Cooperation with NATO strengthens security in Armenia (video)
Expansion of Armenia-NATO cooperation may strengthen the country's defense and security, former U.S. Ambassador to Georgia, Kenneth Yalowitz, told Voice of America, speaking about a two-day NATO summit starting that starts in Poland on July 8. “It would be commendable if Armenia also took steps in that direction as cooperation with NATO would give more freedom to maneuver in foreign policy,” he said. Kenneth Yalowitz says the West realizes that Yerevan has established closer ties with Russia. “It is clear that Armenia faces a difficult dilemma but those steps would increase the degree of independence of Armenia – something that the United States would like to see,” he said. The summit will discuss key security topics: continuing support for Afghan forces, defeating Islamic State militants on NATO’s southern flank and deterring Russian aggression on the alliance’s eastern flank. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also spoke about the relations with Russia. “We have never ended political dialogue with Russia. Representatives of our member states regularly meet various representatives of Russia,” he said. As for the Middle East, NATO’s presence is not significant there, primarily because of Moscow, says analyst Daniel Serwer of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. “We need Russian cooperation - in Syria, especially - and you're not going to get Russian cooperation if NATO is there,” Serwer told VOA. People in Washington do not share the opinion that the UK's decision to leave the European Union may affect NATO, says US Senator Ben Cardin.
