Ensuring the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia and the security of Artsakh
FORMATION OF A MORE FAVORABLE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT
4.1 Armenia’s foreign policy objectives are to ensure the sovereignty, security, and development of the state, as well as the formation of a more favorable external environment for the security and well-being of its citizens. In its foreign relations, Armenia draws on civilizational and democratic value systems, as well as the continual development of mutually beneficial and equal relations with all states.
4.2 The Republic of Armenia implements its foreign policy priorities on the basis of three fundamental, comprehensive, and interrelated principles: sovereignty, as the fundamental basis for carrying out foreign policy; a Pan-Armenian outlook, the idea of understanding and realizing collective Armenian interests; cooperation, as a means of establishing mutually beneficial and equal relations with states.
4.3 The Republic of Armenia is the guarantor of the security of Artsakh. This role is conditioned by Azerbaijan’s policy of resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through military means, posing an existential threat to the population of Artsakh.
4.4 If Turkey were to cease its unneighborly policy toward Armenia and the Armenian people, it would cease to be a security threat for us.
4.5 Armenia views democracy and the protection of fundamental human rights and freedoms as vital components of peace and stability in the region. It will continue to support the entrenchment of these principles.
4.6 Given the increasing tensions between international and regional power centers and institutions, Armenia ascribes importance to the role of multilateral international platforms, including international security organizations, as well as the maintenance and strengthening of cooperation within them, respect for each other’s interests, and the principles of mutual assistance among allies. At the same time, Armenia shall continue its close cooperation with those global power centers and regional actors that pursue a policy of preserving peace and stability and are willing to cooperate in containing threats to peace.
4.7 Armenia’s foreign policy priorities include deepening and expanding its strategic alliance with the Russian Federation in the spheres of politics, trade and economy, defense, security, culture, and humanitarian assistance based on the historical friendship between the two nations. Guided by the principles of equality and the thorough consideration of each other’s interests, efforts shall be made to advance cooperation in both a bilateral format and within the framework of multilateral and integration associations, towards strengthening regional stability and security.
4.8 Armenia shall continue advancing its friendly partnership, as well as deepening its strategic dialogue, with the United States of America in the spheres of Armenia’s development, the implementation of its reform agenda, democracy, the protection of human rights, and the strengthening of international stability and security.
4.9 Armenia ascribes paramount importance to deepening friendly relations and expanding its bilateral and multilateral partnership with the European Union, its member states, and other European countries. The implementation of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with the EU continues to contribute to Armenia’s development reform agenda. Armenia ascribes special importance to strengthening and advancing cooperation with France and Germany. We shall continue steadily fostering people-to-people contact and mobility between Armenia and EU member states.
4.10 Stability in neighboring Georgia and Iran is of great importance for Armenia. Based on mutually beneficial and special good-neighborly relations with Georgia and Iran, Armenia shall advance its effective cooperation with them in various dimensions, while taking care to shield these relationships from extraneous geopolitical influence.
4.11 We shall continue to strengthen the Armenia-Greece-Cyprus tripartite relationship and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation.
4.12 We shall consistently deepen friendly relations with the People’s Republic of China by expanding broad, multi-sector, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
4.13 Armenia shall also work with India to develop and deepen friendly and multidimensional cooperation.
4.14 Continuously expanding our cooperation with Middle Eastern states is among our priorities. Armenia must be involved in reforming the regional security system of the Middle East, aimed also at securing the historical presence of Armenians in the region.
4.15 Armenia ascribes importance to multilateral cooperation with like-minded states aimed at neutralizing global and regional security threats, preserving international order and peace on the basis of common values and principles.
DETERRENCE AND NEUTRALIZATION OF MILITARY THREATS
4.16 Armenia’s defense policy intends to protect the security and national interests of the state and its citizens. The main objective of the defense policy is to define and execute Armenia’s defense priorities by anticipating and evaluating military threats, containing them with In its foreign relations, Armenia draws on civilizational and democratic value systems, as well as the continual development of mutually beneficial and equal relations with all states. political-diplomatic tools, as well as deterring and neutralizing them with defense capabilities. We fulfill this mission through the comprehensive development of military capabilities and application techniques, in order to neutralize the adversary’s quantitative advantage with our qualitative excellence. As the guarantor of Artsakh’s security, the Republic of Armenia directs its defense policy towards ensuring the security of Artsakh.
