Rent for Military Base in Response to Double Price for Russian Gas?December 26, 2005 - 13:02 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Armenia can demand rent for the deployment of the 102nd Russian military base if Russia raises the price of gas imported to Armenia. According to Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan, "with such a high price for gas it would be hard to explain why Armenia does not claim rental fee for deployment of the Russian military base." To remind, Russia decided to double the price of gas shipped to Armenia from $54 to $110. The Russian military base was deployed in Gyumri in 1995 and performs the combat mission within the United System of the CIS Air-Raid Defense. In accord with the treaty the 25-year term of its presence in the republic may be prolonged for five more years with the consent of both parties. Presently Russia does not pay any rent for the deployment of the military base numbering 5000 servicemen. Besides, the Armenian party pays the bills for public utilities. At the same time Chief of the Armenian Armed Forces General Staff, Colonel General Mikael Harutyunyan stated that the base is essential for "the security of Armenia and Russia's southern borders." "Small funds on mutually beneficial terms" are allotted for the financing of the base. Top stories President of the Armenian parliament Alen Simonyan met with the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Milli Majlis Sahiba Gafarova. Achieving stable peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan remains a priority of the OSCE, said Ian Borg. The Cabinet of Ministers decided on Thursday, November 9 to allocated AMD 120 million to arrange the gathering. Michael Roth believes sanctions must be put on the table after Baku‘s ethnic cleansing in Nagorno-Karabakh. Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. Prosecutors to appeal Armenia ex-President’s acquittal Sargsyan was acquitted on Friday, May 31 more than four years after going on trial on corruption charges. |