Speaking at the opening of the 108th NATO Parliamentary Assembly Rose-Roth seminar in Yerevan, Armenian parliament’s Defense and Security Committee chair Andranik Kocharyan announced that Armenia and NATO are discussing a new cooperation document under the “Individually Tailored Partnership” program.
He noted that the last time Armenia hosted the seminar was in 2015, but today, amid shifting geopolitical dynamics, the region faces new and complex challenges. The main topics on the agenda include the Armenia–Azerbaijan peace process, global rivalries, resilience of democracy, disinformation, and prospects for economic cooperation.
Kocharyan said peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not only a national and regional but also a global security priority: “We believe stable peace is possible, based on sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, jurisdiction, and reciprocity. This is not only a guarantee of restored bilateral relations but also a new opportunity to transform the region.”
He stressed that Armenia’s Crossroads of Peace vision aligns with recent declarations, proposing the reopening of transport and infrastructure links, economic interconnectivity, and trust-building.
Kocharyan outlined Armenia–NATO cooperation areas, including defense reforms, transparency in governance, civilian oversight, military education exchanges, and participation in peacekeeping missions. He also highlighted hybrid threats, disinformation, and information manipulation as modern security challenges, emphasizing the need for joint information security, digital literacy, and civil defense capacity-building.
He further called for stronger institutions of civilian oversight and parliamentary control, noting NATO partners’ experience is valuable for Armenia.
Addressing regional cooperation, he said: “We believe the South Caucasus can and must become not a region of dividing lines, but a bridge of connection, built on mutually beneficial cooperation.”
Kocharyan expressed confidence that the seminar will deepen Armenia–NATO ties bilaterally and multilaterally.
Parliament Deputy Speaker and Armenia–Turkey normalization envoy Ruben Rubinyan also spoke, stressing the symbolic meaning of Armenia hosting this seminar for the fourth time. He highlighted ongoing peace efforts in the South Caucasus, border delimitation, and the Crossroads of Peace strategy, saying Armenia has a historic opportunity to overcome past conflicts and build a peaceful, good-neighborly future.
Delegations from Turkey and Azerbaijan are also attending the Yerevan seminar.
