ONCE UPON A TIME THE ARMENIAN, THE TURK, THE AMERICAN AND THE RUSSIAN MET EACH OTHER...

The military trainings of NATO being held in Armenia may become a historical event.

“Cooperative Best Effort-2003” military maneuvers are going on in Armenia. They are held within the frames of the “Partnership for Peace” NATO program. The trainings that involve military men from 19 countries are aimed at developing the interaction of the light infantry forces during the multinational operations with participation of the NATO member-countries and partners. This is the first time that these maneuvers are being held in Armenia. Besides, Russia also takes part this time. And the most interesting is that despite the serious problems in the relations of Yerevan and Ankara, Turkey also has sent its officers to participate in the trainings.

June 19, 2003

PanARMENIAN.Net - The scenario of the maneuvers where about 500 military men are involved supposes an imitation of peacemaking operations. The preparation of trainings was coordinated by the Commander of the united armed forces of NATO in Southern Europe, Admiral Gregori Johnson. The trainings are headed by the representative of the “South” grouping of the united commanding of the alliance colonel Ahmed Kabak and representative of the Ministry of Defense of Armenia, Colonel Murad Isahanyan. For the first time, the Turkish soldiers are obeying the instructions of an Armenian officer.

In the very beginning not everybody in Yerevan wanted to have Turkish soldiers on the territory of Armenia, who always has entered this territory in order to make aggression. Minister of Defense of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian in December last year put an end to these discussions. He urged the Armenian to be calmer concerning the partnership with Turkish military men. He said that under certain circumstances the Armenian and Turkish servicemen may become partners. “Let us imagine that a militarized terrorist grouping appears in the region and threatens not only Yerevan but also Ankara. In that case I will be ready to cooperate with Turkey,” the Minister said.

Unlike the Turks, the Azeris decided to boycott these trainings. The reason was the fact that the maneuvers were being held in Armenia. In contrary, Moscow sent a infantry group and a group of staff officers to Armenia. The head of the foreign relations department of the Armenian Defense Ministry Michael Melkonyan said that the decision of Moscow to participate in the trainings is explained by the fact that they are being carried out on the territory of Armenia, its strategic partner. We shall remind that Russia was not participating in the similar trainings held last year in Georgia.

The world press comments the fact of holding the trainings in Armenia as a proof of Armenia’s step-by-step integration in the NATO structures. Being an associated member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Armenia is decisive in its intention to strengthen the cooperation with the alliance. The political and military leadership of the country does not see any contradiction in the fact that Armenia participates actively in the collective security treaty simultaneously cooperating with the North Atlantic Alliance. At the same time, there are not basis to speak about the perspectives of Armenia’s becoming member of the alliance. Though not long ago the “Associated Press” agency included Armenia in the list of countries trying to find ways of becoming a NATO member, Yerevan is not going to follow the example of its neighboring countries openly expressing their wish to become full members of NATO. Yerevan will remain faithful to the complementary policy allowing developing relations both with NATO and with Russia.