Armenia Rules Out Plan to Join NATO
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan said membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is not on the agenda of Yerevan.
"We are a democratic country, and we want to strengthen democratic institutions (in Armenia). We see that, for example, the United States and the European Union are the main partners. We also saw that the EU was ready to send a civilian (monitoring) mission (to Armenia), and the situation at the (Armenia-Azerbaijan) border improved considerably, their presence greatly contributes to the peace of the region and part of Armenia," Mirzoyan said in an interview with Armenia News in Buenos Aires.
He said Russia had sent peace guarantors in 2020 to monitor security in Nagorno-Karabakh, but there have been many Azerbaijani attacks on Armenia's border.
"The security mechanisms that we had for several decades did not work. That is why we had to ask the European Union to come and monitor the situation. Now we are deepening economic and political relations with Brussels and Washington. I wouldn't call it a turning point, we are trying to ensure our security, and for that we see that there are good partners in the West," Mirzoyan added.
It is impossible to hide the problems that Armenia has in relations with Russia, the foreign minister noted.
"As for the intention to join NATO, then no. That is not the point that is on the agenda of Armenia today. In the case of the EU, I can say that Armenians really have European aspirations, and I would like to quote the words of the Prime Minister of Armenia: ‘Armenia is ready to be closer to the European Union, as much as the European Union considers it possible,’" Mirzoyan stated.