NATO HEAD TO VISIT ARMENIA IN AUTUMN

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer will visit Armenia in early November 2004, a source in Brussels told Regnum news agency. According to the source, Scheffer’s visit may refer to realization of decisions, passed in the course of the NATO Istanbul Summit. As it is known the alliance leadership announced in Istanbul that it has decided to activate cooperation with South Caucasian and Middle Asian regions in struggling against terror and strengthening security. “Terrorism and arms proliferation are two global challenges. We need a broader coalition than the NATO for the struggle, Scheffer stated. – Thus we proposed new ideas on future partnership, new ideas on fight against terror and on strengthening cooperation with the partners of the Caucasus and Central Asia.” Meanwhile, having represented Armenia in Istanbul, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stated upon his return to Yerevan that the NATO new strategy does not give cause to speaking about appearance of separation lines in the region, even taking into account Armenia’s membership in the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the urge of the other two South Caucasian countries – Azerbaijan and Georgia – to integration with the Alliance.