The Washington Summit on August 8 marked a comprehensive shift in Armenia’s security environment, stated Armen Grigoryan, Secretary of the Security Council.
“At this stage, the level of security-related risks, particularly military risks, is relatively low—especially compared to the situation observed a few months ago,” emphasized Kristine Grigoryan, head of Armenia’s Foreign Intelligence Service, also linking this to the August 8 summit. She added that the delimitation conducted in a small section of Tavush laid the foundation for the process that began on August 8.
Security Council Secretary Armen Grigoryan continued, “To ensure security and adapt to the surrounding environment, peace is primarily needed. This is our strategic priority. Moreover, once peace is established, it must be institutionalized, made a daily concern, and conditions must be created to adapt security structures.”
From a security perspective, it is also necessary to adapt the state as a whole, as he believes Armenia has managed to counter most of the numerous threats that have emerged around the country over the past four to five years by adapting to the new environment. It is in the context of adapting to this new environment that the country’s authorities are apparently considering the potential abandonment of the Declaration of Independence, even extending to discussions about removing Mount Ararat from border stamps.
“When you build an apartment, the paintings on the walls may evoke different emotions in neighbors. We believe that as we progress toward peace, it is necessary to address existing issues, and it is very important that we address these issues publicly,” he stated.
Nevertheless, despite these efforts, the authorities acknowledge that threats to Armenia exist and will persist. Kristine Grigoryan, head of the Foreign Intelligence Service, notes that these threats currently pertain less to physical security and more to democracy. She emphasized that the risks to democracy are largely hybrid in nature. “These threats do not stem from a single state or a specific actor. They involve complex and combined challenges that require a systemic assessment and an adequate response,” she stated.
“Threats will never be completely eliminated, and this must be accepted,” she added. In a rapidly changing world, Armenia must be able to promptly identify and accurately assess risks while finding unconventional and creative solutions to overcome them, Grigoryan concluded.