With Russian-Armenian partnership being so close, Russia should deploy a second, military base in Armenia, with assault  military equipment and relevant purposes, Semyen Bagdasarov, a member of the Committee on International Affairs, RF State Duma, stated during the Armenian-Russian Relations spacebridge.

According to him, one Russian defensive military base in Armenia is incapable to meet the two nations’ real needs. A second base would be a deterrent factor for both Turkey and the U.S. “An explosive situation was developing round Nagorno-Karabakh before the protocol on longer-term Russian military presence in Armenia was signed – Azerbaijan was enhancing its military potential for the purpose of using its for resuming hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh,” the Russian parliamentarian said. He welcomes the fact that Armenia is the only post-Soviet state with only Russian military presence in its territory.

Russia attaches high importance to the South Caucasus, as it borders on the North Caucasus. “Armenia is a most important regional country for Russia at least due to the fact that NATO is opening a liaison office in Georgia, and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen arrived in Tbilisi on this occasion,” Bagdasarov said. Russia is an imperial state which must restore its global role, he said.

He believes Russia is not actually interested in Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. “It is a good thing that Armenian-Turkish protocols failed – they run counter to the interests of both Armenia and Russia,” the Russian parliamentarian said. Turkey has a great influence on two of the South Caucasus states – Georgia and Azerbaijan. Had Ankara established relations with Yerevan it would extend its influence over Armenia as well. “In this case, Turkey would force Russia out of Armenia and, therefore, of the entire South Caucasus. So it is great the Armenian-Turkish protocols failed,” Bagdasarov said.