RUSSIA, ARMENIA SIGN ANTI-TERROR PROTOCOLS
by Oleg Lyakhov

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 14, 2006 Saturday

Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and Armenia’s National Security
Service (SNB) on Saturday signed two protocols on the suppression
of terrorism.

The head of the Russian delegation to the talks, Colonel-General Viktor
Komogorov told Itar-Tass, "The documents are dedicated to cooperation
between the two agencies in the fight against international terrorism
and other manifestations of extremism."

The head of the Armenian delegation, Lieutenant-General Gorik
Akopyan, said, "This is another step to strengthen mutual strategic
partnership."

He appeared to be pleased by the development of cooperation with
the FSB and said, "all in all, 18 protocols to the main agreement
were signed."

"A vivid example of effective and fruitful cooperation against
international terrorism was a joint command and staff exercise
codenamed Atom-Antiterror-2006, held in Armenia in September,"
Akopyan said.

In his view, "The commonness of our spiritual, cultural, political,
economic, and many other interests are a guarantee of further
integration."

The talks focused on how to improve bilateral cooperation in the
fight against terrorism and extremism.

"A key topic is how to organise joint struggle against terrorism and
other manifestations of extremism," Komogorov said.

In his words, Russia and Armenia have reached the level of equal
strategic partnership, but existing social and political conditions
in the Caucasus may generate different threats to the security of
both countries.

"This requires the FSB and the SNB to take joint concerted measures
within our jurisdiction," the general said.

He stressed, "We proceed from the need to create a single security
space, as our mutual membership in the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation guides us."