1 / 6

On June 18 at the Government Guest House the NATO Parliamentary Assembly with the RA National Assembly began the 89^th Rose-Roth Seminar on Security and Stability in the South Caucasus: Fostering Enduring Regional Peace.

Koryun Nahapetyan, Head of the RA NA Delegation to the NATO PA, Chairman of the NA Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, moderated the seminar.

He welcomed the participants of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly of the 89^th Rose-Roth Seminar being held in Armenia. He expressed his support to the families of the victims of the spontaneous disaster occurred in Tbilisi recently. Koryun Nahapetyan has highly assessed the current level of Armenia-NATO relations, based on the program of Partnership for Peace, which began 21 years ago. He has underlined the active participation of the RA NA Delegation to the NATO PA in the Assembly Sessions, Committee Meetings, Rose-Roth Seminars, during which the MPs with their questions and considerations touch upon the challenges of global and regional security. According to him, the Armenian Delegation has its contribution to the strengthening of joint values in the Euro-Atlantic Community and will continue making its consistent efforts for fostering stable and balanced security environment consonant with all-human values.

The RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan addressed the seminar with opening remarks.

“Dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, dear guests, in the name of the RA NA let me welcome you, the participants of the Rose-Roth participants, who arrived in our country to have interesting discussions of concern.

The Republic of Armenia, consistently carrying on the policy of the establishment of democratic institutions and civil society, the reforms and programs aimed at their compliance with the European standards, has permanently highlighted the full cooperation of the country with the European structures. We pursue the development of the active and effective relations with the North-Atlantic Alliance. The RA National Assembly is committed to the implementation of the process of the legislative reforms aimed the compliance with the legislation of our country with the European and international standards.

The parliament continues developing the effective and transparent legislative control of the defense, expanding the role of the Standing Committees on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, as well as on Financial-Credit and Budgetary Affairs, on Economic Affairs in the control of the defense activity.

Armenia greatly highlights its participation in the peacekeeping missions led by NATO.

The sub-division composed of 35 people from peacekeeping brigade of the RA Armed Forces continues its participation in the operation of the peace establishment of Kosovo Forces under the USA command, which it has restarted to take part since July 6, 2012. Meanwhile, in 2004-2011 the abovementioned mission took part under the command of Greece.

From January 2015 the military group composed of 121 military of the Armenian Armed Forces continues its participation in Afghanistan in the mission “Resolute Support” under the German command, implementing the defense of the security of Kabul Kasaba and Mazar-e-Sharif Marmel military bases.

The cooperation of the RA National Assembly with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly began in May 2002, when the President of the then NATO Parliamentary Assembly and the RA National Assembly was proposed an observer to the Assembly. In November of the same year, in the annual session of the Assembly the RA NA was granted a status of the Associate member. From that time on our parliament has actively taken part in the works of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Our delegation actively takes part not only in the sessions of the Parliamentary Assembly, but also in the Rose-Roth Seminars and other events held by the organisation.

Rose-Roth seminars were held in Yerevan twice: in 2005 and in 2010. The main goal of the Rose-Roth initiative is the strengthening of parliamentary democracy in the Central and Eastern European countries. The theme of today’s Yerevan seminar is dedicated to the security and stability in the South Caucasus, Fostering Enduring Regional Peace, which have not lost its topicality and urgency.

Caucasus has always been a crossroad of civilizations, religions and geopolitical interests, which today once again has established its international importance as a corridor of communication, an important way of export and transit of energy resources. Armenia resolutely believes the values of freedom, peace and cooperation and is confident that the development of regional cooperation and dialogue, the proposal of mutually beneficial solutions based on common interests and concerns can greatly promote the overcoming of regional conflicts and dividing lines, which will demand from everybody use of united efforts and manifestation of political will.

Regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, our conviction is that the settlement of the problem should be based on the recognition and execution of the right to self-determination of the Nagorno Karabakh people, according to the principles and norms of the international law. We are propagators of the peaceful settlement of that conflict and are deeply convinced that it should be solved through negotiations, which go on by the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

The normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations also will contribute to the expansion of the regional cooperation, which we observe without any preconditions, in the context of the establishment of mutually beneficial cooperation, which is reflected in the Armenian-Turkish protocols over the establishment of diplomatic relations and the development of bilateral relations, which because of preconditions proposed by the Turkish side have not been ratified.

Dear participants and guests, I am sure that in the coming years we will witness numerous interesting discussions on various issues included in the seminar agenda.

I would like once again to welcome all of you on Armenian land and wish you fruitful and interesting work,” the RA NA Speaker Galust Sahakyan noted.

