The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) rates U.S. State Department spokesman Mike Toner’s statement as positive.

“We view agreements between Armenia and Russia as a bilateral issue,” Toner said when commenting on the extension of deployment terms of the Russian military base in Armenia.

According to RPA secretary Eduard Sharmazanov, Washington has officially confirmed partner relations between the United States and Armenia.

“It means that the Obama administration supports Armenian President’s foreign policy course,” he noted. “It’s a diplomatic slap to Baku and its supporters.”

“As to Mr. Toner’s remark that ‘Russia is a member of – or part of the Minsk Group and so is playing a constructive role in that capacity’, it makes clear that the St. Petersburg proposals on Madrid Principles were developed and presented not only by Kremlin (as Azerbaijan assures) but by all Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,” Sharmazanov said.