Security Archives

Armenia has very belatedly learned the limits of its security relationship with Russia: Richard Giragosian

August 24, 2016 by administrator

In an interview to NEWS.am Richard Giragosian, Director of the Regional Studies Center (RSC) has talked about recent developments in South Caucasus in terms of Russian-Turkish renewed relations, Iran’s reengagement in the region, as well as their possible impact on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process.

Russia and Armenia have announced about plans on signing a United Military Agreement. What, do you think, has led Armenia to sign such an agreement?

Well, in many ways it’s an aftermath or an outcome of deepening the Armenian-Russian security relations over decades. However I think it’s a mistake to put Armenian units under any foreign command, theoretically it’s unacceptable. Moreover, this seems to be more potentially theoretical in times of crisis in times of military exercises even outside of Armenia. So it’s not that serious, nor is it a major achievement. Having said that in principal I don’t think it’s wise. In other words, clearly aligning with the Russian military is not an equal relationship and it wouldn’t be anything unless it’s under Russian command, which I think in practice and in principal wouldn’t be good for the Armenian armed forces.

So, you think, the agreement is not that dangerous for Armenia?

Not necessarily. In other words although it is a mistake in principal, in practical terms it’s not a threat or a challenge. However, in this time of crisis in Armenian-Russian relations where the security guarantees from Russia are much less trustworthy and second in terms of Armenia needing to strengthen its own independence and sovereignty, I think it is a mistake.

How would you assess Russia’s recent activity in the region?

Well, since April, the most serious fighting over Nagorno-Karabakh since the ceasefire it has been largely a Russian led diplomatic initiative within the Minsk group to actually have the parties agree to cease firing but that’s not a ceasefire. However, it’s important to note that Russia continues to work with and not against the West over Nagorno-Karabakh. But I think that in a broader picture there is a deep crisis in Armenian-Russian relations where the lack of balance, the asymmetry, the lack of respect, where Russia takes Armenia far too much for granted is a new development and a serious one. Having said that, we see that Russia is only deepening its military ties and cooperation with Azerbaijan which is obviously a direct threat to the security of both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.

How about Russia’s recent initiatives towards wider partnership with other states of the region, in particular, Iran and Turkey? What challenges will these new developments pose for Armenia?

In the strategic sense the restoration or repair of relations between Russia and Turkey actually eases one challenge in crisis for Armenia which was in danger of being caught in between both parties. Secondly Russia’s now making a very significant use of Iran as a military base for operations in Syria, also makes Armenia less important, whereas before Russia was looking to Armenia as a potential platform or base. What this also means in the bigger picture, like history Armenia may become victim in terms of the competition in clash between much bigger powers, including Iran, Russia and Turkey. The other lesson from Armenian history is whenever Russia and Turkey are closely working together we always suffered. So there is a danger. In terms of trends we see the reopening of Iran, its reengagement offering opportunities for Armenia. The real challenge there is how much Russia allows Armenia to deepen its relationship with Iran. Secondly, what’s interesting after the attempted coup in July in Turkey, Turkey is in a much weaker position and in general in the regional context Armenia is in a stronger position. Despite the negative trends Armenia has demonstrated that again it is much more stable and much more of a predictable regional state unlike Azerbaijan and even Georgia.

How can you explain USA’s decreased regional involvement. Do you think it’s the upcoming presidential elections that make USA limit its engagement?

It’s a deeper trend where the United States has been long disengaging from this region and the broader region. Now it is natural in some ways but we shouldn’t expect USA in terms of Western engagement. We should look more to the EU in terms of especially Armenia’s deepening relationship with the EU offering an important western element but not the US in particular. Having said that, it may be good not bad for Armenia in terms of preventing this region from becoming more of an arena of competition between the US and Russia and in this regard Armenia is smarter than say Georgia where Armenia is prudent in ruling out NATO membership or even EU membership at this time in terms of not provoking unnecessarily a reaction from Moscow, but at the end of the day the big challenge for Armenia is increasingly internal and domestic and much less foreign or external.

Do you observe any progress in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement process after recent high level meetings between the presidents of Russia, Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia?

