Base Withdrawal 'Not on Agenda,' Says Russian Envoy

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin has stated that the issue of withdrawing the 102nd Russian military base is not on the agenda of bilateral relations between Armenia and Russia. He said this in an interview with the "Syunyats Yerkir" newspaper. "The withdrawal of the 102nd military base is not on the agenda of bilateral relations.

The Armenian side has clearly stated this at all levels. The Russian military presence remains a vital pillar of Armenia's security system and an essential factor of regional stability. At the same time, our military personnel do not pose a threat to anyone in the region," the ambassador emphasized. He recalled that the agreement "On the Russian Military Presence in Armenia" was originally signed in Moscow on March 16, 1995, for 25 years with automatic extension every five years.

"Later, in 2010, our countries signed an additional protocol to the document in Yerevan, which extended the deployment of Russian armed forces units in Armenia until 2044, with the possibility of extension every five years," recalled the Russian Ambassador to Armenia.