The session in the format of NATO Partnerships and Cooperative Security Committee + Armenia was held at NATO Headquarters on Friday. The session was chaired by James Appathurai, the NATO Secretary General's Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia. The Armenian delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Ashot Hovakimyan and First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan.

During the session, the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) Assessment Report for 2015-2016 was discussed.

In his speech, Deputy Minister Hovakimyan touched upon the Armenia-NATO political dialogue and partnership cooperation in various fields. He also reaffirmed Armenia’s commitment to continue participating in peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan during 2017.

For his part, Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan presented the political and economic reforms in Armenia, preparatory process prior to the parliamentary elections in 2017, as well as the efforts exerted towards creating relevant conditions for advancing the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

He also touched on the main results of reviewing the defense strategy this year, attaching importance to the further development of joint programs and formats in the area of military cooperation, defense education and reforms.  

The initiatives aimed at enhancing integrity in the armed forces, fighting corruption and strengthening human rights, as well as expanding civil and public control over the armed forces were mentioned as priorities of defense policy in the coming years.

The Armed Forces will carry out reforms in the defense area and review the legislation in the framework of the logic of considering the factor fostering development of economy, education and science in Armenia.

Upon the request of the participants of the session, the Armenian side also presented the situation on the line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan, consequences of the aggression launched by Azerbaijan along the contact line with Artsakh in April and the steps taken to overcome them.

In their speeches, the representatives of NATO member states’ delegations highly appreciated Armenia's cooperation with the Alliance in all fields, expressing their support to the efforts exerted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs towards the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Ashot Hovakimyan and Davit Tonoyan also responded to numerous questions of the delegates of the NATO member states.

After the session, the Armenian delegation was received by Deputy Secretary General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller. During the meeting the sides discussed issues related to the further development of Armenia-NATO political dialogue and regional issues. Specifically, the Armenian side drew the NATO official’s attention to the escalation of tension along the contact line with Artsakh prior to the large-scale military exercises held by Azerbaijan.

Afterwards, Ashot Hovakimyan and Davit Tonoyan met with NATO Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs and Security, Alejandro Alvargonzález. During the meeting the sides discussed steps towards the dialogue held within the framework of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan.