“Liberty” radio station.
Discussions on the mandate of Russian peacekeepers, their mission, as well as “the scope of actions to ensure the security of our compatriots in Artsakh” are being held at various levels among the appropriate bodies in Armenia and Russia, the Armenian government said in response to RFE/RL’s question. RFE/RL, in particular, inquired on what basis the former head of the Russian peacekeeping mission in Nagorno-Karabakh, Rustam Muradov, said that a decision on further extension of the mission would be made after the end of the five-year term, whether Armenia had already announced if it is in favor of the automatic extension of the Russian peacekeeping mission for another 5 years, and if there is such an agreement. The government did not give clear answers to the questions; in the response given more than 10 days later, the government simply said, “The presence of Russian peacekeepers plays a very important role in ensuring the security and the right to life of the people of Artsakh, which is clearly stated in the 2021-2026 program of the Armenian government.”
