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WHAT DO NATO AND CSTO OFFER ARMENIA?
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 14 November 2014, 10:53
Being a CSTO member, Armenia cooperates with NATO. However, cooperation
with these blocs varies essentially. With NATO it is partnership,
with CSTO it is permanent attempts of absorption.
Firstly, unlike CSTO where cooperation is limited to demonstrative
events, within NATO the Armenian military participate in real
peacekeeping missions and get real assistance.
Secondly, NATO and CSTO members offer Armenia fundamentally different
levels of cooperation. NATO is speaking about partnership, CSTO is
speaking about bloc integration.
Thirdly, in the case of NATO Armenia is dealing with a unified bloc,
whereas in the case of CSTO relations are aimed at cooperation with
Russia and yet another form of dependence.
On November 10 and 11 the minister of defense of Armenia Seiran Ohanyan
met with NATO command and the Russian minister of defense. One can
already conclude from the press releases how different the levels,
motivation and basis of relations of these two security centers with
Armenia are.
General Philip Breedlove, Commander, U.S. European Command, stated
that discussions with Minister Ohanyan focused on the importance
of lasting peace and current state of security in the region. NATO
committees to assistance in continuing defense reforms in Armenia,
including over cooperation and interoperability of its armed forces
with NATO Member States, Philip Breedlove said.
For his part, for the NATO week in Armenia the U.S. Ambassador John
Heffern stated on his blog that cooperation with NATO means security
and defense reforms and practical steps. He also noted that Armenia
has thus become a participant of creation of international security.
In Moscow Minister Ohanyan met with his Russian counterpart Sergey
Shoygu. Agreement was reached on participation of the 102nd Russian
base in the parade in Yerevan dedicated to the 70th anniversary of
victory in the Great Patriotic War. Prospects for further development
of integration processes between the armed forces of Armenia and
Russia were discussed.
One can draw conclusions from these two messages on the purposes
and goals of Armenia's relations with NATO and Russia. In the first
case it is security and defense reforms, in the second case it is
participation in a parade and integration.
In more simple terms, cooperation with NATO is about army building
and development, and cooperation with CSTO is about elimination of
the Armenian army.
The CSTO-Armenia relations were best reflected in the attempt to build
a CSTO academy in Armenia. The building provided for the academy on
the condition that its facade would be preserved has collapsed.
However, the large banner covering the ruins still states: "Let's
build the new preserving the old."
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33219#sthash.qOODFT9X.dpuf
Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments - 14 November 2014, 10:53
Being a CSTO member, Armenia cooperates with NATO. However, cooperation
with these blocs varies essentially. With NATO it is partnership,
with CSTO it is permanent attempts of absorption.
Firstly, unlike CSTO where cooperation is limited to demonstrative
events, within NATO the Armenian military participate in real
peacekeeping missions and get real assistance.
Secondly, NATO and CSTO members offer Armenia fundamentally different
levels of cooperation. NATO is speaking about partnership, CSTO is
speaking about bloc integration.
Thirdly, in the case of NATO Armenia is dealing with a unified bloc,
whereas in the case of CSTO relations are aimed at cooperation with
Russia and yet another form of dependence.
On November 10 and 11 the minister of defense of Armenia Seiran Ohanyan
met with NATO command and the Russian minister of defense. One can
already conclude from the press releases how different the levels,
motivation and basis of relations of these two security centers with
Armenia are.
General Philip Breedlove, Commander, U.S. European Command, stated
that discussions with Minister Ohanyan focused on the importance
of lasting peace and current state of security in the region. NATO
committees to assistance in continuing defense reforms in Armenia,
including over cooperation and interoperability of its armed forces
with NATO Member States, Philip Breedlove said.
For his part, for the NATO week in Armenia the U.S. Ambassador John
Heffern stated on his blog that cooperation with NATO means security
and defense reforms and practical steps. He also noted that Armenia
has thus become a participant of creation of international security.
In Moscow Minister Ohanyan met with his Russian counterpart Sergey
Shoygu. Agreement was reached on participation of the 102nd Russian
base in the parade in Yerevan dedicated to the 70th anniversary of
victory in the Great Patriotic War. Prospects for further development
of integration processes between the armed forces of Armenia and
Russia were discussed.
One can draw conclusions from these two messages on the purposes
and goals of Armenia's relations with NATO and Russia. In the first
case it is security and defense reforms, in the second case it is
participation in a parade and integration.
In more simple terms, cooperation with NATO is about army building
and development, and cooperation with CSTO is about elimination of
the Armenian army.
The CSTO-Armenia relations were best reflected in the attempt to build
a CSTO academy in Armenia. The building provided for the academy on
the condition that its facade would be preserved has collapsed.
However, the large banner covering the ruins still states: "Let's
build the new preserving the old."
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/33219#sthash.qOODFT9X.dpuf