Responsibility zone of Russian military base in Armenia is no longer limited by former USSR borders

The today's changes in the agreement on the presence of the Russian military base in Armenia not only extend the time of its stay, but also expand the responsibility zone of Russian servicemen beyond the borders of the former USSR, said Serzh Sargsyan, President of Armenia.

"Earlier, the operation of the base was restricted by the borders of the former USSR; now this provision has been withdrawn from the text of the agreement," he said.

Answering to the question whether the rental fee will be increased, Anatoly Serdyukov, Minister of Defence of the Russian Federation, has explained that "money is not the point." "Everything is on the gratuitous basis," he said. "Only one point was changed - extension by 49 years," the RIA "Novosti" quotes him as saying.

In his turn, President of Russia Dmitri Medvedev has promised protection to Armenia as to a member of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty Organization). According to his story, should any crisis situations arise in the region, Russia will act in conformity with its ally's obligations. This was Mr Medvedev's answer to the journalist's question on Russia's actions, if Nagorno-Karabakh sees a scenario, which took place in Abkhazia and South Ossetia in 2008.