4.17 In pursuit of our defense objectives, we shall continue to modernize our armed forces, develop command and control systems, improve military capabilities, raise the institutional efficiency of the armed forces, protect critical infrastructure, improve cybersecurity, and accelerate the progress of science and technology that contributes to the military industry. We shall also develop comprehensive mobilization capabilities.
4.18 In order to resolve issues that threaten regional security and contain potential aggression against the Republic of Armenia and Artsakh through peaceful means, a defense-security system that can effectively withstand military-political threats is required. In particular, we shall improve the readiness of our Armed Forces, adopt new approaches to warfare, develop Armenia’s military-industrial potential, and expand the scope of its military-economic cooperation.
4.19 We shall improve coordination among state administrative bodies in security-related decision-making, enhancing the state’s internal resilience.
4.20 If necessary, the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia, alongside stakeholder state agencies, shall partake in ensuring international security by involving Armenian peacekeepers and specialists in international peacekeeping missions, and broadening Armenia’s commitments in this area.
4.21 We are committed to improving democratic oversight of the defense sector to ensure the effective management of the Armed Forces, their political neutrality, the protection of the rights and interests of military personnel, and transparency, with the goal of making the Armed Forces an inseparable element of democratic governance.
ENSURING THE SECURITY OF ARTSAKH
4.22 The use of force by Azerbaijan in the context of the Karabakh conflict is the principal threat to Armenia’s security.
4.23 For the last three decades, Azerbaijan has continued to justify the mass slaughter of Armenians in Sumgait, Baku, Maragha, and Gandzak, and its Armenophobic policy has hindered the reconciliation process.
4.24 The military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan in April 2016, coupled with the atrocities and war crimes committed by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces against the peaceful population of Artsakh, reaffirmed that the population of Artsakh faces an existential threat.
4.25 While committed to the peaceful resolution of the conflict, the Republic of Armenia, as the guarantor of Artsakh’s security, supports the government of Artsakh in defending its population from Azerbaijan’s military aggression and coercion. The Republic of Armenia will prevent any new attempt to exterminate or expel the population of Artsakh.
4.26 Armenia is faithful to the peaceful resolution process under the aegis of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. The question of Artsakh’s status and security is the very basis of the peace process. In this context, Armenia finds security and confidence-building measures by all parties to the conflict as a necessary component for shaping an environment conducive to peace. All parties to the conflict should make equal efforts towards preparing their respective populations for peace.
4.27 We shall continue to support the right of the people of Artsakh to self-determination without restriction or coercion. Ensuring the security of the people of Artsakh in the process of conflict resolution and in the post-resolution phase is a mandatory condition and is not subject to concession. Artsakh must have the necessary defense lines that will safeguard its security and provide a system of safe, secure, and diversified communication with the external world, including the Republic of Armenia.
4.28 The right of peoples to self-determination, recognized by the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and all OSCE member states as one of the fundamental principles for the resolution of the conflict, provides a basis for the people of Artsakh, represented by its legitimately-elected government, to fully participate in all stages of negotiations determining their destiny.
4.29 The indefinite ceasefire agreements, signed in 1994-1995 between the Republic of Armenia, Artsakh, and Azerbaijan, created a solid military-political equilibrium and the conditions necessary for the peace process. Azerbaijan’s attempts to disrupt this military-political equilibrium, its periodic ceasefire violations, and its expansionist stance in negotiations are aimed at forcing Artsakh to relinquish its statehood and legitimate rights, and thus impede the peaceful resolution of the conflict.
4.30 The Republic of Armenia shall continue to support human rights and democratic institutions in Artsakh, as well as further strengthen its economic and environmental security. Human rights, including political, civil, economic, social, and cultural rights, are inalienable values, the protection of which should be a collective goal of the international community.
4.31 The Republic of Armenia is determined to ensure that the collective rights of the population of Artsakh to determine its own future, its governing structure, its economic development models and approaches, and its universal right to elect its own democratic government are both exercised and recognized.
4.32 The Republic of Armenia will provide necessary assistance to Artsakh for expanding and deepening its international relations so that its population can benefit from international cooperation, fulfill its potential, and exercise its rights.
