Armenian Vice Speaker: "Armenia is not ready for NATO membership"

Armenia has close military co-operation of Russia. Yerevan is considered the only Russian ally in the region while Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey have close military ties with the US, EU and the NATO, Regnum reported.

Hovhannissyan said that since the Soviet times Armenia has regarded NATO as some military organization — some alliance formed for protecting the European democratic values. "It later turned out that many countries join NATO not so much for adopting these values as for feeling more protected, for gaining some cover," Hovhannissyan said.

"Obviously, the new NATO and EU members from Eastern Europe were not ready for that. Unlike its neighbors, Armenia believes that the key goal of NATO membership is to attain conformity with the European standards so that this membership be natural rather than artificial."

Hovhannissyan noted that membership in NATO means rebuilding relations with that organization – something Armenia is not ready to do yet.

Asked by British delegate Franck Cook what challenges Armenia is faced with today, Hovhanissyan said that for many years already Turkey has been keeping Armenia in blockade and laying pre-conditions for establishing diplomatic relations with it, which makes mutual improvement impossible. Turkey and Armenia have never confronted in the past. When Armenian forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijani territories and thretened to occupy Nahcivan province, Turkey closed its borders with Armenia. Turkey was one of the states recognised Armenia's independence. Another problem is Armenian 'genocide' claims. Turkey does not see Armenian claims as a pre-condition to restore diplomatic relations. Ankara offered to establish a joint commission to discuss the historical disputes, yet Armenia rejected many times these offers. Armenian Constitution and some other documents do not recognise Turkey's national borders and some of the Armenian politicians call Eastern Turkey as 'Western Armenia'. Armenia also does not recognise the Kars Treaty.

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