A top official at Armenia’s foreign ministry said that Russian guards currently stationed at Armenia’s border with Turkey might withdraw when Armenia strengthens its capabilities.
Since Armenia’s independence in 1991, the country’s borders have been guarded by Russian border troops. Last year, through separate agreements between Yerevan and Moscow, Russian border guards withdrew first from Zvartnots International Airport then from Armenia’s border with Iran.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Deputy Foreign Minister Paruyr Hovhannisyan said that every country must be able to monitor and control its own borders, adding that the guarding of the border “has always been carried out by a third country. At last, we [Armenia] should be able to control our border ourselves.”
Hovhannisyan added that such an ambition may mean that the Russian border guards might withdraw from the Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Iranian borders altogether.
“Of course, in an ideal world, every country should be able to control its borders. And that support lies in the sharing of experience corresponding to the increase in our capacity,” Hovhannisyan said.
The issue of border monitoring was brought up by reporters in light of the Strategic Cooperation Agreement that was signed between Armenia and the United States earlier this month.
Ahead of the signing, then Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that in the coming weeks an elite team of U.S. border guards will travel to Armenia to address the border and customs issues.
Hovhannisyan told reporters that Blinken’s statement was related to increasing the effectiveness of Armenia’s borders and was not directed at “sensitive aspects with this or that country”—mainly Iran.
Hovhannisyan visited Iran recently and said that all matters are discussed with Iranian colleagues, attempting to provide assurances that the U.S. assistance in border effectiveness will not hinder Yerevan’s relations with Tehran.
“I believe [Blinken’s] statement that was issued was another evidence of our close relations and our special cooperative relations,” said Hovhannisyan.
“I have not seen any matter that we will not reach an agreement on with the Iranian side, our relations are at an unprecedented high level, and we see evidence of this—both from recent visits and statements by other officials,” the deputy foreign minister added.
