July 15, 2000 - 19:35 AMT
THE REGULATION OF RELATIONS WITH NATO DOES NOT IMPEDE THE ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN STRATEGIC RELATIONS, DECLARED THE SECRETARY OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL OF ARMENIA
15.07.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. "We do not intend to enter NATO but the favorable cooperation of Armenia with all the interested international organizations is truly necessary", declared today the Secretary of the Security Council at the President, the minister of defense of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian in the interview to "Golos Armenii" paper.
Serzh Sarkisian said that the regulation of relations with NATO does not impede the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership. "Russia itself participates in many programs of NATO, and in this sense Armenia is a little behind Russia", said the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia.
He also noted that he thinks it possible to pursue such policy at which bilateral relations of Armenia with different countries would not contradict each other. "We have no right to allow such contradictions. If we had signed with NATO an agreement similar to that of with Russia, complications might have arisen", said Serzh Sarkisian. -0-