YEREVAN. Sept 4 (Interfax) - Armenia's decision not to participate in the multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2017 within the framework of Georgia-NATO cooperation fits into the logic of the country's foreign policy agenda, Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Artak Zakaryan said.
"Armenia's non-participation does not mean that the level of partnership is declining or increasing. Armenia's military-political diplomacy is fully consistent with the country's foreign policy and in acting, Armenia makes confident decisions," Zakaryan told reporters on Monday.
Zakaryan said Armenia's Armed Forces and security system play an important role in the system of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
"And CSTO also plays a key role in Armenia's security system. It's not a secret that Armenia has broadly cooperated with NATO for a long time in the development of democratic institutions and in peacekeeping missions. That is, there is nothing strange in its participation or non-participation in one event," Zakaryan said.
Armenia refused to participate in the multinational exercise Agile Spirit 2017 at the last moment, the country's media earlier reported, citing Georgian Defense Ministry spokesman Giorgi Kajarava.
The exercise involves servicemen from Bulgaria, Latvia, Georgia, Romania, Ukraine, and the United States.
In August, Armenia participated in NATO's multinational Noble Partner 2017 exercise in Georgia.