Nov 13, 2023. Posted by Balkan Periscope - Hellas
Armenia
Italian delegation pays
official visit
On November 9, Suren Papikyan, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Armenia, received the delegation led by Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, the Chief of the General Staff of the Republic of
Italy, who was in Armenia on a working visit, the Press Office of the Armenian Defense Ministry reported. Issues related to the Armenian-Italian defense cooperation and regional security were discussed. The Minister of Defense emphasized the prospects for the development of relations in various aspects of bilateral interest, on which arrangements were reached during the meeting.
On the same day, Lieutenant General Edward Asryan, the Chief of the
Armenian Armed Forces General Staff and the First Deputy Minister of
Defense, met with Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone. Issues related to
bilateral cooperation were discussed, and the directions for cooperation
between the Italian and Armenian Armed Forces in 2024 were also outlined.
Armenia Responds to Reports of French Military
Equipment Acquisition: Emphasizes Right to Self-Defense
An Armenian news agency sought a response from Aram
Torosyan, Armenia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) spokesperson, regarding
circulating reports and images on Telegram channels about France allegedly
sending military equipment to Armenia. The reports suggest that a substantial
quantity of “Bastion” armored vehicles and their equipment were by France to
Armenia.
“Apart from the official messages and statements
regarding cooperation between Armenia and France in the defense sector, we
cannot disclose any additional information at this time,” the Armenian MoD
spokesperson said. Acquiring weaponry is a fundamental right for Armenia,
and Yerevan will buy it from any country, if possible, for self-defense. This
statement was made in response to another harsh criticism from Baku by Edmon
Marukyan, Armenia’s ambassador with special assignments.
“Of course, these weapons do not have an aggressive
purpose; they are intended for defense, which is the fundamental right of
Armenia. This right has been, is being, and will continue to be exercised.
Therefore, Azerbaijan’s statements on this matter are simply
astonishing,” explained Marukyan.
Armenia and France entered into a defense cooperation
agreement on October 23 this year. However, information about the provision of
French armored vehicles to Armenia had already surfaced in public sources
around May and June.
Baku persists in expressing dissatisfaction with the
military collaboration between Armenia and France. Recently, the spokesperson
for Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister, Aykhan Hajizade, voiced strong
condemnation of France’s provision of military equipment to Armenia.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan Approves
Defense Cooperation Agreement with Georgia
On November 11, Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, approved the
"Agreement on Defense Cooperation between the Government of Azerbaijan and
the Government of Georgia".
The purpose of the agreement is to promote and strengthen defense
cooperation between the parties, as well as to provide a practical framework
for the implementation of military cooperation programs adopted by the parties.
It is noted in the document that the parties agreed on military education,
training and exercises, defense and security policy, peacekeeping and
humanitarian operations, cooperation within the framework of NATO's
"Partnership for Peace" program, arms control and disarmament,
military legislation, material and technical support, will cooperate in
civil-military cooperation, defense cyber security, military mapping, military
medical services, social, sports and cultural events, humanitarian demining.
The document also envisages cooperation between the parties in formats such as
official visits and working meetings, bilateral negotiations, consultations and
exchange of experience, exchange of information of common interest, and
participation in conferences and seminars.
Notably, the Georgian parliament ratified the document on June 13. The
agreement was signed in Baku in April this year by the defense ministers of
Georgia and Azerbaijan.
Georgia
Minister of Defense of
the Republic of Slovenia pays official visit
On November 6, Marjan Šarec, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of
Slovenia, visited Georgia on an official visit, the Press Office of the
Georgian Defense Ministry reported. He was hosted by Georgian Defense
Minister Juansher Burchuladze. Colleagues held a bilateral meeting to discuss
prospects for defense cooperation between the two countries and the
international security environment and challenges. Burchuladze thanked the
Slovenian side for his firm support of Georgia's territorial integrity and
sovereignty and for supporting integration into Euro-Atlantic structures. He
informed his Slovenian colleague about reforms in the Georgian Defense Agency,
which helped to increase compatibility with NATO. The Minister emphasized
Slovenia's active involvement in the implementation of the NATO-Georgia
Essential Package (SNGP) and cooperation in the field of military education and
military training. At a meeting held at the Ministry of Defense, the ministers
signed a joint declaration of cooperation between the ministries of defense of
Georgia and Slovenia, which aims to bring defense agencies closer and deepen
partnership.
