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which was adopted in Prague in 2002 and is targeted specifically toward Central Asia and the
Caucasus, goes well beyond defense reform, however. Designed to build on the success of the
MAP, IPAPs aim to upgrade cooperation with partner states that have not been invited to join
MAP but which have expressed a desire for closer cooperation with NATO.
Just as in the MAP
process, participants write their own national plans detailing the specific reforms they plan to
undertake.
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Following the presentation of an IPAP, NATO provides “focused, country-specific
assistance and advice on reform objectives.”
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As with MAP, IPAPS have a political chapter,
thereby providing NATO with an opportunity to encourage a broad range of political reforms,
rather than confining its influence to the military sector.
To date, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan have agreed to participate in the
IPAP process. While the IPAP is not formally a “waiting room” for the MAP, some NATO staff
and diplomats do see it as an opportunity for NATO to assess how serious the Central Asian and
Caucasus states are about making the desired reforms. They acknowledge that it is not yet clear
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IPAPs are two-year rather than annual plans, as is true in the case of MAP.
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Report on the Comprehensive Review of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and Partnership for Peace,
November 21, 2002..
Convention