YEREVAN, AUGUST 20, ARMENPRESS. At the request of “Armenpress”, the First Deputy Defense Minister of the Republic of Armenia Davit Tonoyan referred to the ongoing strengthening of defense ties between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

- Are you concerned with ongoing strengthening of defense ties between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia, especially in the wake of the recent ministerial meeting in Nakhijevan?

 - Not necessarily: Armenia has a broad spectrum of mutual security interests with our Georgian neighbors, underpinned by a number of cooperation endeavors, including in the defence sector. I believe Georgian engagement will restrain these tripartite relations from being at odds with Armenian national security. Nor the venue of the ministerial meeting you refer to is of particular concern to us, since it was merely a geographic locale in a range of possible options.

Nonetheless, implications of this cooperation are fully embraced in Armenian strategic defence planning assumptions, to include all its possible adverse effects.