June 21 Armenian National Assembly Speaker Tigran Torosian met Mr Robert Simmons, NATO Special Representative for the South Caucasus, the RA NA press office reported.
Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian and Armenia’s permanent representative in NATO Samvel Mkrtchyan were also present at the meeting.
Serious progress has been achieved in the Armenia-NATO cooperation since the last meeting, Tigran Torosian said. “The Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) needs a review, as plenty of items have been already realized and new possibilities for cooperation have been created,” Mr Torosian said.
For his part, Mr Robert Simmons, on behalf of NATO Secretary General, congratulated the NA Speaker on holding a parliamentary election that received high estimation of international observers. He also expressed satisfaction with the successful implementation of the IPAP pointed out to the endeavors of the Armenian peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
Armenia, as a full member of the international community, is ready to enlarge its presence in Kosovo, according to Tigran Torosian.
As to expansion of the regional program, the RA NA Speaker proposed to impart a new quality to the cooperation, thus promoting settlement of conflicts. When touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict Mr Torosian noted that although NATO is not engaged in the settlement process, all international structures have elaborated principles and approaches which should firmly contribute to resolution of conflicts and development of states. Tigran Torosian also pointed out to the increasing propaganda of antagonism and militarism in Azerbaijan, what conflicts with the optimism of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. “It’s hard to believe that a state propagandizing hatred and war is preparing its people to settlement of the conflict,” he said. Pseudo-patriotic calls and boost of military expenses prompt that Azerbaijan doesn’t want resolution. Although it hardly supposes that the problem can be settled by use of force.
Robert Simmons agreed that the leadership of both states should prepare publics for a peaceful resolution that presupposes compromise. Although NATO does not deal with the conflict, the organization pays great attention to the settlement of the conflict and regional problems. A new liaison officer has been already appointed and he will make a contribution to the cooperation between three states, Mr Simmons said stressing the necessity of further meetings and debates in Yerevan and Brussels for deepening cooperation with the National Assembly.
