Armenia wants stronger ties with NATO, says official

Dialogue is the best tool to resolve conflicts, and especially to prevent conflicts, said Armen Grigoryan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia.

He made these remarks at the 108th Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Yerevan.
“It is noteworthy that the Rose-Roth Seminar is taking place after the August 8 summit in Washington, which resulted in the establishment of peace in the South Caucasus—a peace that the peoples of the region have long awaited. Now, we will work towards institutionalizing this peace to guarantee its perpetuity,” he said.

Highlighting the unblocking of economic infrastructure, Grigoryan mentioned that the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP), a part of the Armenian government’s Crossroads of Peace project, will be established under the Washington accords.

“Such programs will inevitably contribute to the formation of regional interconnectivity, which, in turn, will positively impact the preservation of peace,” Grigoryan added.

In these new conditions, Armenia will not only strengthen the characteristics of its statehood but also expand cooperation with its partners, he continued.

Grigoryan emphasized Armenia’s strong partnership with NATO. He highlighted large-scale reforms made with NATO’s support, including the Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP), as well as Armenia’s increased participation in KFOR, NATO’s peacekeeping force in Kosovo, and ongoing cooperation in rule of law, anti-corruption and anti-terrorism, as well as defense reforms.

Grigoryan also expressed Armenia’s desire to quickly finalize the Individually Tailored Partnership Programs (ITPP) with NATO and strengthen ties with the alliance.

He further discussed the Comprehensive Security Strategy developed earlier in 2023 and approved by the Security Council. He stated that work is ongoing to develop an action plan, and consultations are currently taking place with the EU for support.