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Katie Leach: Armenia's Contribution to ISAF Is Greater Than Some NATO Allies
Lragir.am
Politics - 04 September 2014, 16:06
The U.S. Ambassador Katie Leach has commented on the upcoming NATO
Summit in Wales and the participation of Armenia. According to her,
the terrible developments in Ukraine, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Gaza have
made the world unpredictable. Growing instability in the Near East and
North Africa, Islamic State's barbarism in Iraq and Syria expose the
religious and ethnic communities of the Near East, including the
important Armenian communities, to extermination.
"These unprecedented security challenges are the backdrop for the NATO
Summit on 4-5 September in Wales. Over two days, we are hosting the
largest gathering of international leaders ever to take place in
Britain, with over 180 VIPs, 4,000 delegates and 1500 journalists.
These leaders must consider how NATO, working with partners, can
tackle the new and complex threats facing our transatlantic alliance.
NATO has played a key role in securing a period of collective peace
and security unique in Europe. It is impossible to overstate the
importance of this to UK, European and global security. But NATO's
strength over its 65-year history has also been its ability to adapt
and meet new challenges. There are three key themes for leaders to
discuss at the Summit.
Firstly, Russia's actions in Ukraine require us to focus again on our
traditional core NATO task of collective defence. But the 'hybrid'
conflict we have witnessed in Ukraine (including use of irregulars,
propaganda and deniable soldiers/equipment without insignia) also
demonstrates the need to adapt and innovate. Amongst other
investments to modernize our forces, we want to develop a brigade-size
high readiness response force able to react quickly to sudden or
ambiguous attacks or crises.
Secondly, we need to look at how to transform the NATO ISAF mission in
Afghanistan to continue to support the Afghan government and train the
350,000 strong Afghan National Security Force. The first day of the
NATO Summit is devoted to discussion with the 24 countries who have
been part of the ISAF force, our most valued partners. Armenia is one
of these - a CSTO member who, uniquely, has also been committed to
peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan over the past ten
years. Armenia's current contribution to ISAF is greater than some
NATO Allies, and is only marginally less than France's. We want to
say thank you.
Thirdly, we want to strengthen the relationship with these most valued
partners, including Armenia, and build on the 'interoperability' - the
ability to work together - which we have developed over the past 10
years. In an unstable world of failed states, regional conflicts,
terrorism and cyber attacks, working together to build defence
capacity and cooperation is more important than ever. We want to work
with those who share our values and value our partnership," the
British ambassador wrote in her blog.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/32934#sthash.rt7ob1n4.dpuf
From: A. Papazian
Lragir.am
Politics - 04 September 2014, 16:06
The U.S. Ambassador Katie Leach has commented on the upcoming NATO
Summit in Wales and the participation of Armenia. According to her,
the terrible developments in Ukraine, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Gaza have
made the world unpredictable. Growing instability in the Near East and
North Africa, Islamic State's barbarism in Iraq and Syria expose the
religious and ethnic communities of the Near East, including the
important Armenian communities, to extermination.
"These unprecedented security challenges are the backdrop for the NATO
Summit on 4-5 September in Wales. Over two days, we are hosting the
largest gathering of international leaders ever to take place in
Britain, with over 180 VIPs, 4,000 delegates and 1500 journalists.
These leaders must consider how NATO, working with partners, can
tackle the new and complex threats facing our transatlantic alliance.
NATO has played a key role in securing a period of collective peace
and security unique in Europe. It is impossible to overstate the
importance of this to UK, European and global security. But NATO's
strength over its 65-year history has also been its ability to adapt
and meet new challenges. There are three key themes for leaders to
discuss at the Summit.
Firstly, Russia's actions in Ukraine require us to focus again on our
traditional core NATO task of collective defence. But the 'hybrid'
conflict we have witnessed in Ukraine (including use of irregulars,
propaganda and deniable soldiers/equipment without insignia) also
demonstrates the need to adapt and innovate. Amongst other
investments to modernize our forces, we want to develop a brigade-size
high readiness response force able to react quickly to sudden or
ambiguous attacks or crises.
Secondly, we need to look at how to transform the NATO ISAF mission in
Afghanistan to continue to support the Afghan government and train the
350,000 strong Afghan National Security Force. The first day of the
NATO Summit is devoted to discussion with the 24 countries who have
been part of the ISAF force, our most valued partners. Armenia is one
of these - a CSTO member who, uniquely, has also been committed to
peacekeeping missions in Kosovo and Afghanistan over the past ten
years. Armenia's current contribution to ISAF is greater than some
NATO Allies, and is only marginally less than France's. We want to
say thank you.
Thirdly, we want to strengthen the relationship with these most valued
partners, including Armenia, and build on the 'interoperability' - the
ability to work together - which we have developed over the past 10
years. In an unstable world of failed states, regional conflicts,
terrorism and cyber attacks, working together to build defence
capacity and cooperation is more important than ever. We want to work
with those who share our values and value our partnership," the
British ambassador wrote in her blog.
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/politics/view/32934#sthash.rt7ob1n4.dpuf
From: A. Papazian