Armenia not planning to join NATO – foreign minister

Armenia not planning to join NATO – foreign minister

Mediamax news agency
16 Apr 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in Yerevan today that
“as long as we have not raised the issue of our membership of NATO,
our cooperation with the alliance does not run counter to Armenia’s
strategic relations with Russia and our membership of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization”.

“Contradictions may appear only if Armenia raises the issue of its
membership of NATO, however, we have no plans on that score today. We
are ready to expand relations with NATO, but this does not mean that
Armenia plans to start talks on joining the alliance,” Oskanyan said.

“If Georgia and Azerbaijan become members of NATO, and Armenia does
not, then this will obviously create new dividing lines in the
Caucasus,” Oskanyan said. According to him, “these issues concern not
only us, but also NATO, the USA and Russia, which is why they will be
very cautious and will try to avoid this scenario”.