Present-day threats to national security of Armenia as well as the necessity to maintain military and political balance in the Caucasus predetermine the current level of strategic cooperation with Russia, the Armenian Ambassador to Russia said.

“The agreement on the extension of Russian military base deployment term to 49 years envisages provision of Armenia’s security and supply of modern military equipment to Armenia,” Oleg Yesayan told Krasnaya Zvezda newspaper.

The Ambassador also expressed hope for normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. “We’ll be ready to move forward, should we find partners in Turkey ready to normalize relations without preconditions,” he noted.