An extended meeting between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg took place in the government.
The Prime Minister welcomed Mr. Stoltenberg’s visit to our country and noted, “Dear Secretary General, I welcome your and your delegation’s visit to the Republic of Armenia. I am pleased about this visit because it is a perfect opportunity to discuss our broad agenda, which perhaps we have just done. Of course, there are many familiar people in your delegation who regularly visit the Republic of Armenia; we provide them with fresh information, and they provide us with fresh information on current issues and policies. Of course, we are interested in deepening cooperation with NATO, and I hope that the individually adapted program for Armenia will be adopted as soon as possible. You know that now we are in the stage of large-scale reforms, and I hope this program will also be useful for our foreign agenda. Once again, welcome.”
In turn, Jens Stoltenberg noted, “Thank you for hosting me and my delegation. We highly value cooperation with Armenia. You have participated in various NATO missions and operations for many years; we appreciate your participation in the Kosovo mission. We hope to further deepen and strengthen our cooperation by creating an individually tailored program for Armenia. Of course, we support your sovereignty and territorial integrity. We also support your efforts to develop a more independent foreign policy, which we believe is important. I admire your leadership and commitment. We welcome your steps aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law, and we also welcome the fact that you are providing humanitarian aid to Ukraine.”
Prime Minister Pashinyan and NATO Secretary General discussed the development of Armenia-NATO cooperation and issues of regional importance. The Prime Minister presented to the interlocutor the RA government’s “Crossroads of Peace” project.
Jens Stoltenberg emphasized the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the region and stressed that NATO supports Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful aspirations for our country.
Next, Nikol Pashinyan and Jens Stoltenberg made statements.
The Prime Minister of the RA stated this in his speech.
“Dear Mr. Secretary General,
Dear Colleagues,
We are glad to host NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and his delegation in Armenia. This is your first visit to Armenia as NATO Secretary General. It is an excellent opportunity to exchange opinions on Armenia-NATO cooperation, regional and global stability, and security issues.
We are interested in continuing to develop the existing political dialogue and expanding the partnership with the Alliance and individual member states. We hope that the new format of Armenia-NATO cooperation, the “Tailored Partnership Program,” will be approved soon. In light of the developments in our region, Armenia needs to strengthen its resilience and develop appropriate defense capabilities.
We also attach great importance to Armenia’s participation in peacekeeping operations and consider it essential to ensuring international peace and security. The Armenian peacekeeping unit continues contributing to the Kosovo (KFOR) mission. As you know, in July 2023, when the situation in Kosovo was somewhat unstable, Armenia increased the personnel of its peacekeeping unit with an additional 17 soldiers.
Effective dialogue is also carried out at the parliamentary level, as our parliamentarians are involved in NATO Parliamentary Assembly meetings and Rose Roth seminars.
Dear Colleagues,
Armenia continues to adhere to the policy of regionalization. Our unique relations with Georgia and the Islamic Republic of Iran are significant, and our cooperation cannot be directed against our region.
I presented to Mr. Stoltenberg the vision and approaches of the Government of the Republic of Armenia to establish stability and peace in the South Caucasus. I reaffirm my repeatedly voiced willingness to regulate relations with Azerbaijan based on the three principles agreed upon at the highest level, namely, recognition of each other’s territorial integrity based on the Alma-Ata Declaration, and, according to the Alma-Ata Declaration, the demarcation of the Armenia-Azerbaijan interstate border to restore 1991 The border existing at the time of the collapse of the USSR between the two republics, as well as the unblocking of regional infrastructures respecting the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the countries of their transition, based on the principles of equality and reciprocity. Regarding the latter, I also presented the “Crossroads of Peace” project, which completes our ideas on the subject.
We expect the firm support of the international community, including NATO, for the peace process between Armenia and Azerbaijan based on known and mutually agreed upon principles, as well as the unequivocal rejection of the policy of coercion and threats.
I also presented to the General Secretary the proposals for the mirror withdrawal of troops from the 1991 Armenia-Azerbaijan border, mutual control of weapons, and the signing of a non-aggression pact, which have not received a positive response from the official Baku until today.
We are also committed to the agenda of normalizing relations with Turkey. We find that implementing the agreements reached with Turkey in 2022 and subsequently reconfirmed can have a positive impact on establishing stability in the South Caucasus region.
During the conversation with the General Secretary, we also had the opportunity to discuss the reform agenda of the Armed Forces of Armenia. I emphasized that this process is not directed against any state and is aimed at increasing the Armed Forces of Armenia’s defense capabilities to ensure the territorial integrity of the Republic of Armenia.
Dear Secretary General,
In conclusion, thank you for the productive discussions.
Once again, I welcome your visit to the Republic of Armenia, and I am pleased to convey my message to you.”
In his turn, the Secretary General of NATO said:
“Thank you very much, Prime Minister Pashinyan, dear Nikol.
I am very happy to see you again and to be in Yerevan with you. This is my first official visit to Yerevan as NATO Secretary General.
First of all, I highly appreciate your personal leadership, your clear advocacy for peace, and your unequivocal commitment to democratic values.
Armenia has long been a NATO partner, and I welcome and appreciate your contribution to NATO missions and operations. For almost 20 years, Armenia has been one of the most important partners of the NATO peacekeeping mission, helping to guarantee a safe and secure environment for all communities living in Kosovo. And I applaud the increased participation of your service members in recent years.
During today’s meeting, we discussed the importance of stability in the South Caucasus. This is important for Euro-Atlantic security as we face an increasingly dangerous world.
Today, Armenia and Azerbaijan have a chance to achieve lasting peace after years of conflict. This is why I call on the two countries to reach an agreement that will pave the way for the normalization of relations and lasting peace for your people. NATO supports Armenia’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and peaceful aspirations.
Russia’s war in Ukraine is a sobering reminder that we cannot help but value peace. I applaud your solidarity with Ukraine and call on all partners to do everything in their power to prevent Putin from winning his war of aggression. The situation on the battlefield remains critical, but this is precisely why our support should be increased, not decreased. If Putin succeeds in Ukraine, there is a real risk that his aggression will not stop there and that other authoritarian entities will be inspired by it.
Today, we also discussed the progress of Armenia’s internal reforms. I welcomed your work to strengthen democratic control over your armed forces, including through your participation in NATO’s goodwill enhancement program. You have also shown a real commitment to fighting corruption, strengthening your democratic institutions, and upholding the rule of law.
Dear Prime Minister,
Thank you again for hosting me warmly and for your work in building a brighter future for your country and region. I look forward to strengthening our partnership and working together for peace, stability, and prosperity in the South Caucasus and beyond. Thank you.”