Paolo Alli, Vice-President, NATO Parliamentary Assembly delivered a speech. Thanking the Armenian side for the invitation and the organization of the seminar, he has noted that it is already held third time in Armenia. He has conveyed to the participants the NATO PA President’s warm greetings. Mr Alli also reminded that the seminar was named in honor of the representatives of the US legislative power Rose and Roth, who have been the initiators of this event.

In the speaker’s word, the NATO PA highlights the provision of enduring peace in the South Caucasus. The Rose-Roth seminars continue to strengthen the possibility of democratic management in the armed forces. In the NATO PA Vice President’s word, these discussions serve as a good platform for voicing issues relating to security, economic and social policy. He has touched upon the role of Armenia in the region, underlining that the NATO PA is against solving the problems through military which does not stem from the interests of the sides.

The NATO PA Vice President has reaffirmed the approach that the Assembly is for the settlement of the relations through peaceful means and constructive cooperation. In his speech, among a number of issues, Mr Alli has also touched upon the situation in the Near East, the tension created between the West and Russia and energy security problems.

In his welcome address the Ambassador of Switzerland to Armenia Lukas Gasser has emphasized the holding of the Rose-Roth Seminar, noting that it gives an opportunity to have an open dialogue, envolving the parliamentarians and experts of different countries. Mr Gasser has noted that stability and security can be provided in the Euro-Atlantic region through cooperation. By the Ambassador’s assessment, a close cooperation has been established between Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) and OSCE Yerevan Office, approving long-term commitment with Armenia. He spotlighted the overcoming of regional challenges, which is of fundamental importance for the peoples living in the region and expressed hope that during the seminar new ideas will be voiced in overcoming the abovementioned challenges.

Edward Nalbandian, RA Minister of Foreign Affairs, in his speech referred to the regional problems and the RA foreign policy. He has noted that during the recent years the new challenges in the international relations, which have come to be added still to the old problems, make more topical such discussions. The Minister has expressed hope that the Yerevan Seminar will give an opportunity to touch upon the urgent problems of international and regional security and will make an effective contribution to discussions aimed at their solution. He has noted that in the era of unprecedented inter-connection and inter-influences in the international relations the solution of the challenges the mankind faces demands joint and consolidated efforts. Armenia also tries to make its contribution to the strengthening of international security in the processes and in that keynote pays important role to the relations with NATO. “Armenia is located in a region, where diverse challenges exist. The developments going on in the neighbourhood of Armenia, which often do not suppose our direct involvement, inevitably have their influence on the security of our compatriots living in different countries. Such is, particularly, the crisis situation in Syria and Iraq, in the Near East, as a result of the activities of Islamic State, Al-Nusra and other terroristic organizations,” Edward Nalbandian noted. Touching upon the current phase of the NK conflict, the Minister has stated that Baku continues opposing the Minsk Group Co-Chairs and does its utmost for thwarting the peaceful negotiations. It refuses the Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ proposals not only on fundamental principles of the settlement of the problem, but also the implementation of the means of strengthening of trust. Edward Nalbandian also answered the participants’ questions, which related to the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the perspectives of the solution of the Nagorno Karabakh problem, the Armenian-Turkish relations, the priorities of the RA-EU cooperation, the membership of Armenia to the Eurasian Economic Union and other issues.

The former NATO PA President Hugh Bayley moderated the Session I of the Seminar. The RA Minister of Defense Seyran Ohanyan delivered a speech within the framework of the Armenian Co-operation with the Euro-Atlantic Community: Security, Politics, and Economics. He highlighted the cooperation with NATO in different formats and at different levels and noted that during the seminar the settlement of the regional problems and new ideas aimed at the establishment of stability will come out. The Minister presented the situation in the South Caucasus from the view of defense and stated that the security cannot be observed isolated from international developments, on the contrary, according to him, our region is the direct bearer of the influence of international interests. In the Minister’s word, this small region borders the NATO from the West, and its member Turkey has extremely different relations with the countries representing South Caucasus. He added that the recent elections in Turkey showed that there new situation is created. Mr Ohanyan documented that if until recently the unsolved conflicts were considered the main threat for security of South Caucasus, now the approaches of different opinions of the countries of the region over the creation of security system in the region were deemed as danger. “The countries of the region have different approaches on collective security systems, energy and economic security issues and the most dangerous thing is that the approaches instead of adding each other are directed against each other,” the Minister said.

