RA Defense Minister: Russian Military Bases - Constituent of Armenia's Security

PanARMENIAN.Net - The presence of the Russian military bases has nothing to do with the Karabakh conflict and the Armenia-Azerbaijani relations, Secretary of the Security Council at the RA President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan stated today during the Rose-Roth NATO PA seminar titled "Security in the South Caucasus." According to the Minister, the Russian troops are in Armenia by request and proposal of the Armenian authorities. "The Russian military bases are the constituent of our security and their presence of the Russian military bases is conditioned by Armenia's relations beyond the CIS borders, to be more precise, relations with Turkey, which is still hostile towards Armenia", Serge Sargsyan adding that the "Russian bases are in Armenia proceeding from our interests and we will decide how long they will stay in the republic", reported IA Regnum.