YEREVAN. – Hraparak daily of the Republic of Armenia (RA) writes: It turns out that the RA authorities have problems not only with Russia, but also with the EU and NATO.
“The problems in relations with NATO are since last year. Armenia is cooperating with NATO under the Individual Partnership Action Plans (IPAP), which was signed in 2005 and needs to be re-signed every two years. The latter [IPAP] was [last] signed in 2017 during [then President] Serzh Sargsyan’s visit to Brussels. Since 2019, there is no agreement between NATO and Armenia; the legal basis for relations is absent. To address the issue, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia [James] Appathurai was in Armenia on March 11-12, 2019, who met with various officials—[President] Armen Sarkissian, [FM] Zohrab Mnatsakanyan, [defense minister Davit] Tonoyan—but the Prime Minister did not meet with him, and no progress has been made,” said our source.
Why? Was it the fear of Russia? Or is there another reason? “It will be difficult for me to say. Last year, there may have been some concerns from Russia, plus NATO’s dissatisfaction with [Armenia] sending a military unit to Syria, but NATO was trying to get a new document. The reason, apparently, is the irresponsible approach of the [Armenian] authorities.”