RUSSIA RATIFIES EXTENSION OF MILITARY BASE DEAL IN ARMENIA
RIA Novosti
11:45 22/06/2011
The Russian Federation Council, the upper chamber of the parliament,
ratified a protocol on Wednesday extending Russia’s use of a military
base in Armenia.
In 2010, Russia and Armenia signed amendments to a 1995 bilateral
treaty extending Russia’s use of the 102nd Military Base in Gyumri
near Armenia’s border with Turkey through 2044.
The protocol stipulates that the term will be automatically extended
every five years unless one of the parties notifies the other about
the annulment of the treaty six months in advance.
The base is under the command of Russia’s North Caucasus Military
District and is part of the CIS integrated air defense system.
There are around 5,000 personnel at the base, as well as S-300
surface-to-air missile systems and MiG-29 fighters.
Russia has repeatedly said that the presence of its base in the Central
Asian republic does not violate any international agreements or upset
the balance of forces in the region.