ARMENIA BROADENING ITS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS-KOCHARYAN
by Tigran Liloyan

ITAR-TASS News Agency
September 18, 2006 Monday 05:42 AM EST

The Republic of Armenia "is broadening its international relations
and, at the same time, consolidating its contacts with the traditional
friends. Armenia is continuing its policy of mutual supplementation
in the sphere of foreign policy," President Robert Kocharyan stated
here on Monday, opening the third "Armenia-Diaspora" forum.

"Several large-scale mutually profitable economic programs were
launched jointly with the Russian Federation and military-political
cooperation between the two countries is being deepened," Kocharyan
noted.

"Several large infra-structural programs have been drawn up with
Iran, which is our neighbour. Stable and effective relations have
been established with it," the president said, having in view, in
particular, the construction of a gas pipeline from Iran to Armenia.

"At the same time, Armenia is taking active steps to promote its
relations with the European Union. The drafting of the document on ‘The
New European Neighbourhood’ is all but completed," Kocharyan stated.

"Agreement has been reached on Armenia’s individual partnership
with the North Atlantic Alliance and it is already in the process
of implementation," the president noted. He recalled that bilateral
military cooperation between Armenia and the United States was growing
in the context of the international fight against terrorism". "The
Armenian army is taking part in the peace-making operations in Iraq
and Kosovo," he added.

"We are making all the decisions on the most acute international
problems with due account of the interests of our diaspora," Kocharyan
assured the forum.

Touching on the Nagorny Karabakh problem, he said the republic’s
international recognition should be regarded as Armenia’s national
super-task No. 1.

"Implementation of all the Armenian efforts to achieve an international
recognition of the Nagorny Karabakh Republic should be regarded as
our national super-task No. 1," he stressed.

"The existence of the Nagorny Karabakh Republic is an undisputable
fact and its organisational foundations are faultless," the president
believes. The Karabakh economy is steadily developing and the
democratic reforms are making increasing headway in the republic.

"The Nagorny Karabakh people have, in fact, implemented and defended
their right to self-determination and are now in the effective process
of building up their statehood," Kocharyan stated. "Nobody in Karabakh
wants to give up these achievements," he added.

The process of negotiations on the Karabakh settlement "has had its
ups and downs. There were several times when we were close to the
conclusion of an agreement, stipulating the right of the Nagorny
Karabakh people to a free life. "Unfortunately, we were unable to
achieve this end," Kocharyan stressed.