Russia`s Federation Council concerned over Yerevan`s hasty decision  on withdrawal of Russian border guards from Zvartnots airport

ArmInfo.The Federation Council expressed concern about Yerevan's haste in making a decision on the  withdrawal of Russian border guards from Yerevan Zvartnots airport.

On March 6, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen  Grigoryan said that Armenia sent an official letter to the Russian  authorities notifying them of the termination of the presence of  Russian border guards at Zvartnots airport.

First Deputy Head of the Federation Council Committee on  International Affairs Vladimir Dzhabarov, commenting on the situation  to the Parliamentary Gazeta, noted that there were no proposals from  official Yerevan to create a mixed commission - only information  about the decision made as a fait accompli.  According to him, the  haste with which Yerevan made the decision is also alarming. "To be  honest, it is not clear to me why the Russian border guards prevented  the Armenians at the airport. We can only guess about this. All  decisions - who should be allowed into the country and who should not  - were made by the Armenian authorities independently," the senator  said.

Dzhabarov did not deny that today Russian-Armenian relations are not  going through the best of times. In particular, the Armenian  leadership cannot decide on its position on the country's  participation in the CSTO, while some politicians in Yerevan believe  that it is beneficial for Armenia to be a member of the EU.

"I'm afraid that the decision to end the presence of Russian FSS  border guards at Zvartnots airport will not improve the climate of  Russian-Armenian relations. I believe that the large Armenian  diaspora in Russia, which has both family, business and political  ties in Armenia, can have its say here," he said. 

At the same time, Dzhabarov is confident that no one except Russia  will protect Armenia in the region.  "The sooner Yerevan understands  this, the better for the people of Armenia. Yes, someone is talking  about France. But we saw how quite recently the French military left,  one might say, fled from Central Africa," the Russian senator noted.

The status of Russian border troops located on Armenian territory is  regulated by the relevant agreement between the Russian Federation  and the Republic of Armenia. The document was signed in Yerevan on  September 30, 1992. It states, in particular, that our border troops  coordinate their actions to protect the state border with the  President and Government of Armenia. "The border troops of the  Russian Federation located on the territory of the Republic of  Armenia respect the sovereignty of the Republic of Armenia, comply  with local legislation and do not allow interference in the internal  affairs of the Republic of Armenia," the agreement states.

In turn, local authorities, according to the document, "respect the  legal status of the border troops of the Russian Federation, the  persons included in their composition, and the family members of  these persons and do not allow any actions that make it difficult for  the border troops of the Russian Federation to carry out their  tasks." "They take the necessary measures, agreed upon with the  border troops of the Russian Federation, to ensure their safety, as  well as the safety of the troops' property, including measures to  prevent any illegal actions," follows from the text of the agreement.

At the same time, to resolve issues related to the stay of Russian  border guards in Armenia, the parties to the treaty must appoint  their authorized representatives (Article 27), and to resolve issues  related to the interpretation or application of the treaty, "a mixed  commission is created, to which each party appoints three their  representatives" (Article 28). If such a commission is unable to  resolve the issue submitted to it, it is "transferred for resolution  through diplomatic channels as soon as possible." Moreover, the  contract itself can be changed with the consent of both parties  (Article 29).