No discussion of withdrawal of 102nd military base on Armenia-Russia agenda – Kopyrkin

Russian Ambassador to Armenia Sergey Kopyrkin told the Syuniac Yerkir newspaper that the issue of withdrawing the 102nd military base is not on the agenda of Armenia-Russia relations.

“This has been clearly stated at all levels by the Armenian side as well. The Russian military presence remains a key pillar of Armenia’s security system and an important factor of regional stability. At the same time, our troops pose no threat to anyone in the region,” he said.

Kopyrkin recalled that the agreement on Russia’s military presence in Armenia was signed in Moscow on March 16, 1995, for a term of 25 years, with automatic renewal every five years.

“Later, in 2010, our countries signed an additional protocol in Yerevan that extended the deployment of Russian Armed Forces units in Armenia until 2044, with the possibility of further five-year extensions,” the ambassador noted.