armenpress: KOCHARIAN MEETS EU, NATO OFFICIALS IN BRUSSELS

&nbsp&nbsp BRUSSELS, DECEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS:
Armenian president Robert Kocharian met on Wednesday with the chairman of Belgian parliament Herman de Kroy, chief secretary of Energy Charter Ria Kamper and later in the day he visited the NATO headquarters to meet with its outgoing Secretary General George Robertson.

&nbsp&nbsp Speaking at a joint news conference after concluding the meeting, Kocharian and Robertson said they discussed a range of regional issues, including the political situation in Georgia, struggle against terrorism and reviewed also Armenia-NATO cooperation.

&nbsp&nbsp Kocharian said that over the two years since his previous visit to NATO headquarters a significant progress in NATO-Armenia cooperation has been made. “We have discussed here ways for enlarging it in future,” he said. Kocharian also said that Armenia will soon appoint a permanent representative to NATO, which he said will facilitate and intensify security consultations between the Armenian government and representatives of the NATO.

&nbsp&nbsp Armenia’s representative in NATO was until now ambassador Vigen Chitechian, who also represents Armenia in some other pan-European organizations.

&nbsp&nbsp The same day Armenian defense minister Serzh Sarkisian met Supreme Allied Commander
in Europe Gen James L. Jones in the Belgian town of Mons during a first ever visit by an Armenian defense minister to the headquarters of the Allied Command Operations of NATO.

&nbsp&nbsp Sarkisian and Jones were reported to discuss the results of cooperation between NATO and Armenia within the framework of the Partnership for Peace program in 2003. The sides also discussed Armenia’s anticipated participation in the Kosovo peacekeeping operation.

&nbsp&nbsp Sarkisian also visited the coordination center of the Partnership for Peace program.