MOSCOW, March 20. /TASS/. Armenia wants closer cooperation with NATO to reduce Russia's influence, but Turkey has no intention of letting Yerevan into the organization anytime soon, Stanislav Pritchin, a senior researcher at the Center for Post-Soviet Studies of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) at the Russian Academy of Sciences, opined commenting on NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg’s visit to Yerevan.

"Armenia’s goal to become a NATO member is beyond reach amid the current geopolitical realities. First and foremost, this is due to Turkey’s stance. Under no circumstances will Turkey let Armenia into NATO and thus obtain security guarantees, which will primarily be aimed against Azerbaijan. We saw with Finland and Sweden that Turkey is quite persistent in standing up for its interests here and is unlikely to sacrifice relations with Azerbaijan for the sake of solidarity with the Euro-Atlantic community," the expert clarified.

According to Pritchin, among other key factors are infrastructural unpreparedness and territorial remoteness.

"Take Georgia, for example, which has been aspiring to become a NATO member for many years, but still has not even come close to this. Although, of course, Article 5 of the NATO Charter covers Georgia, as Georgia has territorial claims, and supposing a peace treaty is signed with Azerbaijan, Armenia will be in a more privileged position, but this does not mean that it will be closer to NATO because of this," he said.

The expert believes that the only outcome of Yerevan’s stepped-up cooperation with NATO may be Russia’s reduced influence across the region, as this is what the Armenian leadership is striving for.

"Here Armenia will be willing to cooperate as much as possible. Any joint exercises, symbolic arms supplies and plans to switch to NATO standards - all of these will help the Armenian leadership to achieve its goals of reducing dependence on Russia and reducing Russia’s influence in Armenia," Pritchin concluded.