Clearly no, there is no progress. However the threat is diminished slightly. In other words what’s different about the current new context, is Armenia has very belatedly learned the limits of its security relationship with Russia and has recognized the need for self-sufficiency and the fact that Armenia stands alone in guarantying its security, in the security of Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a good, important realization. What it also means, however, is Russian President Putin first met with the Iranian president and president Aliyev than president Erdogan and finally president Sargsyan. This also reinforces the new policy modification in Armenia not to surrender and submit to Russia automatically and actually to fight a little harder to defend Armenian national interest.

As Armenia’s strategic partner what’s Russia’s policy in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Russia’s doing what’s in Russia’s national interests. That should not be a surprise. It is a painful lesson in Armenia, however, that Russia’s national interest today is much less and much further away than Armenia’s national interest. In other words, Russia’s N 1 arms supplier to Azerbaijan. It’s becoming much more pro Azerbaijani pressuring Armenia over the return of some occupied territories, for example in the Russian policy. So therefore the security relationship, the overdependence on Russia needs to be addressed with urgency.

Turkey’s possible involvement in NKR settlement process was discussed at the meeting of Russian and Turkish Presidents. Dow you think this is an ever possible scenario?

Turkey is in even a weaker position now much less relevant to becoming more active or more of a player in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. This is actually probably helpful but it’s also related to the declined tensions in relations between Turkey and Azerbaijan and what we see after the coup attempt in Turkey, Turkey is in a much weaker position and overly distracted by its own internal domestic problems. Turkey may be interested in being involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution process but it is in fundamentally weak position to reengage the region. First of all because the little brother of the relationship, Azerbaijan has much more power to limit Turkish activity and Turkish options. In fact, there is a great deal resentment in Turkey over that. Moreover, Turkey is no longer just biased in terms of its support for Azerbaijan but seen as a less trustworthy ally even for NATO and the West. So this doesn’t give Turkey an opening. We should expect increased Russian engagement but less Turkish engagement.

Yerevan DigiTec Business Forum to Focus on Military, Cyber Security

June 16, 2016 by administrator

YEREVAN (ArmRadio)—The 9th DigiTec Business Forum will be held in Yerevan from June 17-18 with an aim of contributing to the search for best technological solutions, providing the technology companies with an opportunity to meet and present themselves to potential customers. About 70 organizations have applied for participation this year.

‘Yes for Europe’ forum of European Partners and an Armenian-German business forum will be held within the framework of the event.

Modernization of military industry through application of innovative technologies will be the key topic of the forum, Karen Vardanyan, Executive Director of the Union of Information Technology Enterprises (UITE), said on Thursday.

The Armed Forces and UITE have established a joint commission to sum up the framework of issues that will be submitted to IT specialists for solution.

According to Vardanyan, three issues related to the modernization of military production are being considered today. “The short-term goal is to find solutions to counter the rival, which envisages either purchase of new weapons or modernization of old ones. The medium-term objective is to create new military industry on the basis of existing technologies. The third issue is a strategic one, we have to think of what kind of military industry we want to see in 15-20 years,” he said.

Representatives of the Armed Forces are expected to actively participate in the DigiTec forum.

Information security expert Samvel Martirosyan said the April war focused the attention on the need to ensure cyber security.

Impossible to Ensure European Security ‘Without Cooperation With Russia”

May 27, 2016 by administrator

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras in an exclusive interview with Sputnik said that European security cannot be achieved without Russia.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Ensuring security in Europe without dialogue and cooperation with Russia is impossible, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras told Sputnik.

“European security cannot be achieved without cooperation and dialogue with Russia,” Tsipras said.

He also said that Europe cannot move forward while caught in a vicious circle of sanctions, militarization and Cold War rhetoric.

“I don’t believe that we can move forward or ensure compliance with international law while caught in a vicious circle of sanctions, militarization and Cold War rhetoric,” Tsipras said.

Moreover, the Greek Prime Minister called on the EU to resume talks on easing the EU visa regime for Russian nationals.

“We overcame all the difficulties that arose due to changes in the issuance of Schengen visas, strengthened the work of our consulates in Russia by attracting dozens of new employees, and we are ready to meet the high demand of Russian nationals for travel to Greece. At the same time, I find it necessary, as I have already mentioned at a European level, that dialogue is relaunched on easing the visa regime for Russian citizens,” Tsipras said.

Does Turkey See Its Armenian Minority As A Security Threat?

