Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian said that main outcome of the second stage of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) with NATO was the realization of Armenia’s Strategic Defense Review.

Seyran Ohanian said this in Brussels, July 27 at the session of the North Atlantic Council in 28+1 format (NATO members + Armenia). The session discussed the report on IPAP implementation and the draft document of the third stage of IPAP, Mediamax reports.

“We have recently increased our contribution to Afghanistan by deploying 82 people in Mazar-e Sarif and sending 5 Armenian instructor officers to NATO Training Mission in Afghanistan. With the company of 40 servicemen serving in Kunduz, there are currently 126 Armenian servicemen in Afghanistan under the German Command,” the minister said.

Seyran Ohanian noted that in the context of initiation of the process of handing over the responsibility for security provision in Afghanistan to this country’s armed forces, Armenia, in case of necessity, is ready to consider the issue of reorientation of its activity within ISAF to the solution of training and instructor tasks.

Speaking about the importance of Armenia-NATO cooperation and efficiency of previous stage of IPAP realization, Seyran Ohanian said:

“Within the second stage of IPAP, the main outcome of cooperation with the North Atlantic Alliance was Armenia’s Strategic Defense Review - a process aimed at bringing the defense sphere in line with the security environment formed around the country and leveling of threats proceeding from this environment. As a result of review, a mid-term plan for the development of Armenian Armed Forces for 2011-2015 has been worked out. It secures defense management on the basis of a democratic and civil control.”

The Defense Minister also said with satisfaction that Armenia-NATO cooperation is successfully developing in all spheres of military education and development of professional sergeant's system.