Deployment of Russian bases in Armenia “dangerous step” – party leader

Noyan Tapan news agency
6 Jun 05

Yerevan, 6 June: The chairman of the Armenian Liberal Progressive
Party, Ovanes Ovanesyan, has expressed his concern over the possible
relocation of Russian military hardware from Georgia to Armenia. In
his statement on 6 June, he described this step by the Armenian
authorities as “another unwise and dangerous step”.

Ovanesyan noted that there is no way that this step can facilitate the
establishment of stability in the region, help lift the blockade of
Armenia, secure its involvement in integration processes or strengthen
its economic.

The party chairman expressed his confidence that “one must aspire to
settle disagreements with neighbours by means of coordinated actions
instead of turning Armenia into an arena of geopolitical conflicts”.

According to the party chairman’s assessment, “the Armenian
authorities are trying to counteract the political and economic
balance, which has been disrupted to the detriment of the country, by
creating a military imbalance in the South Caucasus through relocating
Russian military hardware from Georgia to Armenia.”

If the Armenian authorities attach importance to regional integration
and deepening of cooperation with the EU and NATO, as they had been
promising “until recently”, then the party chairman asks – “what
problem can this hardware resolve in Armenia, against whom will it be
aimed and to what extent will it promote the security and development
of our country, apart from turning into a factor of increasing
tension”.