The 108th Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO PA began in Yerevan on September 22. The Head of the Armenian Delegation to the NATO PA, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Defense and Security Andranik Kocharyan made welcome remarks and noted:
“Dear Mr President,
Your Excellencies, Ambassadors,
Distinguished parliamentarians,
I welcome you to Yerevan, the capital of the Republic of Armenia, where this year we are once again honored to host the Rose-Roth Seminar of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. This important platform established more than three decades ago, has served to strengthen trust between democratic states, deepen security cooperation, and facilitate comprehensive discussions on regional issues. In the coming days, we have a unique opportunity to continue that valuable dialogue.
The Rose-Roth Seminar was held last time in Armenia in 2015. Today, after 10 years, we are once again united around the same values: peace, stability and cooperation. It is noteworthy that this seminar is being held in Armenia at a time, when complex and multifaceted regional developments, more than ever, need international support, exchange of experience, and manifestation of political will.
Therefore, the choice of topics to be at the center of our attention these days is also purposeful:
· Peace Agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
· Regional geopolitical competition,
· Democratic resilience,
· Hybrid threats and disinformation,
· Regional economic cooperation.
On August 8, 2025, a joint declaration was signed during the trilateral meeting between the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, the U.S. President Donald Trump, and the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev in Washington. This document opened a new page in the history of the South Caucasus, enshrining the principles of peace and the establishment of inter-state relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The process of establishing peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is not only a national, regional, but also a global security priority. We believe that it is possible to achieve a sustainable peace based on the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, inviolability of borders, jurisdiction and reciprocity. The implementation of this process is not only a guarantee of the restoration of bilateral relations, but also a new opportunity for the transformation of the region.
In this context the strategic vision of the Crossroads of Peace is aligned with the provisions of the declaration, proposing the reactivation of transport and infrastructure links, economic interconnection and trust. This historical opportunity should be used to transform the regional political environment, to strengthen peace through economic cooperation, trade and cultural exchanges.
At the same time, we cannot ignore the global geopolitical changes, which form new realities with new security challenges and competitive agenda. These changes not only demand adequate response, but also deeper integration in the international security architecture.
In this context, I would like, especially, to underscore the key role of the Armenia-NATO partnership. The relations between Armenia and NATO have a history of more than 30 years. The bilateral cooperation began in 1994 within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program, and since 2006, the partnership relations and cooperation in various spheres have been implemented within the framework of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan. At present, discussions are underway to approve a new cooperation document, the Individually Tailored Partnership Programmes.
The engagement with the NATO includes a number of strategic directions: reforms of defense and security systems, increased transparency of governance, strengthening civilian oversight, military-educational exchanges, and participation in international peacekeeping missions.
Our cooperation is based on universal values – democracy, security, protection of human rights and rule of law. Armenia highly appreciates this cooperation, observing it not only as a defense platform, but also a platform for systemic reforms that promote strengthening the independence and institutional resilience of our country.
These relations are especially important in today’s multipolar, unpredictable, and often unstable world, becoming an important pillar of security and sustainable development.
In addition to being faithful to common values, we are confident that coordinated work to strengthen internal resilience is also important. In this regard, we particularly emphasize the active fight against hybrid threats, disinformation, and various manipulations in the information environment.
Armenia is facing the targeted use of disinformation propaganda aimed at weakening trust in democratic institutions, manipulating, and undermining state policy.
In the context of fight against these threats we highlight not only raising public awareness, digital literacy, boosting the development of the media and civil society, but also the exchange of international experience in the fields of civil defense and information security.
In the context of the abovementioned challenges, I would also like to remind you that at the Spring Session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly held in Dayton in May of this year, it was clearly emphasized that hybrid wars, disinformation and cyberattacks are no longer accompanying phenomena, but fundamental threats to national and international security. Therefore, the participation of Armenia in neutralizing these threats is not only relevant, but also vital.
One of the important preconditions of democratic stability is the civil oversight in the spheres of defense and security. It is an important means of increasing public trust in the security policy of the state, while at the same time promoting the law enforcement agencies acting in accordance with the law and democratic principles.
Nevertheless, we should admit that the challenges of transparency and accountability in defense and security spheres are many conditioned by the peculiarities, which is conditioned by the peculiarities of the sphere, which is natural in terms of national security considerations. Certainly, this circumstance should not turn into lack of accountability: issues related to institutional mechanisms for ensuring civilian oversight, the combination of security and public oversight rights, the role of parliamentarians, non-governmental organizations, the independent expert community, and the experience of the NATO member and partner states in this direction should occupy a priority place on our agenda.
I hope that during our upcoming discussions, valuable observations and practical proposals will be generated that will help the Republic of Armenia not only to strengthen democratic oversight, but also to increase the quality and credibility of political decisions in the security sector.
Dear colleagues,
The inter-dependence of regional economic cooperation and security is also an important component of the upcoming discussions. We believe that the South Caucasus could and should become a region of connecting bridges, not dividing lines, based on mutually beneficial cooperation. As I have already mentioned, we have put this principle at the heart of the Crossroads of Peace strategic vision.
To this end, it is necessary to develop mechanisms of mutual trust, keep channels of dialogue open, and support initiatives aimed at stability.
I am confident that the Rose-Roth Seminar will not only boost the exchange of experience, but also promote the deepening of strategic ties, both in bilateral and multilateral formats. The long-standing experience, vision and commitment of the alliance to ensuring peace and security are of vital importance for today’s Armenia.
Let me thank the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, the partners of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia, and all the organizers for bringing this important event to life.
I wish all of us fruitful work, deep discussions and joint solutions for peace, stability and development in the South Caucasus.
Thank you.”
