Armenia and U.S. discuss defense cooperation issues

YEREVAN, November 6. /ARKA/. Lieutenant General Edvard Asryan, Chief of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, discussed with Lieutenant General Stephen Basham, Deputy Commander of the U.S. European Command, a set of issues related to the development of Armenian-American military cooperation.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said Asryan visited the headquarters of the U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, on November 1-3 at the invitation of the European Command of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Asryan presented the details of the reforms being implemented in Armenian Armed Forces and the support expected from the U.S. in their implementation.

Basham was said to express the readiness of the U.S. to continue supporting the current cooperation programs, as well as to initiate new directions of cooperation isuch as helping Armenia to shift to contract military service, strengthen the professional non-commissioned officers, modernize the management system, as well as assist in peacekeeping, military medicine, military education and combat training, exercises and other. Regional security issues were also discussed.

Asryan also visited the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) and the NCO Academy located in Hohenfels, Germany. -0-