SERGE SARGSIAN: ASPIRED TO INTEGRATE INTO EUROPEAN FAMILY ARMENIA SHOULD CLOSELY COOPERATE WITH NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net - Purposing the objective to integrate into the European family Armenia must have close ties with NATO, Secretary of the Security Council under the RA President, Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsian stated during the joint press conference with Lithuanian Minister of National Defense Gediminas Kirkilas. "Of course, we will strengthen relations with NATO, however it should not damage the relations within the CSTO as well as the Armenian-Russian relationships", the RA Defense Minister noted. He added that Armenia does not discussed the start of military-technical cooperation either with NATO or separate member-states, the reason being the member-states' disinterest in this cooperation. "As it is known our military equipment is produced either in Russia or in the Soviet Union. To replace the acting structure would be incorrect both from economic and political viewpoint", he noted. In his turn Gediminas Kirkilas said that Lithuania welcomes the development of Armenia-NATO relations and Armenia's decision to participate in peacekeeping operations in Iraq. "Lithuania will assist Armenia to integrate into European structures, however the final decision should be made by the people and government of the republic", the Lithuanian Minister of National Defense stated.