YEREVAN. – NATO has never pursued political goal to expand in the direction of post-Soviet area, the organization’s official said in Yerevan.

James Appathurai, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for South Caucasus and Central Asia, said Alliance’s political priority is that the doors are open for all democratic European states.

“This is a political principle we adhere to,” he told reporters in Yerevan.

At the same time, he noted that NATO respects sovereign choice of other states that are unwilling to join the bloc but are striving for partnership. It is an important principle to respect sovereign choice of our colleagues, he emphasized.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am