OPINIONS DIVIDED OVER RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE COMMANDER'S STATEMENT
15:35 ~U 01.11.13
The statement by Andrey Ruzinsky, Commander of Russian Military Base
#102 stationed in Gyumri, Armenia, was his personal statement, Koryun
Nahapetyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National
Security and Internal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, told Tert.am.
"I do not think it is a U-turn. Only authorized representatives
can make statements on behalf of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization. And the statement by the Russian military base
commander should not be viewed as being in conflict with the previous
statements," Mr Nahapetyan said.
"The politico-military situation in the area of responsibility of the
Russian military base remains strained because of possible aggravation
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict."
As to the security guarantees for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh the
statement may imply, Mr Nahapetyan said: "The point is that Armenia's
membership in the CSTO is a component of the security system. In
this respect, Russian forces' presence and involvement in different
frameworks is within the CSTO rules of procedure," he said.
Rubik Hakobyan, a lawmaker of the opposition Heritage party, who was
formerly Armenia's consul in St Petersburg, thinks just the other way
round. According to him, Razinsky's statement was made on behalf of
the CSTO.
Asked whether there has been a precedent, he said, "I don't remember
whether or not there has been a precedent, but the military base is
not stationed there just for formal purposes," he said.
Responding to the remark that the base, nonetheless, keeps watch
over the Armenian-Turkish border, he said, "That's a CSTO border
too. It forms part of the CSTO, so it stems directly from the CSTO
regulations."
Commenting on the statement, Masis Mayilyan, the president of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council for Foreign Policy and Security,
said it was unconventional.
"It is still, of course, early to speak of a policy change over the
security of Nagorno-Karabakh until high-ranking officials publicly
confirm the commander's words," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/11/01/station/
15:35 ~U 01.11.13
The statement by Andrey Ruzinsky, Commander of Russian Military Base
#102 stationed in Gyumri, Armenia, was his personal statement, Koryun
Nahapetyan, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National
Security and Internal Affairs, Parliament of Armenia, told Tert.am.
"I do not think it is a U-turn. Only authorized representatives
can make statements on behalf of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization. And the statement by the Russian military base
commander should not be viewed as being in conflict with the previous
statements," Mr Nahapetyan said.
"The politico-military situation in the area of responsibility of the
Russian military base remains strained because of possible aggravation
of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict."
As to the security guarantees for Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh the
statement may imply, Mr Nahapetyan said: "The point is that Armenia's
membership in the CSTO is a component of the security system. In
this respect, Russian forces' presence and involvement in different
frameworks is within the CSTO rules of procedure," he said.
Rubik Hakobyan, a lawmaker of the opposition Heritage party, who was
formerly Armenia's consul in St Petersburg, thinks just the other way
round. According to him, Razinsky's statement was made on behalf of
the CSTO.
Asked whether there has been a precedent, he said, "I don't remember
whether or not there has been a precedent, but the military base is
not stationed there just for formal purposes," he said.
Responding to the remark that the base, nonetheless, keeps watch
over the Armenian-Turkish border, he said, "That's a CSTO border
too. It forms part of the CSTO, so it stems directly from the CSTO
regulations."
Commenting on the statement, Masis Mayilyan, the president of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council for Foreign Policy and Security,
said it was unconventional.
"It is still, of course, early to speak of a policy change over the
security of Nagorno-Karabakh until high-ranking officials publicly
confirm the commander's words," he added.
http://www.tert.am/en/news/2013/11/01/station/