REGIONAL SECURITY DYNAMICS: ARMENIA
Keywords:
National Security Strategy, Military Doctrine, Armenia, Regional Security, Military security, Nagorno Karabakh, Strategic Defense Review, Network stateAbstract
After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the vision of national security in the South Caucasus was mainly dominated by the maintenance of independence and the wars in Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia. Shortly following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Armenia was confronted with two blockades on its borders with Azerbaijan and Turkey; another troubling obstacle in addition to its geographically landlocked position. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict defined the external dimension of threats to its national security in its newly independent state amidst the unpredictable regional situation. The external threats and the internal chaotic situation within The Republic of Armenia (RA) called for an elaborated and organized system found in its National Security Document/Strategy. ‘The Development of National Security Strategy’1 was initiated in 1992 and finalized in 2007. Between 2005 and 2007, as a part of a process of deepening cooperation with NATO, the South Caucasian states adopted their respective national security documents. There was a clear lack of experience in developing the National Security Strategy of Armenia. Therefore for the state institutions; collaboration with international stakeholders is of high importance. Reviewing the evolution of Armenia’s National Security Strategy shows that the document was drawn up by the following collaborative interagency commission: the Secretary of the Armenian Defense Ministry, and local and foreign experts.
References
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