YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–President Robert Kocharian met with North Atlantic Treaty Organization Undersecretary General for Political Affairs Klaus Kleiber on July 28.
Kocharian reportedly presented the current stage of the Karabakh peace process and Armenia’s stance on this issue. He positively assessed his direct contacts with Azerbaijan’s president. The president stressed that the contending sides realize the need for settling the conflict peacefully–by means of mutual compromises. He also emphasized that there are favorable pre-requisites for conflict solution–as both sides are showing their willingness to resolve the conflict peacefully.
According to Kocharian–economic reforms are being carried out in all countries of the region and there is an understanding that the region should be regarded as a single economic zone. At the same time–Kocharian stressed that Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s positions on the prospects of developing regional cooperation differ.
Kleiber said that NATO does not follow any specific policy and position toward the region. However–the alliance is ready to render assistance in building mutual confidence. He shared Kocharian’s opinion that regional cooperation can vastly facilitate settlemen’s of conflicts.
The sides also touched on Armenia’s cooperation with NATO under the latter’s Partnership for Peace program.
Armenian Minister of Defense Serge Sarkissian also met with NATO Undersecretary General Klaus Kleiber Friday to discuss issues pertaining to regional security and further cooperation under the Partnership for Peace Program–as well as Armenia-NATO relationships–Defense Ministry officials told Noyan Tapan.