MP SAYS ARMENIA’S DESIRE TO COOPERATE WITH NATO “NATURAL”
Ayots Ashkar, Yerevan
9 Nov 04
An interview with the chairman of the national security and internal
affairs commission of the National Assembly, Mger Shakhgeldyan. He
comments on NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer’s visit to
the region.
(Ayots Ashkar correspondent) Mr Shakhgeldyan, was Scheffer’s visit
only a fact-finding one or it had more specific purposes?
(Shakhgeldyan) I think both statements are true. The visit may be
assessed as a fact-finding one in a sense that Jaap de Hoop Scheffer
was recently elected NATO secretary-general. The new secretary-general
needed to learn positions of the three states form the point of view of
continuing and expanding further cooperation with NATO. His specific
purpose was that he needed to get familiarized with the general
situation in the region and see the potential of NATO’s participation
in the South Caucasus processes, its presence and expansion.
(Passage omitted: it will take Azerbaijan and Georgia many years to
become NATO members)
(Correspondent) At present to what extent does Armenia’s position
correspond to NATO’s aspirations and desires?
(Shakhgeldyan) Armenia has made the decision to broaden cooperation
without becoming a NATO member. But one should not forget that NATO
is also a structure that takes part in military, political and social
processes. In this sense, Armenia’s desire to continue cooperation is
absolutely natural stemming from NATO’s significant role in different
processes.
(Correspondent) What will the programme of individual cooperation
with NATO give to Armenia?
(Shakhgeldyan) As it is at the stage of development, I think it will
be correct to speak about this when it is finished and endorsed. As a
preliminary assessment, I can say that the programme will give us an
opportunity to form more flexible cooperation mechanisms proceedings
only from the interests of our state.
(Correspondent) Can we interpret this as follows: this individual
cooperation programme will also counter-balance Azerbaijan’s claims
to be a pro-NATO state and to present Armenia as an anti-NATO state
and a partner of Russia?
(Shakhgeldyan) Sometimes Azerbaijan really tries to present reality
in this way. But I think that NATO understands very well that by this
Azerbaijan is trying to create additional problems for Armenia in the
world. But the individual cooperation programme in the first place aims
to develop Armenia-NATO relations, especially that earlier we took part
in different programmes initiated by NATO. Creating a counter-balance
to Azerbaijan’s strategy in this context is a lesser problem.