Torosian: Armenia Made No Statements on Intention to Join NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net - June 13 Armenian Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian met with the joint delegation of the subcommittee of the future security and defense potential, the committee for defense and security and the subcommittee for democratic administration of the NATO PA, reported the RA NA press service. Welcoming the guests, the RA NA Chairman assessed the visit as a recurrent step towards the Armenia-NATO cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the dynamics of its development. The significance of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) was also stressed. According to Tigran Torosian, Armenia's status of an associated NATO PA member is an important stimulus for deepening relations. At that he remarked that these relations are developing not only in the defense sector but also for harmonization of the RA legislation with the democratic, political and European standards.



During the meeting the NATO PA representatives inquired whether Armenia, whose priority is the EU membership, is going to join the NATO. In reply Tigran Torosian reminded that there are EU member states, which are not NATO member states and this is a normal phenomenon. He confirmed that the priority of Armenia's foreign policy is the EU membership. As for the intention to join the NATO, Armenia has made no statements of the kind but pursues a consistent line for deepening relations with the Alliance, the RA NA Speaker remarked.



The National Assembly Speaker also underscored that Armenia has always been an adherent to normal relations with the neighbor states without preconditions and considers that contacts, debates and open dialogue are essential for the establishment of relations. He said Armenia has already taken certain moves within the PACE and the South Caucasian Parliamentary Initiative and expects similar steps from the neighbors.