Armenian head, US delegation discuss redeployment of Russian bases

Mediamax news agency
2 Jun 05

Yerevan, 2 June: US Senator Chuck Hagel said in Yerevan today that
he and Armenian President Robert Kocharyan had discussed issues
pertaining to the pullout of Russian military bases from Georgia.

“I discussed good news with President Kocharyan which concerns the
start of withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia,” Chuck Hagel said
addressing a briefing in Yerevan today.

In reply to Mediamax’s question on whether the presence of a Russian
military base in Armenia can in the course of time hamper the
expansion of Armenian-US cooperation, the senator said that “Armenia
is a sovereign state and can make its own decisions to secure its
interests”. As for the Russian military presence in Armenia, Chuck
Hagel said, “the Armenian and Russian governments should discuss this
issue in the future”.

Commenting on reports about the redeployment of part of Russian
hardware from Georgia to Armenia, the senator said that this issue
is within the scope of jurisdiction of Moscow and Yerevan. Moreover,
Hagel noted, “the USA thinks that foreign military presence in the
regions with unsettled conflicts does not facilitate their settlement”.

Chuck Hagel stated that he and Armenian Defence Minister Serzh
Sarkisyan discussed bilateral Armenian-US defence cooperation, the
fight against international terrorism and Armenia-NATO cooperation.
The senator also visited the peacekeeping battalion of Armenia.

“The US government is thankful to Armenia for its participation in
the peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and Iraq,” Chuck Hagel said.

In his visit to Yerevan, Senator Chuck Hagel is being accompanied
by the deputy commander of US European Command Gen Charles Wald; US
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defence for Eurasia James McDougal and
the director for Operations Directorate EUCOM Plans and Operations
Centre, Rear Admiral Hamlin Tallent.