RF State Duma: CIS Member States' Joining NATO Conflicts with Their Strategic InterestsDecember 20, 2006 - 17:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - "The Commonwealth of Independent States meets the interests of all its members and the international community. It has potential for development and cooperation in all directions," says the statement issued by the Russian State Duma today. The parliamentarians underscore that 'peacekeeping operation for rescuing human lives and ensuring of human rights in conflict zones were successfully carried out within the CIS framework.' They also drew attention to the growth of the CSTO's authority and efficiency of cooperation within the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The deputies remark that 'development of integration forces in the CIS meets serious opposition of various outer forces not interested in formation of a strong integration union, a rival in the world market and political arena.' The Duma deputies are convinced that 'membership in NATO of any CIS member state conflicts with the highest strategic interests of these states and wish of the peoples.' The State Duma expresses its negative attitude to NATO enlargement to the East considering it 'contradicting to the interests of international security.' "15 years that followed the CIS formation were the years of serious ordeals and sometimes disappointments. However the CIS has not lost importance. This commonwealth can consolidate positions in the world politics and economy via mutually beneficial and equal cooperation," the statement says, reports ITAR-TASS. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Concept to complete Yerevan Cascade discussed at city hall A conceptual proposal to complete the Cascade complex in downtown Yerevan has been presented by Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Pashinyan visits flood-hit region Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on Saturday, June 8 visited the disaster area in the Lori province. €3.5 mln EU grant to support justice reforms in Armenia The European Union has paid €3.5 mln grant to Armenia within a €11mln program on Support to Justice Reforms. Yerevan reacts to Baku’s proposal to see Minsk Group abolition Alen Simonyan has declared that Armenia is taking steps aimed at concluding a peace treaty with Azerbaijan. |