Armenia suggests hosting NATO exercises in 2005

30 Jun 04
YEREVAN
Armenia has suggested hosting NATO's Cooperative Associate-2005
military exercises within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
programme.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said this speaking at NATO's
Istanbul summit on 29 June.
The Armenian foreign minister confirmed that Armenia was ready to
foster relations with NATO within the framework of the Individual
Partnership Action Plan. Vardan Oskanyan said that "today we can
assuredly say that Armenia is actively cooperating with NATO in all
the spheres which the allies have acknowledged as the priorities of
the partnership".
The Armenian foreign minister stressed that "thanks to the positive
experience acquired by Armenian servicemen as a result of the
participation in peacekeeping operations under the aegis of NATO,
today we are discussing the possibility of boosting our participation
in international peacekeeping operations".
Vardan Oskanyan recalled that Cooperative Best Effort exercises were
successfully held on the territory of Armenia in 2003.
"Thanks to our cooperation, Turkish servicemen could also participate
in these exercises. Who could think 10 years ago that Turkish
servicemen would take part in NATO exercises on Armenian land and the
Turkish flag would be waving in Armenia?" the Armenian foreign
minister said.