CIS DEFENSE CHIEF ARRIVES IN YEREVAN FOR TALKS WITH ARMENIA’S LEADERS
Itar-Tass News Agency, Russia
March 14 2007
Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) of the CIS, Nikolai Bordyuzha, arrived on the three-day visit
in Yerevan Tuesday night. His visit here will last three days.
"Armenia is a reliable and time-tested partner in the system of allied
relationship of CSTO member-states and it cooperates actively with
other countries in the issues of foreign policy and counteraction to
new threats and challenges," – Bordyuzha said.
Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Armen Kirakossian told Itar-Tass
Bordyuzha will continue dialogue with his Armenian hosts and will
meet with public activists.
The agenda of his visit includes meetings with President Robert
Kocharian and with teachers and students of Yerevan State University,
as well as a trip to the Military University of the Defense Ministry.
"Since Armenia remains a member of the CSTO, its relations with NATO
can’t be viewed as a form of contradiction with other CSTO members,"
Kirakossian said. "In one case, we are CSTO members and in another
case, we cooperate with NATO."
"We consider CSTO to be a cornerstone factor of our security,"
said Defense Minister Serge Sarkissian. As for Russian-Armenian
cooperation in the format of the organization is a crucial guarantee
of this country’s military security.
He recalled that the two countries had formed an effective grouping of
troops that includes units of the Russian military base and elements
of the Armenian Armed Forces.