May 2, 2016 by administrator

gagrulenet illustration

By EurasiaNet

Does Turkey See Its Armenian Minority As A Security Threat? by Dorian Jones, EurasiaNet

Members of the small ethnic Armenian community in Turkey are feeling increasingly uneasy. Their wariness is an outgrowth of recent claims by senior officials in Ankara that Kurdish rebels collaborate with Turkish Armenians, as well as the government’s move to expropriate several Armenian churches.

The words and actions come amid heavy fighting between Turkish security forces and Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) rebels in towns and cities across southeastern Turkey. In these areas, graffiti with expletives calling ethnic Armenians traitors and accusing them of working with the rebels is commonplace.

“Everybody is afraid, there is fear everywhere,” said one ethnic Armenian resident of Diyarbak?r, Turkey’s main Kurdish population center, a city of roughly a million inhabitants. “If the fighting gets worse, the fire will burn us, too. … We are not the direct target. But if this fire grows, it will definitely swallow us, too.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apparently sees links beyond just the PKK.

During his visit to the United States earlier this month, Erdogan claimed that angry protests in Washington, DC, over Turkey’s fight against the PKK are part of a national and international conspiracy. He described the Kurdish American protesters, gathered outside the Brookings Institution, where he was scheduled to speak, as “representatives of the PKK terrorists’ organization, the YPG [Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units], Asala, and the parallel state [a reference to the movement led by self-exiled cleric Fethullah Gülen], who previously fled Turkey and currently live in the United States, standing side by side and live in each other’s pockets.”

Asala was an Armenian terrorist group that assassinated dozens of Turkish diplomats in the 1970s and 1980s. A flare-up in fighting in early April between Armenia and Turkey’s closest Eurasian ally, Azerbaijan, that erupted during Erdogan’s trip no doubt further fueled the government’s anxiety.

But even earlier, in a February 27 speech attacking Turkey’s pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also played the Armenian card. The prime minister in the speech accused Turkish-Armenian activists of helping the HDP establish political contacts with Russian leaders. Such contacts at this particular time are guaranteed to raise Ankara’s ire, given the high-level of enmity in Turkish-Russian relations. Bilateral ties have been in a nosedive since November, when Turkish fighters shot down a Russian military jet.

The hostile comments made by top Turkish leaders have alarmed members of Turkey’s ethnic Armenian minority, a group of uncertain size that generally stays in the shadows.

“The expressions of the president and the prime minister are supporting this phenomenon and encouraging those targeting the Armenians,” Garo Paylan, a Turkish-Armenian member of parliament from the HDP, told the Bianet.org news website. “We have seen in the writings on walls in cities under barricades that the word ‘Armenian’ still is being used as a swearword in Turkey.”

Historically, Turkish nationalists have always portrayed Turkey’s predominantly Christian Armenian minority as an untrustworthy fifth column, sympathetic to traditional enemy Russia. Until recently, schools echoed that claim. The prejudice extends to an unwritten rule that prevents ethnic minority members from becoming police officers, army officers or judges.

For some ethnic Armenians, the suggestion that they are collaborating with PKK rebels brings to mind World War I suspicions that their community supported Russian interests – a notion that helped fuel the mass slaughter of ethnic Armenians in 1915.

Years ago, Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party had presented itself as free from such prejudices. It attempted a diplomatic reconciliation with neighboring Armenia, and allowed the reopening and refurbishing of some Armenian churches in the southeast. It also took steps to return some previously expropriated Armenian properties.

Yet this month, the state expropriated St. Giragos in Diyarbak?r, the largest Armenian church in the region. St. Giragos recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation, paid for primarily by contributions from members of the Armenian Diaspora and the pro-Kurdish city government. The expropriation was part of an eminent domain action, under which the Turkish government adopted legislation that gave it possession of 90 percent of the city’s historic Sur quarter.

The seizures are part of government plans to redevelop Sur, parts of which were devastated by recent fighting with the PKK. In a government video illustrating future plans for the area, numerous images of mosques are included, but no churches, even though the quarter contains seven churches. In addition to the expropriation of St. Giragos, two other churches with Armenian ties were taken over by the government, along with a Protestant and an Assyrian houses of worship.

