On June 30 the Armenian parliament ratified an "Agreement between Armenia and Russia on creation of joint regional air--defense system in the Caucasus region" by an overwhelming majority - 101 "for". It was signed on December 23, 2015, in Moscow. Armenian political forces have expressed rare consensus in this matter. In addition to the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and ARF Dashnaktsutyun coalition, all oppositional parliamentary forces voted "for" ratification of the agreement. The only exception was a small and uninfluential pro-Western faction 'Heritage'/'Free Democrats' and its several branches.
The results of this vote drew a political line in the discussion that unfolded a few weeks ago in the media and the expert community about feasibility of creation of such a system. The discussion about this agreement was accompanied by protest action, organized by the initiative 'We Are Owners of Our Country'.
The opponents of this joint air-defense system claim that this step implies that Armenia looses part of its sovereignty, since Armenia's air-defense can make decision and carry out protection only with the permission of the Russian side.
However both representatives of the Defense Ministry and a number of military experts argue that this agreement does not limit Armenia's control over its air-defense system because according to it, Armenia will still have internal autonomy of its air-defense. The agreement also allows Armenia to use technical capabilities and resources of the Russian air-defense, including the means of destruction, aerial vehicles, as well as the possibility of using fighter jets. "This joint System will further enhance the level of Armenia's air-defense. In case of any threat to Armenia, we can guarantee our security by using additional resources," Deputy Defense Minister Ara Nazaryan says. He also noted that the agreement restricts the use of Armenia's air-defense for the protection of Nagorno-Karabakh (NK).
Some opposition members and NGO representatives are unhappy that this joint air-defense system does not include Nagorno-Karabakh in the responsibility zone. But Russia does not recognize Karabakh's independence and as a co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group it must remain neutral. If Russia will take the responsibility for the protection of Karabakh sky, it should be excluded from the Minsk Group.
Opponents of the agreement believe that the creation of a joint air-defense system became Russia's response to the deployment of NATO's air-defense system in Romania, and this makes Armenia a target for NATO. However experts believe that Russia, whose radar stations are able to eximine the area up to the south pole, has no need for the technical capabilities of a joint air-defense system in the Caucasus. In other words, the system was created not against NATO, but to strengthen Russia's influence in the South Caucasus.
In addition to the expansion of resource and informational base, new system will give Yerevan the opportunity to coordinate work of Armenia's air-defense with the Russian base in Gyumri. But the issue of security is still the most important. Today Armenia has a three-tier security system, which is based on three documents:
1. 1997 agreement "On friendship and cooperation," according to which Russia provides Armenia's security.
2. The agreement on the Russian base deployed in Armenia, which says that the aggression against Armenia is considered to be aggression against Russia. Moscow commits itself to ensure the security of Armenia and provide modern military equipment to it.
3. The Collective Security Treaty of the CSTO.
This way, new agreement on a joint air-defense system with Russia became another step in enhancing security, which improves military and political positions of Armenia in the region.
