Russian Defense Minister Visit to Armenia Commenced

Vice-Premier, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov arrived in Armenia January 26. Secretary of the National Security Council at the President of Armenia, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan, Armenian Armed Forces General Staff Chief, Deputy Defense Minister Mikayel Harutyunyan and other officials saw the Russian guest in at Zvartnots international airports. In a conversation with journalists Ivanov said he arrived in Armenia with a planned visit, during which he will discuss the entire complex of bilateral relations matters in military and military technical spheres with Armenian MOD head, as well as the military and political leaders. In Ivanov’s words, it is planned to discuss regional security, prospects of development and enlargement of a wide spectrum of Russian-Armenian relations, relating to defense matters. Answering a question on his «pessimistic mood» regarding the OSCE role in settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ivanov remarked, «I was asked what will hypothetically happen if, and who could theoretically lead a peacekeeping operation and under whose aegis it is to be held and what is my attitude, again hypothetically, towards the OSCE. I expressed my personal opinion and you know it.» It should be reminded that S. Ivanov’s visit was postponed owing to bad weather conditions. The Russian MOD head arrived in Armenia from Azerbaijan. At the end of his meeting with journalists he said he appreciated traditional Russian-Armenian military relations, reported IA Regnum.