ARMENIA-USA DEFENSE MINISTRIES COOPERATION PROGRAM TO BE SIGNED BY YEAR END

PanARMENIAN.Net - The main result of the Security Council Secretary, RA defense minister Serge Sarkisian's visit to the USA is the signing of the document on development of the bilateral cooperation in the sphere of staff training, communication improvement and expansion of peacekeeping opportunities. The visit, in essence, marks the beginning of the bilateral consultation in the military sphere. Defense minister Serge Sarkisian stated this at the press conference yesterday. In the course of the talks with the Pentagon leadership issues on forthcoming Armenian-American military consultations planned 2003 spring were agreed. The signing of the program of cooperation between Armenian defense ministry and the US military force command in Europe is planned by the end of the year. According to the minister, the issue of Armenia-Iran relations was not discussed and the Karabakh conflict settlement process was touched only in the context of the talks on regional security. Serge Sarkisian noted that he had an impression that the US have goal-oriented policy aiming at the ousting of Russia from the South Caucasian region.