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
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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...
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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
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6. (C) Turkey sounded the most critical note, calling for

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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