Interfax, Russia
June 8 2005

Baku response to Russian arms transfer politically motivated –
opinion

YEREVAN. June 8 (Interfax) – Baku’s negative response to the transfer
of Russian military hardware from Georgia to Armenia has political
rather than military motives, head of the Armenian parliamentary
defense, national security, and internal affairs commission Mger
Shakhgeldian told Interfax on Wednesday.

“The Russian military bases in Armenia are a component of the
republic’s national security,” he said.

“Armenia is interested in developing a regional security system in
the South Caucasus,” Shakhgeldian said. “The international community
has taken quite a positive view of the idea to set up a regional
security system in the South Caucasus in the future, and we believe
it is possible and necessary to build such a structure in the
future,” he said.