“Armenia and Russia are linked not only by long-term allied relations, but also centuries-old friendship and brotherly relations between the two peoples,” Armenia’s Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan said in an interview with ahead of his official to Russia November 27-30.

Vigen Sargsyan will hold talks with his Russian counterpart, Army General Sergey Shioygu. The two Ministers are expected to sign an agreement on Joint Group of Forces and the plan of cooperation for 2017.

The Armenian DM said “the group was actually created long ago.” “Since 2000 we have been celebrating the day of creation of the Joint Group of Forces on September 27. The agreement on joint planning of the use of troops (forces) for ensuring collective security signed in Sochi 16 years ago served as a basis for it. The document envisaged creation of a group, and this was done in line with joint directives of our General Staffs,” Minister Sargsyan said.

As for the Armenian-Russian agreement on Joint Group of Forces, it will come to reinforce the legal ground for the group’s activity on the inter-state level. Besides, he said, the agreement will outline the goals, tasks, composition and organization of cooperation and the system of management, the financial-technical support.

“The main task of the Joint Group of Forces is the timely revealing of preparation of an armed attack (aggression) against Armenia and Russia and the rebuffing of it through cooperation between Armenia and Russia, as well as in collaboration with other troops, armed formations and structures,” he said.