YEREVAN. – Armenian-Russian relations are not based on business, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told the Public Television of Armenia.

Responding to the query as to whether Moscow’s statements in recent days equate Russia’s relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan, the FM recalled that the Russian military base is not in Azerbaijan, that Azerbaijan is not a Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member, and that Armenia—and not Azerbaijan—has dozens of defense and military industry agreements with Russia.

He noted that Armenia and Russia are allies not only in words, but with respective legal grounds.

“This is not a secret, including for Azerbaijan,” Nalbandian added.

Commenting on the position of some partners from several international organizations, and which were ambiguous, the Armenian FM said the Eurasian Economic Union—which comprises Armenia, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan—is an economic organization, whose each member has its own interests and priorities. And as case in point, Edward Nalbandian noted the European Union (EU) stating that the positions of whose member states also do not always coincide.