March 9, 2007 - 13:53 AMT
Armenia's contacts with NATO and CSTO not mutually exclusive
Armenia is a CSTO member state and is not going to quit the organization, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian told a news conference in Yerevan. RA presence in the CSTO meets the interests of the republic's security, according to him. "There is nothing mutually exclusive in our cooperation with CSTO and NATO. It bases on the principle of mutual complementation and excludes any rivalry." Kirakossian said adding that Armenia's joining NATO is not on the agenda.

Arman Kirakossian also informed that Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will meet with NATO command in Brussels in April. "The meeting will take place in the framework of consultations held in the 26+1 format. NATO representatives will assess the process of implementation of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP)," Kirakossian said.