YEREVAN.-  All three South Caucasus states are very important for Israel, the former Israeli ambassador to Armenia and Georgia said during Yerevan-hosted international forum.

“We develop relations with Azerbaijan because this moderate Muslim country is very important for us. The Islamic world is having hard times. Secondly, Azerbaijan is a source of energy. Israel is isolated and has to buy oil from around the world. Therefore, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline is an important issue. Thirdly, we cooperate with Azerbaijan on the level of technology industry,” Baruch Ben-Neria said during the “Dynamics of Regional Security in the South Caucasus” forum.

He noted it is also very important for Israel to develop relations with Armenia, but the two sides are needed.

“Armenia, as I understand, has its own calculations. But, serious attempts to develop relationship have been recently made,” he emphasized.

Speaking about the necessity to open an Israeli embassy in Yerevan, former ambassador said it is rather complicated economic issue, recalling that earlier Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi was transferred to Jerusalem for financial reasons.

As to the obstacles to the development of relations between Armenia and Israel, Ben-Neria named Armenia’s geopolitical location and relations with Iran.

”We have strained relations with Iran. The Islamic Republic always threatened to destroy Israel. This is a complicated issue,” the diplomat said.

The diplomat stressed that the people of Israel and Armenia have always been very close and good friends, and they have somewhat similar history.

“In the 21st century countries need to find ways to get closer and not vice versa,” he concluded.