THE MILITARY POLITICAL ASPECT OF THE VISIT OF SERGEI IVANOV TO YEREVAN
Source: Novoe Vremya (Yerevan), April 12, 2007, p. EV

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
April 16, 2007 Monday

The two-day working visit of Senior Deputy Prime Minister Sergei
Ivanov to Yerevan is remarkable in the context of the current stage
of bilateral relations.

Ivanov stated: "I believe that Armenia is our strategic partner and
this is measured not only by the military political interest."

In any case, very much was said about the military political
interests. Thus, according to Ivanov, the location of the Russian
military base in Armenia is an "element of strategic partnership"
because it provides for the security of both Armenia and Russia in
the extremely important southwestern strategic direction. In turn,
the Prime Minister of Armenia emphasized that Yerevan did not support
the creation of additional dividing lines in the region "that will
not add anything to the structure of our security." According to S.

Sarkisyan, the location of NATO bases in the South Caucasus will
not contribute to the improvement of regional security. The Armenian
Prime Minister said: "Reduction of the military presence of Russia in
the region should not lead to an automatic increase of the military
presence of any other country or organization."