groong: Russia won´t withdraw troops from Armenia

Russia won't withdraw troops from Armenia
RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
May 21 2004
RBC, 21.05.2004, Yerevan 10:01:19.Russia will not withdraw its military
base from Armenia, said Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian, ARKA
reports. "We have repeatedly said that we see bilateral relations with
Russia as part of our national security, and, naturally, the Russian
military base is in the sphere of our bilateral relations," he said.
For his part, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said Russia did
not interfere in Armenia's internal political affairs. "We have good,
frank and trust relations with Armenian authorities," he stressed. "We
are building our relations with Armenia as with our strategic partner,
based on our cultural, historic, religious, military and political
ties, and we see Armenia as an ally," Ivanov noted.
The 102nd military base is located at the town of Gyumri.