YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan met with Secretary-General of the NATO Jens Stoltenberg at the NATO Headquarters in the sidelines of his working visit to the Kingdom of Belgium.

Serzh Sargsyan and Jens Stoltenberg summarized the results of the talks in a joint press conference.

As “Armenpress” was informed from the press service of the Armenian President’s Office, President Serzh Sargsyan particularly said,

“I am thankful, Mr Secretary-General

I am honored to be at NATO’s Headquarters once again and met with you to discuss issues of bilateral interest.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Armenia’s cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance. It was a quarter century ago, in 1992, when Armenia accessed to the North Atlantic Cooperation Council, setting the grounds for the establishment of partnering relations with the NATO. And I am glad to document that during this quarter of century our partnership has developed and continuously supplemented with new content becoming one of the components of Armenia’s multilayer security system. Armenia-NATO relations based on precisely comprehensible common interests and needs have rather a saturated agenda. It includes both top level political dialogue and numerous examples of practical cooperation.

I and the Secretary-General mutually highlighted the preservation of the current level of the political dialogue and continuity of regular interactions, as well as we discussed issues of future development and expansion of our partnering relations with the NATO.

We recorded that 4 Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plans have been successfully carried out and the 5th plan for 2017-2019 is in the stage of approval. We particularly highlighted the importance of soon launching of the activities of the NATO Trust Fund in Armenia and I invited Mr. Secretary General to visit Armenia which will be a very good opportunity to sum up our works done in the last 25 years and to outline our future activities.

Armenia continues to have its important contribution to the united efforts aimed at establishing international peace and stability transforming from a security consumer into security provider. Armenia, itself facing serious security threats, makes its contribution to security and stability in various points of the world well understanding how today the world is interconnected and that there are no longer security challenges facing separate countries – they face to separate states and everyone at the same time. I note with satisfaction that developing its capacities in the sphere of peacekeeping as a result of Armenia-NATO cooperation Armenia has enlarged the geography of its engagement in the recent years. Parallel with our involvement in Kosovo and Afghanistan today our servicemen also participate in the missions in Lebanon and Mali under the auspices of the UN. I am glad to note that Armenia is assessed by the Alliance and its member states as an “active partner of the NATO”.

I am also proud for our servicemen are assessed as well prepared, disciplined and responsible participants of these missions. I am convinced that our servicemen will use the international experience and capacities obtained in the sidelines of peacekeeping missions for our army-building.

Naturally, we referred to the issue of the most explosive security threats – the recent developments over Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. In this context I strictly highlighted the support of the NATO and personally Mr Stoltenberg to the mediation efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs aimed at the peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. I am thankful to you, Mr Secretary General, for supporting us, I mean the OSCE Minsk Group.

The April war and the regular shootings following it with the use of heavy artillery and military equipment document that this conflict is unfrozen and today more than ever it is necessary that the international community consolidates upon a civilized settlement by supporting the OSCE Minsk Group efforts for a peaceful settlement.

We documented that according to “Partnership for Peace” program’s framework document, “The protection and strengthening of fundamental freedoms and human rights, ensuring freedom and justice, establishment of peace through democracy are key common values for the partnership”.

Summing up my speech, I want to reaffirm the commitment of the Republic of Armenia to continue and set an active positive agenda with the North Atlantic Alliance and with its member states for the future reinforcement of international peace and security. I also hope that my next meeting with NATO leadership will take place in Yerevan.

Thank you”.