December 17, 2001 - 23:06 AMT
PENTAGON HEAD AND ARMENIA'S LEADERSHIP DISCUSSED ARMENIAN-AMERICAN MILITARY SPHERE COOPERATION PERSPECTIVES
US defense minister Donald Rumsfeld paid a short-term visit to Yerevan on Saturday. He arrived in Armenia's capital from Baku. The Pentagon head met with President Robert Kocharian, foreign minister Vardan Oskanian and defense minister Serge Sarkisian. Issues, particularly, regarding the cooperation in the struggle against the international terrorism, the expansion of Armenia's participation in the NATO «Partnership in the name of peace» program and cooperation in the military sphere were discussed. The US defense minister had a press conference on the results of the visit. Answering the questions of journalists, the Pentagon head said the US intended to assist Armenia with training of the peacemaking battalion officers and also with establishing a center for mine clearing and modernization of communication facilities. In the evening Rumsfeld left Yerevan for Tbilisi.