NATO SEC. GEN. APPRECIATES COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels, reported the Press Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. Having appreciated the cooperation in Armenia in diverse aspects, Mr. Scheffer said he was sure that the Individual Partnership Action Plan will provide new opportunities for further cooperation. As the instance of the NATO Sec. Gen. V. Oskanian acquainted him with the prospects of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as presented issues relating to regional developments and security. Today the Armenian FM met with European Union External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, passing the package of preliminary proposals of the Armenian party on the EU-Armenian Program of Actions within the EU Wider Europe: New Neighbors Program. In the course of the meeting the parties discussed opportunities of EU-Armenia cooperation within the EU New Neighborhood policy. Besides, the parties touched upon issues of relations of Armenia with neighboring countries and the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. Within the framework of the visit to Brussels V. Oskanian met with EU Council Secretary General, EU Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security Javier Solana. The parties discussed the process of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, prospects of regional cooperation, including the problem of opening the Armenian-Turkish border, regional economic and transport initiatives under the aegis of the EU, as well as questions referring to the working out of the Armenia-EU Program of Actions within the EU New Neighborhood Policy. A wide range of issues was also discussed in the course of a meeting the Armenian FM had with European Commission External Relations Deputy Director-General Michael Leigh. The interlocutors specifically exchanged views over the working out of the Armenia-EU Program of Actions within the EU New Neighborhood Policy and common European processes. June 17 V. Oskanian will leave for Paris, where he will meet with Azeri FM Elmar Mamedyarov.