Armenian MPs support creation of air defence system unified with Russia

The Armenian Parliament Standing Commission on Foreign Relations has approved the Armenian-Russian agreement on creation of the Unified Regional Air Defence System in the Caucasus. The issue of the ratification of the agreement will be now discussed at the session of the National Assembly.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on October 22, 2015, the Russian government decided to sign an agreement with Armenia to create the Unified Regional Air Defence System. On December 23, the document was signed by Sergei Shoigu and Seiran Oganyan, the Russian and Armenian Ministers of Defence, respectively.

Such agreements create a "soap bubble of security", and thus, members of the Armenian Parliament Standing Commission on Foreign Relations should vote "against" the agreement. This opinion was voiced by Nikol Pashinyan at the meeting of the Armenian Parliament Commission.

"We are to assign a mission to the Armenian Ministry of Defence and the Government in general. The mission is to develop a system of air defence of sovereign Armenia. Why should we transfer our own air defence system under the command of Russia?" said Nikol Pashinyan. He has also added that the system may become an additional lever of pressure on Armenia.

After the April hostilities in Karabakh, there are strong doubts about the Russia's attitude to Armenia, stated Gamlet Arutyunyan, an MP from the Republican Party.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.