Local civic activists fear that the government’s redevelopment plan will drastically alter the city’s flavor. “We are talking about a city where 33 civilizations existed. It means something to us and it means something else to the Turkish state,” said Merthan An?k, former head of the Diyarbak?r chamber of architects. “When the prime minister came to Diyarbak?r [on April 1] he made a speech emphasizing only the Ottoman and Seljuk architecture and culture.”

Muhammed Akar, head of Diyarbak?r’s branch of the ruling Justice and Development Party, downplayed such concerns. “This expropriation matter is misunderstood,” Akar said.

Much uncertainty remains concerning the plans for the Sur neighborhood. The official claim that the expropriation measure is being misinterpreted is not reassuring members of the local Armenian community. “We are not unfamiliar with this. We have anxiety, fear because we don’t know” what will happen, said Gaffur Türkay, a board member of the Giragos Foundation, a non-profit group which works to maintain St. Giragos.

A bomb threat incident from Islamic State terrorists during the Easter holiday already had heightened the sense of vulnerability, commented political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbul’s Süleyman ?ah University. The threat turned out to be a hoax, but the Armenian community remains wary. “All in all, they [Turkish Armenians] are not as confident as a few years ago,” Aktar said.

As the government shifts to an increasingly nationalist narrative, that discomfort is not likely to dissipate soon.

Editor’s note: Dorian Jones is a freelance reporter based in Istanbul.

Kurdish Forces PKK neutralize five Turkish security forces in Nusaybin clashes

April 8, 2016 by administrator

ISTANBUL,— Kurdish militants killed five members of the Turkish security forces on Thursday in a series of clashes and bomb attacks in a town under a military lockdown in Turkish Kurdistan, the southeast of the country, the Dogan news agency reported.

The Turkish security forces were carrying out an operation in the town of Nusaybin in Mardin province where the government has been waging a blistering offensive against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).

A senior police officer was hit by gunfire and later died, and four other members of the security forces, including a major in the gendarmerie and another senior police officer, died in two separate bomb attacks.

Nusaybin has been under curfew since mid-March for a military operation to push the PKK out of the town, where the authorities say the group has dug trenches and put up barricades.

Hundreds of security forces have been killed in the Kurdish region, while government says thousands of PKK militants have died.

Opposition political parties say between 500 and 1,000 civilians, mostly Kurds, have also perished in the fighting, since the Turkish offensive against the PKK centred in towns and cities in Turkish Kurdistan.

Ankara launched the offensive against the PKK after the collapse in 2015 of a two-year long ceasefire with the group that has been a thorn in its side for three decades.

The renewed conflict has also struck the heart of the country, with two attacks that killed dozens in the capital Ankara claimed by Kurdish rebels, at a time when citizens are already on high alert over bombings by the Islamic State group.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday proposed stripping Turkish citizenship from supporters of Kurdish rebels.

“These people don’t deserve to be our citizens. We are not obliged to carry anyone engaged in the betrayal of their state and their people,” he said.

A day after his comments his Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said: “Of course we will begin work on this”.

he PKK took up arms in 1984 against the Turkish state, which still denies the constitutional existence of Kurds, to push for greater autonomy for the Kurdish minority who make up around 22.5 million of the country’s 78-million population.

A large Turkey’s Kurdish community openly sympathise with PKK rebels.

The European Union has urged last week Turkey to restart the peace process with the Kurd.

From Moscow to LA, security measures tightened following Paris attacks

November 14, 2015 by administrator

Security is being stepped up across the globe, with national governments holding emergency meetings to review security threats. Officials are asking the public to remain vigilant and not to panic following the devastating terror attacks in the French capital.

While France has declared state of emergency and closed its borders following a series of attacks in Paris, reportedly carried out by terrorists inspired by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), security measures have been reinforced by a number of other states. These include France’s neighbors in Europe, as well as countries such as Russia and the US.

Russia’s Anti-Terrorist Committee said the necessary measures are being taken “in light of the new threats.” “The entire national security network has been put on high alert,” the Committee said in a statement.

Russia’s Transportation Ministry “will take measures related to transportation security,” the ministry’s head Maksim Sokolov told journalists on Saturday. Security has been bolstered at all Moscow airports, a source familiar with the situation told Interfax; Russian Railways also announced additional steps to strengthen its security.

