Russian Military Bases Remain in Armenia – Defense Minister

istockAnalyst.com (press release), OR

Russian Military Bases Remain in Armenia – Defense Minister
Sunday, October 12, 2008 8:54 PM

(Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow – English)YEREVAN. Oct 12
(Interfax) –

Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian has praised military
cooperation with Russia at the Sunday opening of a series of meetings
of young people with Armenian politicians initiated by the Alliance
youth organization. "Armenian-Russian relations were also
discussed. I think very highly of them because Russia is our strategic
partner and the defense aspect of our relations, the
military-technical cooperation are at a very high level and they are
advancing," he said.

After the meeting Ohanian told Interfax that he was satisfied with the
dialogue and attached great importance to the patriotic upbringing of
the generation on which Armenia’s future is going to depend.

He said he did not share the opinion that the need for Russian
military bases is going to disappear with the improvement of
Armenian-Turkish relations. "We have not thought in that direction
because Russian-Turkish relations are also advancing. I think Russian
military bases will remain here as long as it is necessary," he said
adding that all security understandings reached in the framework of
the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) had been
implemented.