YEREVAN, DECEMBER 13, ARMENPRESS. The ZAR military center can serve as an international peacekeeping educational center after its construction, Levon Ayvazyan, director of the defense policy department of the Armenian defense ministry told a press conference ahead of the “NATO week in Armenia” events.

The construction of the facility is being carried out bilaterally, within the framework of the Armenian-American relations, i.e. as a result of investment of the two countries. The goal is to create an educational center of peacekeeping operations”, he said, adding that this year the first stage of construction was completed, with several other stages still ahead.

“In addition to construction works, we plan to deploy necessary equipment for peacekeeping drills in the center, technical means, which will enable peacekeepers to implement exercises there”, he said, adding that next year already drills are planned at the center, as part of the NATO assessment process.

“These military exercises are our national [exercises], they will be held in line with NATO standards. The goal of creating the center is for us to have national capabilities for peacekeeping drills, because until now peacekeepers participate in drills abroad”, he said.

The NATO Week kicked off in Yerevan. NATO Deputy Secretary General Rose Gottemoeller’s visit is expected.