September 15, 2001 - 20:40 AMT
ARMENIA AND RUSSIA ESTABLISH JOINT ARMED SUBDIVISIONS
Armenia's defense minister Serge Sarkisyan has stated at the press conference in Yerevan that the protocols regarding the establishment of joint armed subdivisions have already been signed. According to his words the defense ministers of both countries have already started forming and joint planning of these subdivision. "We think this approach is one of the main components of our national defense", Sarkisyan has said. At the same time some of Russian media make doubt about the validity of the information that there is a final agreement on the establishment of joint armed subdivisions. "Rosbusinessconsulting" news agency especially emphasizes that the information on the possibility of the establishment of joint army units came up in the spring, but there was not a confirmation regarding Armenia. So the news agency makes a supposition that either Serge Sarkisyan takes the desired for the reality or the Russian leadership prefers not to make the agreement known yet.