Armenia must learn to independently control its borders – Deputy FM

Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia Paruyr Hovhannisyan did not rule out the  possibility of withdrawing Russian border guards not only from the  Armenian-Iranian border, but also from the Armenian-Turkish border  after Armenia  strengthens its border security potential. He stated  this during a conversation with journalists on January 24, in  response to a question about the upcoming visit of the US Customs and  Border Security Group.

Hovhannisyan, however, was unable to explain the meaning of the  phrase “strengthening potential”, simply stating that in Armenia  “border control has always been carried out by a third party, and  ultimately, Armenia must be able to control its borders itself.”  Additionally, the Deputy Foreign Minister noted that the assistance  from the United States is intended to enhance the capabilities of the  border service by sharing relevant expertise. Hovhannisyan expressed  confidence that inviting American specialists would not cause any  concerns from the Iranian side.

The diplomat referred to a statement published after the visit of  his colleague Vahan Kostanyan (Deputy Foreign Minister), to Tehran.  The statement highlighted the special and close partnership relations  between the countries. “I do not know of any issue on which we could  not agree with the Iranian side. Our relations are currently at an  unprecedentedly high level, as evidenced by the mutual visits and  recent statements made by officials,” the diplomat emphasized.

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