declaration
by Allies at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that the country will become a
member - intensified cooperation is now being taken forward through the
unique framework of the NATO-Georgia Commission that was established
in September 2008.
Beyond cooperating on security and defence-related capacity building
and reform, NATO and its partners in the South Caucasus work together
in other areas such as border security, cyber security, and disaster
preparedness and response.
Partnership has also brought some tangible benefits for citizens in
the Caucasus countries. For example, in Armenia - a country prone to
earthquakes - NATO provides training to improve the search-and-rescue
capabilities. In Azerbaijan and Georgia, NATO has supported projects
to clear and safely dispose of large numbers of dangerous, unexploded
and obsolete landmines and munitions.
http://www.nato.int/cps/en/SID-9CCD8989-19B5F8F0/natolive/news_89866.htm