During a seminar on “NATO as a stabilizing force in South Caucasus: Current challenges and developments in the region” topic, held in Tsakhkadzor, by the Center for Regional Studies in collaboration with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, and in support of NATO department of social diplomacy programs, the deputy head of the RA DM Department of Defence Policy, Mher Israyelyan disagreed with the assessment that the joint CSTO air defence system reduces the air defence capabilities of Armenia, referring to the Armenian-Russian relations, and topics about the Russian military base in Armenia, “This system does not reduce but broadens our capabilities, since we get an opportunity to use the means of air defence deployed in the southern region of Russia. There are not only 4000 soldiers in the Russian base, but serious military means: missiles, aviation. However, I agree that it is of a political significance”.
Emma GABRIELYAN
