Kocharyan Warns NATO Not to Create a New Divide Line in South Caucasus
(Tbilisi, November 26, 2002. Civil Georgia) Armenian President Robert Kocharyan warned the North Atlantic military-political alliance not to create “a new line of divide” in the Southern Caucasus, radio Liberty informs.
At the Prague Summit on November 22 President Eduard Shevardnadze has officially announced Georgia’s determination to join the organization.
In his interview to Radio Liberty President Kocharyan stated that Armenia is not willing to join NATO yet, but considers several ways of cooperation with the organization with purpose of establishing security system in Caucasus region.
“I think line at NATO’s gate is already long enough… We say that accession to NATO is not on our foreign policy’s agenda. We see all security issues of thee region in the security system we are currently in. This is the Collective Security Agreement, which is quite advanced military-technical cooperation with Russia” – Kocharyan said.
Armenia is Russia’s strategic partner in South Caucasus. Georgia has declared its commitment to join NATO on the background of significant tensions with Russia. Besides this, Armenia has to settle relations with Turkey – NATO member state, which were strained due to historic disputes and conflict of Nagorno-Karabakh with Azerbaijan – Turkey’s strategic partner.
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