Local exercises
On November 6, in the framework of "Didgori 2023"
inter-departmental command and staff training, the Eastern Battalion of the
Special Operations Forces and the subdivision of the Rapid Response Division of
the Department of Strategic Pipelines Protection of the Ministry of Internal
Affairs conducted a joint training. In the crisis created according
to the simulation scenario, the Defense Forces and the Ministry of Internal
Affairs units acted in a coordinated manner and effectively performed the set
task. The Georgian-made "Didgori" and "Didgori Medevac"
participated in the joint exercises, which carried out the evacuation of the
wounded. The newly modernized UH-1H Iroquois-type helicopter of the Defense
Forces was involved in the air evacuation of the injured representative of the
Ministry of Internal Affairs.
On November 11, the field trainings at the tactical level envisaged improving
the interaction between the units and deepening the coordination. For this
purpose, in the territory of the "Norio" training area, according to
the simulation scenario, the delay-blocking operation of the opponent, the air
evacuation of the wounded, and the finding of quick medical aid were played.
The 12th Battalion of the 1st Infantry Brigade was involved in the operation,
supported by a platoon of National Guard Reservists and the Army Logistics
Support Command, which supplied the battalion with logistical supplies as
requested. The anti-aircraft missile complex "ATLAS" of 2 units of
the Aviation and Air Defense Command also played supporting elements in the
exercise.
On November 12, the inter-departmental command and staff exercise
"Didgori 2023" was actively being conducted with the
involvement of various field components. To coordinate cooperation and
effective actions in crises, a simulation exercise was played according to the
flood scenario in Sachkhere. The company of the 102nd Territorial Defense
Battalion of the National Guard and the units of the Emergency Situations
Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the
representatives of the public organizations "I Serve Georgia" and
"General Mazniashvili Legion," conducted rescue operations in a
coordinated manner. One of the goals of the field components of "Didgori
2023" was to respond to a natural disaster in coordination with the
Emergency Management Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, to control
the organization of volunteers, to improve the procedures for receiving,
equipping, and training reservists and interdepartmental communication.
Visit of NATO Military
Committee
On November 9, the members of the NATO Military Committee visiting Georgia
got acquainted with the progress of the inter-agency command staff
training "Didgori 2023" at the Joint NATO-Georgia Training and
Evaluation Center (JTEC). In the new building of the center of simulations,
communication, and information systems, the guests received information about
the work of the general headquarters of education and inter-departmental
operational and simulation centers from the representatives of the Ministry of
Defense and various state agencies participating in "Didgori 2023".
During his visit to "Krtsanis," Admiral Rob Bauer, the Chairman of
the NATO Military Committee, met with the leaders of the defense forces at
JTEC. At the meeting with Major General Giorgi Matiashvili, the Commander of
the Defense Forces, Brigadier General Irakli Chichinadze, his deputy, and the
representatives of the Defense Forces, they discussed the prospects of
cooperation with NATO and member states.
Moreover, the NATO Military Committee held a plenary meeting of
the Military Committee in cooperation with Georgia. Georgian Defense Minister
Juansher Burchuladze addressed the meeting with a welcoming speech. Admiral Rob
Bauer and Major General Giorgi Matiashvili were present at the meeting. During
the session, representatives of the NATO military committee received a detailed
briefing on the security environment in the region and the challenges facing
the country. The main directions of cooperation with the Alliance were
discussed during the joint meeting. Attention was paid to the implementation of
the NATO-Georgia essential package with the Alliance. The Georgian side
provided the members of the NATO Military Committee with updated information on
the transformation of Georgia's defense and the progress achieved.
Security Watch