ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SURPRISED AT STATEMENTS BY ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY
SPEAKER
Yerevan, April 22. ArmInfo. President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan is
surprised at the interview of Armenian parliamentary speaker, Artur
Baghdasaryan, with German newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemaine Zeitung”.
The “Golos Armenii” newspaper reports Artur Baghdasaryan as stating
in the interview that Armenia’s future is NATO and EU and that
“Russia should not block Armenia’s way to Europe.” At the request of
“Golos Armenii,” Robert Kocharyan comments on the above statement.
The president says Armenia’s foreign political course is
unchangeable. Under the Individual Partnership Action Plan, Armenia
is extending the cooperation with NATO as a key European organization
for security affairs. Armenia hopes for a fruitful cooperation,
especially as regards the reform of Armenia’s armed forces and
peacemaking, the president says. At the same time, Armenia has no
intention to join NATO. The membership of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization and the high level of military- technical
cooperation with Russia settle the security task to a considerable
extent. Armenia is ready for closer cooperation with the EU “under
the Action Plan” and the “New Neighborhood” policy. Nevertheless,
Armenia does not determine a task of joining the EU. Armenia’s
EurAtlantic ambitions are weighted, realistic, and European
structures perceive them rather positively and create no problems in
the relations with Russia. Armenia presents its position both in
Moscow and Brussels and Washington, the president says.
As regards the interview of Artur Baghdasaryan to the German
newspaper, Robert Kocharyan says he is surprised at the content of
the interview: “I receive the speaker every week and it was strange
for me to hear that he has such views.” The contractual base of
Armenian-Russian relations in the military-technical sphere, as well
as the Agreement on joining CSTO, were ratified by the Armenian
Parliament, which displays the country’s position in the defense
sphere. All the officials must respect this position, the president
says. By the way, the Constitution stipulates that the foreign policy
of the country is determined by the president. The speaker’s
statements, probably, reflect his changed views. I think, it is
necessary to wait for his explanations,” the president says.