Judging from the statements by some high rank officials of the RA government Armenia is not afraid of NATO. Armenia’s membership in the CSTO is not a barrier, head of the center of Caucasian Studies at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) Vladimir Zakharov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. “The CSTO regulations do not restrict the cooperation with other international structures. Moreover, on a number of issues the CSTO and NATO experience common problems and the cooperation of these two structures and separate states create extra guarantees in the South Caucasus,” he remarked.
According to him, Armenia’s participation in the IPAP supposes conduction of periodical consultations with NATO on regional security, elaboration of the strategy and military doctrine, perfection of the defense and budget planning and other issues. “As a matter of fact, interaction within the CSTO and bilateral cooperation with Russia do not completely ensure Armenia’s security against the challenges of the 21st century and expansion of interaction with NATO within the IPAP complements the absent links,” Zakharov underscored.