Seyran Ohanyan has noticed that besides traditional or adequate threats terrorist actions develop with lightning speed. The Islamic State group succeeded to expand the control zone within a short time. “There are confirmed data that a big number of Azerbaijanis and some quantity of guerrillas of Caucasian countries and other nationalities also fight in the Islamic State group. In this context he has stated that the RA builds its security in multi-vector format, being at the same time the CSTO member, also actively cooperates with NATO, as well as NATO member states in bilateral format, observing the cooperation with NATO the inseparable part of its security system.

Mr Ohanyan answered to a number of questions, which related to the NK problem, Armenia-NATO relations, the influence of Russia in Armenia.

In response to the question concerning the enlargement of the Minsk Group of Charles Huber, the Minister has noted that it is a political problem, underlining that in the Minsk Group should not be countries, which will show biased attitude in that issue. To his assessment the process should be continuous in Minsk Group format and get constructive procedure within the framework of peaceful dialogue, the formation of the atmosphere of trust in the line of contact. Mr Ohanyan expressed conviction that the activities of the Minsk Group gives an opportunity to the Artsakh people to live and create peacefully.

Dirk Lorentz, Chargé d’Affaires a.i., Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Armenia, was the next to deliver a speech. The speaker presented the cooperation in bilateral and multi-lateral format of the Eastern Partner countries through, forums, courses, conferences, trainings, visits and joint dialogues. He has highly assessed the participation of Armenia during 2014-2015 in numerous events organized by the EU, including the one held in Azerbaijan.

Mr Lorentz presented his considerations also on NK conflict. He considered concerning the military rhetoric, as well as the absence of the progress in the process, which continues to have serious impact on the inhabitants of the region. In Dirk Lorentz’s word the EU supports the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

He also touched upon the financing and the additional support provided to Armenia. Mr Lorentz considered successful the Eastern Partnership Riga Summit, noting that Armenia and the EU reaffirmed the readiness of reinforcing and strengthening the cooperation within the framework of the Eastern Partnership. “We are waiting for the beginning of new negotiations, which will reaffirm the mandate that is compatible with new situations of Armenia,” he stated.

Mr Lorentz also referred to the RA-EU trade-economic relations in the GSP+ system format, the programs of bilateral cooperation, the reforms of some spheres being implemented in the RA with the support of the EU.

Answering the question on the RA-EU negotiations and the RA-EU new legal document in 2015 by the member of the RA NA Delegation to NATO PA Tevan Poghosyan, Dirk Lorentz has noted that there is a wish to begin negotiations in relation to the new framework agreement both by the EU and Armenia. In response to Khachatur Kokobelyan’s question Mr Lorentz has underlined that the RA-EU cooperation is rather comprehensive: the EU supports Armenia, but cannot provide security guarantees to the RA.

Franklin van Kappen, Vice-Chairman of the NATO PA Economics and Security Committee, moderated the Session II.

The Rise of ISIS in the Middle East and Beyond (Impact on the Armenian Diaspora) was in the key of the discussions. Domitilla Sagramoso, Lecturer in Security and Development, Department of War Studies, King’s College, London took the floor and talked about the actions undertaken by the Islamic State (IS) Group, noting that it is a continuous process. Mrs Sagramoso presented statistical data on operations occurred in the North Caucasus and South Caucasus, Syria and Afghanistan and referred to the involvement of the residents of the North Caucasus in the operations of the Islamic State group and the consequences of joining the terrorist groupings.

Ruben Safrastyan, Director, Institute of Oriental Studies, Armenian National Academy of Sciences delivered a speech on the subject. Adding to the data presented by the former speaker, Mr Safrastyan has stated that the IS should not be observed as an ordinary terrorist organization: it is an unprecedented group. In his word, the Islamic State group destroys the people of other religions, perpetrating genocide. Mr Safrastyan has stated that this is the second wave of genocide in the Near East: the continuation of the 1915 Armenian Genocide.

Mr Safrastyan touched upon the position of Turkey in the IS issue and the ways of struggle against the new danger the mankind faces.

Koryun Nahapetyan, Head of the RA NA Delegation to the NATO PA, was interested in the strategy of the international community for neutralizing such phenomena and the threat in case of the South Caucasus. In response to the question, Mrs Sagramoso has stated that in the region where the IS functions, global cooperation and regional reliable partners are necessary. She highlighted in the processes of struggling against the IS the involvement of Turkey and the cooperation with Russia. By the speaker’s assessment, in terms of the implementation of terrorist actions the North Caucasus is in more dangerous situation than the South Caucasus. Ruben Safrastyan, agreeing with Mrs Sagramoso’s voiced views in struggle against the IS and in this issue the role of UN Security Council, adding that the NATO PA as a military-political alliance, can be involved in the process of the fulfillment of the decisions of the Security Council.

The Rose-Roth Seminar will continue its work on June 19.