NATO MAY PLAY LARGE ROLE IN SOUTHERN CAUCASUS – MINISTER

ITAR-TASS, Russia
TASS
Oct 6 2005

DUSHANBE, October 6 (Itar-Tass) – Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan said NATO may play a large role in establishing peace in
southern Caucasus and induce countries in the regions to a peaceful
dialogue.”

Oskanyan said so at a seminar on security in southern Caucasus,
organized by the Armenian parliament and NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly.

“It matches Armenia’s efforts and wishes;” this task can be viewed
within the context of the program of individual partnership between
Armenia and NATO, the foreign minister said.

The implementation of the individual partnership program will help
Armenia to attain three goads: to institutionalize the dialogue with
NATO on border security and the fight against terrorism and illegal
weapons-trafficking.

It will also facilitate the country’s army reform, whose objectives
envision civil control over the armed forces, and ensure Armenia’s
participation in NATO-led peacekeeping operations.

“We can achieve all this with NATO’s assistance,” the minister said.

Armenia is a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
/CSTO/, it has Russian military bases in its territory, but at the
same time, the republic closely works with NATO, in accordance with
Yerevan’s principle of “complementary foreign policy.”