"Americans extending a helping hand": US-Armenia military cooperation
Armenian-American military cooperation
The Chief of General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces visited the headquarters of the U.S. European Command, which is stationed in Germany. According to the Defense Ministry, during the meeting with Edward Asryan, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Air Force in Europe and Africa Stephen Basham stated that “the U.S. is ready to initiate new areas of cooperation”.
According to political analyst Gurgen Simonyan, this is “a signal that the Americans are extending a helping hand.”
“When Armenia begins to throw off destructive influence, it will be able to modernize and develop its security system with the help of the United States,” he believes.
Armenia expects U.S. support for army reforms
First Deputy Minister and Head of the General Staff, Edward Asryan, visited the headquarters located in Stuttgart at the invitation of the U.S. European Command. He discussed with American partners the possibilities of developing military cooperation and issues related to regional security:
“Edward Asryan presented the details of the reforms underway in the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the support expected from the U.S. during their implementation.”
It is also reported that Deputy Commander of the US Air Force in Europe, Stephen Basham, stated the readiness of the US to continue both the support of the existing programs and initiate new directions of cooperation:
- “professionalization of the armed forces, strengthening the professional skills of non-commissioned officers,
- modernization of the command and control system,
- peacekeeping,
- military medicine,
- military education,
- combat training, exercises”.
During his visit, Asryan also visited the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) in Europe and the NCO Academy.
Comment
Political scientist Gurgen Simonyan says that cooperation between Yerevan and Washington can be very diverse, depending on the degree of relations and the prospects for the development of strategic relations.
He believes that the talk about initiating new areas of Armenian-American cooperation is a “clear strategic signal” that Armenia will be able to modernize its security system with US support.
“When we talk about military cooperation, everyone thinks that the armies of Western partners will bravely march into the region and protect our state. This cannot happen,” he emphasized.
In the political analyst’s opinion, there is no need to have illusions, and one should realize that “the main defensive force” is Armenia’s armed forces. He explains that the partners “will support as much as our bilateral and multilateral relations will deepen with time”. This refers to both diplomatic and military-technical support.
“In the face of the challenges facing the Republic of Armenia, it is impossible to survive without new approaches to the armed forces. We have no alternative to the modernization leap,” Simonyan believes.
He emphasizes that now there is no place for old-style armies, it is necessary to acquire new technologies, receive modern military education, master technical skills for the use of new types of weapons.
He calls the current situation a transitional period. He is convinced that in case of a new escalation, the West, states friendly to Armenia will closely follow the first clashes.
“If Armenia shows determination and will to fight for its national interests, technological, informational, diplomatic and economic support will not be late. But [U.S.] troops will not enter here,” he says.
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Armenian-American military cooperation
