SERGE SARGSIAN: ASPIRED TO INTEGRATE INTO EUROPEAN FAMILY ARMENIA
SHOULD CLOSELY COOPERATE WITH NATO
06.04.2005 08:41
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Purposing the objective to integrate into the
European family Armenia must have close ties with NATO, Secretary
of the Security Council under the RA President, Armenian Defense
Minister Serge Sargsian stated during the joint press conference
with Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Gediminas Kirkilas. “Of
course, we will strengthen relations with NATO, however it should not
damage the relations within the CSTO as well as the Armenian-Russian
relationships”, the RA Defense Minister noted. He added that Armenia
does not discussed the start of military-technical cooperation
either with NATO or separate member-states, the reason being the
member-states’ disinterest in this cooperation. “As it is known our
military equipment is produced either in Russia or in the Soviet
Union. To replace the acting structure would be incorrect both from
economic and political viewpoint”, he noted. In his turn Gediminas
Kirkilas said that Lithuania welcomes the development of Armenia-NATO
relations and Armenia’s decision to participate in peacekeeping
operations in Iraq. “Lithuania will assist Armenia to integrate into
European structures, however the final decision should be made by
the people and government of the republic”, the Lithuanian Minister
of National Defense stated.