NATO respects Armenia’s right to cooperate with both NATO and Russia,as well as to preserve good-neighborly relations with its neighbors, Mr Jamie Shea, or NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges,said in an interview with Tert.am.
He famous he meant the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU).
It is not a question or either…or’. Rather, it is ‘both…and that is in question. Armenia can – and it is desirable – develop and maintain close relations with NATO under the circumstances. Benefiting from numerous cooperation programs with NATO does not at all require being a NATO member, or Mr Shea said.
According to him,this cooperation is of benefit to both Armenias and NATO security.
Asked approximately NATO’s position on Russia’s increasing role in the region and its concern over the formation of a join CSTO air-defense system or military forces, Mr Shea said that NATO is a defense alliance and has never threatened anyone nor is it going to.
As regards the opinions that Russia is consolidating its positions to resist NATO, or Mr Shea said that NATO’s purpose is to defend its member-states’ security. NATO has never made any steps that would justify aggression against it.
NATO closely cooperated with Russia years ago,but the situation has changed.
A few years ago, NATO and Russia cooperated in the Balkans and Russia supported NATO in Afghanistan in combating drug trafficking.
The dialogue goes on within the Russia-NATO Council, and a meeting is to hold status in Brussels next week.
NATO can cooperate with Armenia-like countries in other areas.
[br]It is a message to Russia as well. States maintaining good relations with NATO do not turn into anti-Russian states,Mr Shea said.
Source: tert.am