ARMENIA'S IPAP IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW BRINGS HIGH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 USNATO 000228 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR P, EUR, EUR/RPM E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/04/2017 TAGS: NATO PREL AR SUBJECT: ARMENIA'S IPAP IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW BRINGS HIGH MARKS FROM ALLIES AND AN OLIVE BRANCH TO TURKEY REF: A. E-MAIL TO EUR/RPM: AC/119-N(2007)0013-REV 1 ¶B. YEREVAN 332 Classified By: Charge Ian Kelly for reasons 1.4 (B, D) SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) Armenian Defense Minister Sargsyan and Deputy Foreign Minister Kirakossian told NATO Permanent Representatives that the first year's implementation of an Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO had yielded benefits far beyond the security sector. They credited the IPAP process with improving inter-agency cooperation, leveraging broader reforms, and winning public support. The U.S. and other Allies agreed that much progress had been made, identified shortfalls, and urged continued implementation. Turkey sounded the most critical notes, but positively noted the Armenian officials' unequivocal statements that Armenia has no claims to Turkish territory. End Summary. IPAP: DRIVING ARMENIAN REFORMS -------------- ¶2. (U) NATO Deputy Secretary General Minuto Rizzo welcomed Armenian Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan and Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian to the North Atlantic Council (NAC) on April 4 to discuss a NATO expert team's evaluation of Armenia's Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) implementation (REF A). NOTE: Armenia is the third NATO Partner nation to undertake an IPAP, after Georgia and Azerbaijan, and this NAC session marked its one-year implementation review, the half-way mark in a two-year IPAP cycle. END NOTE. ¶3. (C) DefMin Sargsyan told PermReps that the IPAP process had proven to be an effective lever for carrying out security sector reform and modernizing the armed forces. But it has also proven instrumental in bringing about inter-agency cooperation and broader democratic reforms. IPAP-mandated reforms had thereby won pubic recognition and support for Armenia's Partnership with NATO. Sargsyan pointed to completion of Armenia's National Security Strategy document as a key accomplishment that laid out the program objectives for the Defense Ministry's Military Doctrine, to be completed by the end of 2007. That, in turn, would set the direction for drafting a Strategic Defense review in years 2008-2010. D/FM Kirakossian briefed PermReps on Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations with Azerbaijan, unresolved relations with Turkey, and threats posed by Iran as its top security priorities. Armenia's IPAP-driven ties to NATO complemented its Action Plans with the EU and the Council of Europe toward the overarching goal of Euro-Atlantic integration. ALLIES: POSITIVE REVIEWS, BUT... -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Rizzo offered U.S. Charge Ian Kelly the floor, as the representative of Armenia's NATO Contact Point Embassy in Yerevan. Kelly commended Armenia's responsiveness to the recommendations Allies had made at its interim IPAP implementation review in June 2006. He cited in particular improved inter-agency cooperation, completion of the National Security Strategy, and steps to improve its electoral legislation and procedures. He expressed appreciation for Armenia's contributions to NATO-led operations in Kosovo and Iraq, applauded the success of Armenia's "NATO Week" activities (REF B),and expressed condolences for the death of Armenian PM Margaryan. ¶5. (SBU) The Ambassadors of Lithuania, Poland, Greece, Germany, the U.K., Italy, Turkey, Spain, Slovenia, Romania, France, and the Czech Republic followed with generally positive reviews, but also highlighted remaining shortfalls in meeting IPAP targets. Most cited KFOR and NTM-I contributions, praised ODIHR observation of the May 2007 parliamentary elections, and urged a fresh push toward a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement after the elections. Poland and Spain urged Armenia to follow through with plans to contribute a medical unit to ISAF. Germany and the U.K. asked about Yerevan's plans for alternative military service. Media freedom and improved electoral performance were cited among the areas for improvement. ARMENIA: NO TERRITORIAL CLAIMS ON TURKEY -------------- ¶6. (C) Turkey sounded the most critical note, calling for USNATO 00000228 002 OF 002 further democratic reforms, for putting "quality before quantity" on its National Security Strategy, and for respecting the territorial integrity of Armenia's neighbors. Sargsyan responded that Yerevan did intend to reinvigorate efforts to find a peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh following next month's elections. The remaining areas of difference were small, he said, expressing hope that they would "evaporate" before the end of the year. Both Sargsyan and Kirakossian told the NAC unequivocally that "Armenia has no claims to Turkish territory." Following the meeting, Turkish reps told USNATO that that they regarded those assurances as very positive, especially being stated to NATO Allies from top-ranking Armenian officials. Our Turkish counterparts added that if the bilateral territorial issue and Nagorno-Karabakh dispute were addressed, Turkish-Armenian relations could be "qualitatively different." KELLY