ArmInfo. in an interview with the Public TV of Armenia, NATO Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg said that the message of his visit to Armenia is that the region is important for peace and stability in Europe,
In this vein, he recalled that NATO has several partner countries where he visited - Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. At the same time, he emphasized that he is aware of the existing problems between these countries. According to Stoltenberg, this is why it is necessary to sit down at the negotiating table and engage in dialogue in order to understand how to ensure the normalization of relations and long-term peace between countries in the region.
When asked how NATO can assist Armenia in diversifying its foreign policy relations, Stoltenberg said that the North Atlantic Alliance supports Armenia's desire to protect its own sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as to develop an independent foreign policy.
Every country has the right to choose its own path, and Armenia is no exception. NATO will never force any country to act against its own will and is ready to deepen partnership, Stoltenberg noted, recalling that NATO has already been cooperating with Armenia 30 years.
He added that his Yerevan visit is aimed at finding out how NATO and Armenia can strengthen the existing partnership. And how NATO can help Armenia improve its defense and security structures, cybersecurity, etc. Mr Stoltenberg said his meeting with Prime Minister Pashinyan was very useful, since he is one of the powerful voices of democracy, stability and peace, said the NATO Secretary General.
To clarify how realistic peace between Yerevan and Baku is against the backdrop of the militaristic rhetoric of the Azerbaijani authorities, Stoltenberg said that he is deeply convinced that achieving peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible and realistic, since during the current negotiations an agreement was reached on some key principles, for example, respect each other's territorial integrity.
Nevertheless, he stressed that NATO is not a mediator, that is, it cannot make proposals, but NATO supports these principles and believes that existing differences can be resolved. Norway is an example. It is part of the Scandinavian region, where the Norwegians, Swedes and Danes fought for centuries, but now live in peace. Of course, there are some border issues that will never be fully agreed upon, but that is all in the past, they all respect each other as independent and sovereign states. There are similar examples in the history of other European countries. The NATO Secretary General's message to Armenia is the same as to Azerbaijan - both sides must see opportunities to overcome existing differences and achieve long-term peace, he said.
When asked what prospects he sees in Armenia-NATO relations, the Secretary General noted that there is huge potential for joint interaction. The sides are now close to agreeing on a new Armenia-NATO partnership program. It will create the basis for understanding how we can expand our partnership, how NATO can help Armenia in matters of defense and security. Of course, NATO is ready to do as much as we ourselves are ready Armenia. Mr ," Stoltenberg repeated that NATO does not force anyone to act against their will and is ready to work with Armenia, as an important partner for NATO.
Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish normalization, the NATO Secretary General said that one of the reasons why the Alliance is promoting the normalization of Armenia-Azerbaijan relations is that they believe that this will help normalize the Armenia-Turkey relations.
In recent months, some important progress has been noted, and there is a need to continue at the same pace. There are some positive signals on the issue of third-country citizens who will be able to cross the Armenian-Turkish border. NATO contributes to these efforts and wants to see settled relations between Armenia and Turkey. Turkey is a NATO ally, and Armenia is an important partner, and everything that helps stabilize these relations will be mutually beneficial, stressed the NATO Secretary General.
Speaking about peace in the South Caucasus, Stoltenberg once again emphasized that NATO cannot act as a mediator in resolving the situation in this region. At the same time, he recalled that, nevertheless, a number of NATO partners - France, Germany and the United States - are contributing to ongoing efforts to facilitate the negotiation process. He is sure that the end to the conflict is closer than ever, but this requires will and mutual concessions to resolve remaining issues.
