The Russian military presence in Armenia is not forever, without it, Armenia will become a neighbor for Turkey, who does not pose any threat.
Such a statement was made by a deputy of the Armenian parliament from the ruling faction “Civil Treaty” Gurgen Arsenyan, the Armenian media reported.
He connected the Russian military presence in Armenia with the “civilizational views of the first years of creating statehood” and stated that this presence is “not forever”, since Armenia is working on creating a platform of good neighborly relations with neighboring states.
Arsenyan believes that the Russian military may remain, but “it will become unimportant,” Russian troops will cease to “be a number one barrier against threats.” In his opinion, “this time is approaching in parallel with the development of Armenian political thought.”
As the deputy stated, in the 1990s, the Armenian authorities saw an existential threat in Turkey, and in the Russian troops, protection from it. The deputy claims that “the overwhelming of the Russian military presence on the Turkish border is not a function of preserving Armenia, but a threat directed against Turkey.” Arsenyan believes that Turkey “never threatened” Armenia after recognition of independence.
He also stated that without the Russian troops of Armenia, “will become a country that does not pose any threat, including for Turkey.” As a result, according to him, Armenia “will turn into a neighbor who does not pose any threat to this country, as for Georgia or Iran, and in this case the manifestations of the Russian paradigm will cease.”