ARMENIA WILL STRENGTHEN COOPERATION WITH NATO – YEREVAN

Interfax
April 28 2009
Russia

Armenia will strengthen and broaden mutually beneficial cooperation
with NATO, Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian told NATO
Deputy Secretary General Claudio Bisognero.

Nalbandian also said during talks with Bisognero that Yerevan would
expand cooperation with NATO under the Partnership for Peace Program,
the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Interfax on Tuesday.

"The minister underscored the importance of the Armenia-NATO
individual partnership program as a format of effective cooperation,"
the ministry’s press service said.

Nalbandian said that Armenia would continue cooperating with NATO in
peacekeeping operations, in the fight against international terrorism,
in dealing with the aftermath of natural disasters and in other areas,
according to the press service.

"The NATO deputy secretary general welcomed progress observed in
Armenian-Turkish relations, saying that NATO hails steps to establish
relations between Yerevan and Ankara," the Foreign Ministry said.

Bisognero is in Armenia on a one-day working visit.