RA FOREIGN MINISTER EMPHASIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATO INFORMATION CENTER

armradio.am
12.03.2007 16:10

RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian today declared about the important
role of the NATO Information Centre in Yerevan.

"We are very glad to officially open this Center today," Vartan
Oskanian said.

"The Center has already been operating for a certain period of time
and has proven its relevance. Establishment of this Center was one of
the provisions of the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP), and
I’m very pleased that we realized the project during the first year of
the IPAP implementation. This is an important step, since due to this
Center we shall present correct data about the Alliance, its activity
and cooperation with Armenia," said the Armenian Foreign Minister.

Vartan Oskanian mentioned that "because of understandable reasons
the notion of the Alliance among our society does not completely
correspond to today’s reformed NATO."

"Today NATO is not the alliance that existed during the "cold
war." Many things have changed in the world situation, and the NATO
has managed to adapt to the new reality. However, elements of the
mentality of the "cold war" period still persist in our society, and
that is why there is the necessity of providing correct information,"
said Vartan Oskanian.

In the Foreign Minister’s words, it is of particular importance for
Armenia, which, unlike other ex-Soviet countries, is carrying out a
complementary policy, closely cooperating with Russia in the field of
security, being a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO), and deepening the cooperation with NATO in the framework of
the IPAP.

"Our policy of recent years has proven that there is no contradiction
between all these directions," Vartan Oskanian underlined.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress