PRESS RELEASE October 31, 2005

Armenian Defense Minister Visited the United States

source: www.defenselink.mil

Defense Minister and Secretary of Presidential National Security Council Serzh Sargsyan visited the United States from October 23 to 28, 2005, at the invitation of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. The Minister's itinerary in the United States included bilateral military consultations in Kansas , Georgia , and Florida , and concluded with a series of high-level official meetings in Washington , D.C.

On October 28, Minister of Defense Sargsyan met with his U.S. counterpart at the Pentagon. Secretary Rumsfeld hosted an honor cordon at the Pentagon's River Entrance to welcome Minister Sargsyan. U.S. - Armenian military and security cooperation, regional security and partnership within the coalition were among the issues discussed during the meeting. The two sides expressed satisfaction with the current level of bilateral military ties and discussed the programs aimed to further expand this cooperation. Minister Sargsyan presented the main directions of reforms in the Armenian Armed Forces.

At the end of their meeting, Armenian Minister of Defense and U.S. Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld held a press briefing for U.S. and Armenian media representatives. The two ministers fielded questions on the current level and prospects of U.S. - Armenian military cooperation. Secretary Rumsfeld said that U.S. and Armenia cooperate closely and said that the Armenian contingent in Iraq is doing an excellent job. Minister Sargsyan, in turn, noted that Armenia intends to take full advantage of opportunities made available by the United States in its program to reform the Armenian Armed Forces.

During the Washington , D.C. leg of his visit, Minister Sargsyan met with Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns, Senate Majority Whip Mitch McConnell, Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Richard Lugar, Chairman of House Foreign Operations Subcommittee Jim Colbe, Co-Chairs of the Congressional Armenian Caucus Rep. Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg. Issues related to U.S. - Armenian military and security cooperation, and continued U.S. support for democratic and economic reforms in Armenia were discussed during these meetings.

On October 27, the Armenian Minister of Defense was hosted by the National Defense University , the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, and the National Press Club. The attendee list included senior military officers and Pentagon's political analysts at the National Defense University , researchers and regional experts from U.S. government and major U.S. think tanks at the Carnegie Endowment, and U.S. and Armenian press at the National Press Club. They had the opportunity to hear Minister Sargsyan's presentation and comments on regional security in South Caucasus, Armenia's foreign policy and its relations with countries in the region, prospects for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and the U.S.-Armenian military and security cooperation.

On September 26, Minister Sargsyan was the guest of honor at the reception hosted by the Embassy of Armenia and attended by U.S. government officials, foreign diplomatic corps accredited in Washington , D.C. , and Armenian-American community members. Senior Department of Defense and Department of State officials were present at the reception given by the Pentagon in honor of Minister Sargsyan on October 27.