The UK is on a higher security alert, with security bolstered and additional checks introduced at international transport hubs. A number of key locations in British cities have also seen their security heightened, while the government is reviewing the current national threat level.

Officials fear the terror attacks are “not over yet,” the Telegraph reported, citing a British counter terrorism source. London was already on heightened alert for possible terrorist revenge attacks, after a notorious IS executioner known as Jihadi John was killed in a drone attack in Syria this week.

The Netherlands will tighten security at its borders, airports and railway stations, with all traffic to and from France to be closely monitored. Reuters cited Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte telling journalists on Saturday that the country is “at war” with IS.

“ISIS is our enemy. We are at war with ISIS. We are not at war with a country, a belief or with Islam,” Rutte said, adding, “Our values and our rule of law are stronger than their fanaticism.”

Security had also been reinforced in Italy, the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said. The risk of similar episodes should not be underestimated, Reuters cited Renzi as saying in a television address, with the minister adding that his country is standing by France, and that the attacks in Paris run counter to “all of humanity” and “our way of life.”

German authorities are analyzing the country’s threat level, DW reported. German security officials were in close contact with their French counterparts, as Germany “remains in the focus of international terrorism,” an Interior Ministry spokesperson said on Saturday.

Security is stepped up in the Austrian capital, Vienna, which is hosting an international meeting concerning the conflict in Syria. A French school was closed and city officials cancelled a popular Christmas market.

Azerbaijan Arrests Seven Security Officials

October 23, 2015 by administrator

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (Source: Reuters)

BAKU (RFE/RL)—Authorities in Azerbaijan have arrested seven officials with the National Security Ministry, accusing them of abuse of power just days after the ministry’s chief was sacked.

The arrests come as President Ilham Aliyev’s government continues to tighten its grip on opposition groups, independent media, and overall political life in the oil-rich, ex-Soviet republic on the shores of the Caspian Sea.

The Prosecutor-General’s Office said in an October 20 statement that the security officials were arrested on suspicion of “illegal interference in the activities of business entities.”

No further details were given.

Azerbaijani media reported that those arrested included Natavan Mirvatova, who heads the ministry’s technical operations administration and was awarded a medal for her work two years ago.

On October 17, Aliyev’s office announced the dismissal of National Security Minister Eldar Mahmudov, who had served since 2004, just after Aliyev became president, and was widely seen as a loyal ally to the Azerbaijani leader.

Opposition politicians complained that Aliyev’s failure to explain the reason for Mahmudov’s firing showed that there is no transparency in the country’s political decision-making process.

Aliyev also dismissed his previous national security minister in July 2004 without providing a reason.

Family Dynasty

Aliyev became president in 2003 after the death of his father, Heydar Aliyev, a former KGB officer who had steered the country through the chaos of post-Soviet independence and a disastrous war with Armenia in the early 1990s.

Vast oil and gas resources, located mainly in offshore fields in the Caspian Sea, have drawn major investments from international oil companies, including ExxonMobil, BP, and Chevron. The influx of wealth has helped transform Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku, giving it a glittering skyline.

The country is set to hold parliamentary elections next month, though many observers predict that the ruling party will again win a majority of seats and that the vote will be marred by a lack of transparency and other problems.

The Vienna-based Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has canceled its mission to monitor the election, saying that too many restrictions had been imposed on them.

Aliyev’s reelection in 2013 has been followed by a crackdown on human rights workers, journalists, and opposition activists. Authorities have also barred Amnesty International from working in the country.

Among the journalists who have been prosecuted is Khadija Ismayilova, a prominent investigative reporter and RFE/RL contributor who was sentenced to more than seven years in prison after a conviction on embezzlement and tax evasion that observers called outrageous and brutal.

Turkey is now full fledged war against Kurdish population Number of ‘Special Security Zones’ in Turkey now exceeds 100

August 19, 2015 by administrator

Around 250 villagers built up tents at the foot of Ağrı Mountain to protest Special Security Zones put in place there on Aug. 6. (Photo: DHA)

The number of “Special Security Zones” — a new name for the infamous Emergency Rule Regions (OHAL) of the 1990s — in Turkey’s east and southeast is now over 100, media outlets reported on Wednesday. report Zaman

According to the Habertürk daily, the security forces have declared 21 areas in the Silvan, Lice and Kulp districts of Diyarbakır province as Special Security Zones until Sept. 5, while the Ağrı and Tendürek areas were declared as such for the period Aug. 2-17.

