Mirzoyan: Russian side has been informed about Yerevan`s initiative  to withdraw border guards from Zvartnots

ArmInfo. The Russian side has been informed about Yerevan's initiative to withdraw border guards of  the Federal Security Service ( FSB) of the Russian Federation from Zvartnots airport. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan stated at a press conference in Yerevan on March 7, in response to a corresponding question, thus confirming the statement of the Security Council Secretary on this issue made on March 6.

According to him, it was initially planned that the participation of  Russian border guards at a number of points, including at Zvartnots  airport, was intended as assistance to independent Armenia, and it  was planned that they would be present as long as Armenia needed, and  when it has its institutional capabilities, it will begin to carry  out these functions.

"Now we believe that Armenia is institutionally able to independently  carry out border service at the airport, about which the Russian side  was informed, which, I think, will be sufficient for the Russian side  and the issue will be settled," Mirzoyan noted, adding that it refers  to the whole package of the airport's powers.

"The Armenian side has informed that it no longer needs the border  guard service of the Russian border guards at the airport, of course,  thanking the Russian side," said Mirzoyan, without specifying when  the message was delivered.

The Foreign Minister added that the notification was transmitted  through the relevant services, and he may misrepresent all the  details, and therefore will refrain from explaining technical  details.  When asked about the presence of Russian border guards in  other places, for example, on the Armenian- Turkish border, the  minister said that we were only talking about the airport.

On March 6, Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen  Grigoryan stated that Armenia has sent an official letter to the  Russian authorities, informing them of the intention of the Armenian  side to stop the service of the Russian border guards at the  "Zvartnots" airport.

Earlier, the Speaker of the RA Parliament Alen Simonyan spoke about  the need to withdraw Russian border guards from the airport. Just  yesterday afternoon, the Russian side at the Kremlin level stated  that it had not received relevant notifications from Yerevan.