Other areas declared Special Security Zones in east and southeast Turkey are the Şenkaya district of Erzurum province; the Nusaybin, Kızıltepe and Mazıdağı districts of Mardin province; the Yüksekova district of Hakkari province; areas between the Köprübaşı border gate and Karkamış district in Gaziantep province; areas between the Yağmuralan-Tatlıca highway, the Öncül-Arıcandere highway and the Esentepe military outpost-Ziyaret military outpost highway in Şanlıurfa province; the Ovacık, Nazımiye, Çemişgezek, Hozat and Mazgirt districts of Tunceli province; the Uludere and Cizre districts of Şırnak province; and the Pervari and Eruh districts of Siirt province.

Meanwhile, five areas in Şırnak have been declared temporary “Military Security Zones” for six months by a Cabinet decision. Law No. 2565 on Military Forbidden Zones and Security Zones provides for the establishment of two types of security zones — Military Security Zones and Special Security Zones.

After a suicide bombing in Suruç in Şanlıurfa province killed 33 activists and injured 100 more on July 20, clashes involving the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) have grown in number. Two police officers were killed by PKK members on July 22 in retaliation for Turkish authorities’ perceived failure to prevent the Suruç attack. The violence and PKK-led attacks further escalated when Turkey carried out air strikes on PKK bases in neighboring Iraq. More than 45 Turkish security personnel have been killed in PKK attacks or clashes with the terrorist organization.

The OHAL period lasted for 15 years in southeast Turkey during the 1980s and 1990s, when the Turkish security forces implemented tough security measures to fight against the PKK in the region. The period was also marked by human rights violations of the Kurdish population in the area, leading to the period being considered a dark era of recent Turkish history. Thousands of individuals were abducted or fell victim to unsolved murders for political reasons.

External threats make Armenian fight for its security any moment – Armen Ghahramanyan

August 2, 2015 by administrator

Armenia’s Ministry of Defense hosted on Sunday a commencement ceremony for graduates of the Vazgen Sargsyan military institute and other military schools.

President Serzh Sargsyan, Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, participated in the ceremony.

Head of the Vazgen Sagsyan military institute, Major General Armen Ghahramanyan made a speech at the ceremony.

According to him, this is a special day for the two Armenian states.

“Armenia’s military and political tasks and challenges facing the country make us train new officers for our newly formed army, who meet present-day requirements and have rich knowledge. The region’s geopolitical peculiarities and external threats make us fight for our security every moment,” Mr Ghahramanyan said.

During their 4-year-long studies, the students gained the necessary knowledge to ensure competent service, train their subordinates and be capable of relying on their own strength.

“However, they should realize that their knowledge is the first stage in their professional career,” the general said.

Yerevan: U.S. Embassy Helps Boost Security at Armenian Border

May 23, 2015 by administrator

U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr. watches a presentation by Armenian Border Guard officers

YEREVAN—In a ceremony at the Armenia Border Guard headquarters, U.S. Ambassador Richard M. Mills Jr., joined by National Security Service Deputy Director Lieutenant General Arzuman Harutyunyan and Border Guard Troops Commander Major General Armen Abrahamyan, inspected equipment from the U.S. government that will assist the border guards in keeping weapons of mass destruction, biological hazards, and other threats from crossing Armenia’s borders. The equipment includes a multi-media lab that will be used in training Armenian border guards and other tools that will enhance the ability of border guards to control the flow of sensitive exports across the board and strengthen Armenia’s borders against transnational threats.

This assistance is part of the U.S. Government’s comprehensive nonproliferation programs that strengthen the ability of the Armenian Government to effectively counter transnational threats from international crime, arms smugglers, and risks from weapons of mass destruction. The United States and Armenia are working together toward common goals of democracy, security, and peace, both in Armenia and in the region.

Over the past ten years, the U.S. Embassy has partnered with various ministries and agencies to develop Armenia’s border security capacity. Leading the U.S. Embassy’s efforts in Armenia are the Export Control and Related Border Security (EXBS) program, the Defense Threat Reduction Office (DTRO), and Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC). “Our border security cooperation is robust, and we are committed to an open door partnership with Armenia,” said Ambassador Mills during his remarks.